Harper's Birth Story
I started writing this post many months ago and never finished it but I figured Harper's 1/2 Birthday was a good time to post about her grand entrance into this world. Happy 6 Months Baby Girl! We love you.
I love birth stories. I have always enjoyed reading them, so after my own children were born I made sure to write down every tiny detail, because I didn't ever want to forget how incredible those moments were. Shortly after Silas was born I shared his amazing birth story with the blogger world, Welcome to the World Silas Raines. This birth story is different than most though and different than the other two I have written in that the author (myself) wasn't the one giving birth.
In December 2013 after several months of praying that God would give my sister and her husband a baby, Lauren found out she was pregnant. We were all overcome with joy and excitement!
Lauren had a wonderful pregnancy without any complications and it seemed to fly by (like I said this is my own account).
Lauren's due date of August 23rd came and went and we all began to get anxious for Harper's arrival. Although she was handling it much better than I probably would have. On Tuesday August 26th Lauren and Justin went to her doctor's appointment for her 40 week check up and ultrasound. Dr. Phemister was concerned because her ammoniac fluid level was on the low side and Harper wasn't very active so he sent Lauren straight to Virginia Baptist Hospital (VBH). Lauren hadn't even brought her bags with her because they weren't anticipating an induction...that day! We were all shocked that Harper's arrival was suddenly getting VERY close.
Once they arrived at VBH and hooked Lauren up to the fetal monitor Harper behaved like a little rock star and it appeared she was just being lazy at the doctor's office. Lauren was having some mild contractions but not enough to really make things "happen" so the doctor gave her a dose of Cytotec and after a little bit of monitored set her free to walk around. I arrived at the hosiptal around this time and was told by the nurses "If you need to run any errands or do anything go ahead, it could be up to 72 hours before this baby is born!" Seventy two hours...that's a long time!! But how could I think about running errands when I was getting ready to become an Aunt!
Lauren and I walked the halls and visited with my Mom, Justin's Mom, Dad, and Step-Mom who were all there anxiously awaiting Harper's arrival. Lauren's contractions were getting a little stronger but she could still talk and walk through them so we knew she still had a ways to go.
After 4 hours they checked her to see if she had made any progress...she hadn't! She was still only dilated to 1/2cm. This was a huge disappointment for Lauren but the nurses assured us this was normal for an induction of a first time Mom. They gave her another dose of Cytotec (this was around 4:30pm) and told her they'd check her again in 4 more hours. I debated going home for a little while at this point but my gut told me to wait until that next check.
Little did we know those next 4 hours would be very different than the last 4 hours. Lauren's contractions picked up intensity QUICK! I just knew she was making major progress, despite her lack of progress thus far. I keep telling her "you're dilating Lauren, these contractions and doing something, when they check you at 8:30pm you WILL have made progress." I knew she needed the positive energy, she had to keep her mind focused to work through the intensifying contractions, and I truly believed it!
By 5:30pm a few visitors trickled in but she was no longer up for visiting, she was working, laboring! Justin was so supportive and doing his best to make Lauren smile (which was getting more difficult) and telling her how proud he was of her.
Sisters have a unique bond. Lauren and I have always been close and we can look at each other and know what the other one was thinking without saying a word. Several times during her labor she'd just look at me, and I could tell she was thinking "how bad is this going to get" or "I don't know how much longer I can do this" or "do something!" I'd response to her unspoken words and in true big sister fashion trying to make things a little better.
During the next couple of hours she sat on the exercise ball, while Justin or myself put pressure on her back during each contraction and then we'd do the same thing while walking the halls. She was incredible.
Things got really intense around 7:00pm and I suggested getting in the tub for a little while to see if that would help her relax a little. From my own experience I knew tubs were great for helping your body relax so things can progress. I went out to the waiting room for about 30 minutes (the longest stretch of time I left her). When I went back to check on her she was in a much better place mentally. The tub had helped her relax all her "other" muscles so the contractions could do even more. Shortly after I walked into the bathroom though she had two huge contractions and she told me "I just need something to help." I went and found her amazing nurse Katie and we helped her get back in the bed and Katie decided to go ahead and check her since it had been over 4 hours and the doctor was busy in another delivery. Much to the nurses surprise and our delight, Lauren was now 5cm and completely effaced, she had made major progress and surprised the nurses.
