BABY KIMBLE BIRTH STORY

On November 14, 2019, our world changed forever!

Actually, on February 26, 2019, our world changed forever. We found out we were pregnant. 

At 41 weeks and 2 days, I gave birth to Jovi Kimble. This is our story:

My due date was November 6, 2019. I was scheduled to be induced October 30, 2019 at 39 weeks, just because my doctor wanted to (no real medical risks).

However, Jonathan and I cancelled because we wanted to skip October/Halloween and go more natural. (not THAT natural, I loved my epidural)

The doctor was going to be out of town around my due date, so the next earliest induction date was November 12. I was NOT happy about that, but all we could do was hope she came on her own. 

My mom had come to Arizona October 28, so she was the real champ waiting around for this baby to be born! 

My due date came and went, and November 12 came and went! I learned that just because you're scheduled to be induced does NOT mean you'll get a bed. The morning of our induction, the hospital called and said they were full and they'd call us "at some time."

Little did we know that time would be 1:48am on Thursday morning, two days later. 

I tried ALL THE THINGS to get her to come naturally (all the safe things), but she was "just too cozy" and my womb "was too nice." 

Here's a condensed timeline of our favorite day ever:

• 1:48am: phone call from hospital, telling us to come within the hour for the bed
• Showered, got car ready, woke Mom/Dad to tell them
• 2:20am: arrived at hospital
• 2:50am: check-in and paperwork done
• 3:08am: nurse came down to get us and take us to our labor room
• 3:20: I was in my gown and in the labor bed
• 4:10am: nurse called doctor to see if we could start the Pitocin
• 4:45am: Pitocin started
• 5:42: Pitocin turned up another level (they increase by increments of 2). I began having bigger contractions/back pain, so I moved to a standing position and then sat on the bed
• 7:30am: nurses switched shifts, met our labor nurse Carrie 
• 8:00am: moved to a bouncy ball, felt big contractions and began talking about getting the epidural
• 8:15: epidural was put in (and it HURT people, doctor had to give me more numbing, I'm still bitter and think he did it wrong)
• 8:40am: Lying down with epidural starting to work
• 8:50am: My OBGYN came in to check me and he broke my water. At this point I was still around 3cm dilated
• 11:30am: cervix was now at a 7
• 12:55pm: cervix was at a TEN and we were ready to do some practice pushing 
• Pushed for 14 minutes total
• 1:20pm: Jovi was born!! 

Jonathan explaining my contractions to everyone haha

When the doctor came in for the real pushing, he noticed baby's heart rate was slowing down and I had bright red blood. We'd later learn this was from me starting to tear, but in bed I thought the blood and heart rate were just about the scariest things ever. 

I had an oxygen mask on during the labor because of baby's heart rate. So glad everything turned out OK and she arrived safely. 

Pushing was NOT what I expected. It was actually easier than I thought and mostly hard to hold my breath for 10 slow seconds. We did lots of back-to-back pushes. Carrie my nurse was SO amazing, telling me to go harder or encouraging me. 

My mom and sister Haley held my left leg, my husband was on my right leg, and the doctor was calm and professional, even as he removed the cord around baby. 

I had a small tear at the beginning of pushing, so my doctor was stretching me out to help me, but I only did 3-4 major pushes before baby BROKE OUT OF ME like CRAZY. She ripped me almost all the way back (TMI), and the doctor said he did not expect that. 

It felt like one big gush and then they were putting this baby on my chest! She was bloody and had a head FULL of hair, her eyes wide open. 

I was so happy they kept her on me for a good 10 minutes, cleaning her off. I just rubbed her back and looked at her face, she was looking right at me. It was amazing to just talk to her outside the womb and watch her. She cried a little, then would calm down when I talked or when Jonathan talked. 


We had a birth photographer as well and can't wait to see her photos! She came when I was at a 10 (didn't know I would progress so fast) and it was all