Lauren decided she was definitely ready for her epidural. The nurse gave Lauren her dose of antibiotics and quickly started getting things ready for her epidural. Not until later did the nurse tell us she was actually worried that Lauren wouldn't have time for the epidural as quickly as things started progressing. Justin gladly took me up on my offer to stay with Lauren while she got her epidural. The epidural went in without any problems and a couple contractions later everyone was smiling again!
Less than an hour after Lauren got her epidural her water broke and when the doctor checked her she was 7cm.
We worried that the epidural would slow down the amazing progress Lauren was making but that was not the case. Within 3 hours of getting her epidural she was 10cm!
We all decided no one would be leaving the hospital because it appeared Harper would be here sooner rather than later. Justin's Mom and Dad and our parents were anxiously waiting in the waiting room while Justin and I stayed by Lauren's side.
Lauren was doing awesome with her epidural so the nurse decided it would be a good idea to let her "labor down" for a little while before she started pushing.
At 1:05am with Justin holding one leg and me holding the other Lauren started to push with her contractions.
While she was pushing the nurse checked Lauren's vital signs. Her temperature was 103 and this meant they had to follow their protocol for chorioamnionitis, which is basically an infection of the lining of the uterus. Whenever a laboring women developing a temperature without a known cause they must assume it's an infection in the lining of the uterus and treat the mom and baby with IV antibiotics. This meant that after Harper was born she would have to go the NICU and have an IV placed and IV antibiotics started. It was naturally hard for my sister to hear that her baby would be taken from her after she was born, when at the moment she was working so hard just to have her in her arms.
Around 2:30am we started seeing the top of Harper's hair covered head when Lauren pushed and the nurses started setting the room up.
The doctor came in the room sometime around 3:10am and a couple pushes later Harper Joy was born on August 27th (her Mommy and Daddy's Anniversary) at exactly 3:24am! She was perfect and there wasn't a dry eye in the room! She weighed 8lbs 9oz and was 20 1/2 inches long.
It was such an amazing rush to see someone you love give birth. It was so different than giving birth myself but a very close second. It is so unbelievable what our bodies are capable of doing. I am honored that Lauren (and Justin) allowed me to be part of such an intimate time in their lives.
I didn't think I could love my sister more than I did but after experiencing the birth of her first child with her and seeing her become such an amazing Mom I feel like we can connect and relate on yet another level. I'm so glad we both have had the opportunity to be present for such an incredible time in each other's life.
I love birth stories. I have always enjoyed reading them, so after my own children were born I made sure to write down every tiny detail, because I didn't ever want to forget how incredible those moments were. Shortly after Silas was born I shared his amazing birth story with the blogger world, Welcome to the World Silas Raines. This birth story is different than most though and different than the other two I have written in that the author (myself) wasn't the one giving birth.
In December 2013 after several months of praying that God would give my sister and her husband a baby, Lauren found out she was pregnant. We were all overcome with joy and excitement!
Lauren had a wonderful pregnancy without any complications and it seemed to fly by (like I said this is my own account).
Lauren's due date of August 23rd came and went and we all began to get anxious for Harper's arrival. Although she was handling it much better than I probably would have. On Tuesday August 26th Lauren and Justin went to her doctor's appointment for her 40 week check up and ultrasound. Dr. Phemister was concerned because her ammoniac fluid level was on the low side and Harper wasn't very active so he sent Lauren straight to Virginia Baptist Hospital (VBH). Lauren hadn't even brought her bags with her because they weren't anticipating an induction...that day! We were all shocked that Harper's arrival was suddenly getting VERY close.
Once they arrived at VBH and hooked Lauren up to the fetal monitor Harper behaved like a little rock star and it appeared she was just being lazy at the doctor's office. Lauren was having some mild contractions but not enough to really make things "happen" so the doctor gave her a dose of Cytotec and after a little bit of monitored set her free to walk around. I arrived at the hosiptal around this time and was told by the nurses "If you need to run any errands or do anything go ahead, it could be up to 72 hours before this baby is born!" Seventy two hours...that's a long time!! But how could I think about running errands when I was getting ready to become an Aunt!
Lauren and I walked the halls and visited with my Mom, Justin's Mom, Dad, and Step-Mom who were all there anxiously awaiting Harper's arrival. Lauren's contractions were getting a little stronger but she could still talk and walk through them so we knew she still had a ways to go.
After 4 hours they checked her to see if she had made any progress...she hadn't! She was still only dilated to 1/2cm. This was a huge disappointment for Lauren but the nurses assured us this was normal for an induction of a first time Mom. They gave her another dose of Cytotec (this was around 4:30pm) and told her they'd check her again in 4 more hours. I debated going home for a little while at this point but my gut told me to wait until that next check.
Little did we know those next 4 hours would be very different than the last 4 hours. Lauren's contractions picked up intensity QUICK! I just knew she was making major progress, despite her lack of progress thus far. I keep telling her "you're dilating Lauren, these contractions and doing something, when they check you at 8:30pm you WILL have made progress." I knew she needed the positive energy, she had to keep her mind focused to work through the intensifying contractions, and I truly believed it!
By 5:30pm a few visitors trickled in but she was no longer up for visiting, she was working, laboring! Justin was so supportive and doing his best to make Lauren smile (which was getting more difficult) and telling her how proud he was of her.
Sisters have a unique bond. Lauren and I have always been close and we can look at each other and know what the other one was thinking without saying a word. Several times during her labor she'd just look at me, and I could tell she was thinking "how bad is this going to get" or "I don't know how much longer I can do this" or "do something!" I'd response to her unspoken words and in true big sister fashion trying to make things a little better.
During the next couple of hours she sat on the exercise ball, while Justin or myself put pressure on her back during each contraction and then we'd do the same thing while walking the halls. She was incredible.
Things got really intense around 7:00pm and I suggested getting in the tub for a little while to see if that would help her relax a little. From my own experience I knew tubs were great for helping your body relax so things can progress. I went out to the waiting room for about 30 minutes (the longest stretch of time I left her). When I went back to check on her she was in a much better place mentally. The tub had helped her relax all her "other" muscles so the contractions could do even more. Shortly after I walked into the bathroom though she had two huge contractions and she told me "I just need something to help." I went and found her amazing nurse Katie and we helped her get back in the bed and Katie decided to go ahead and check her since it had been over 4 hours and the doctor was busy in another delivery. Much to the nurses surprise and our delight, Lauren was now 5cm and completely effaced, she had made major progress and surprised the nurses.
Lauren decided she was definitely ready for her epidural. The nurse gave Lauren her dose of antibiotics and quickly started getting things ready for her epidural. Not until later did the nurse tell us she was actually worried that Lauren wouldn't have time for the epidural as quickly as things started progressing. Justin gladly took me up on my offer to stay with Lauren while she got her epidural. The epidural went in without any problems and a couple contractions later everyone was smiling again!
Less than an hour after Lauren got her epidural her water broke and when the doctor checked her she was 7cm.
We worried that the epidural would slow down the amazing progress Lauren was making but that was not the case. Within 3 hours of getting her epidural she was 10cm!
We all decided no one would be leaving the hospital because it appeared Harper would be here sooner rather than later. Justin's Mom and Dad and our parents were anxiously waiting in the waiting room while Justin and I stayed by Lauren's side.
Lauren was doing awesome with her epidural so the nurse decided it would be a good idea to let her "labor down" for a little while before she started pushing.
At 1:05am with Justin holding one leg and me holding the other Lauren started to push with her contractions.
While she was pushing the nurse checked Lauren's vital signs. Her temperature was 103 and this meant they had to follow their protocol for chorioamnionitis, which is basically an infection of the lining of the uterus. Whenever a laboring women developing a temperature without a known cause they must assume it's an infection in the lining of the uterus and treat the mom and baby with IV antibiotics. This meant that after Harper was born she would have to go the NICU and have an IV placed and IV antibiotics started. It was naturally hard for my sister to hear that her baby would be taken from her after she was born, when at the moment she was working so hard just to have her in her arms.
Around 2:30am we started seeing the top of Harper's hair covered head when Lauren pushed and the nurses started setting the room up.
The doctor came in the room sometime around 3:10am and a couple pushes later Harper Joy was born on August 27th (her Mommy and Daddy's Anniversary) at exactly 3:24am! She was perfect and there wasn't a dry eye in the room! She weighed 8lbs 9oz and was 20 1/2 inches long.
It was such an amazing rush to see someone you love give birth. It was so different than giving birth myself but a very close second. It is so unbelievable what our bodies are capable of doing. I am honored that Lauren (and Justin) allowed me to be part of such an intimate time in their lives.
I didn't think I could love my sister more than I did but after experiencing the birth of her first child with her and seeing her become such an amazing Mom I feel like we can connect and relate on yet another level. I'm so glad we both have had the opportunity to be present for such an incredible time in each other's life.
Happy 6 Months Sweet Girl!
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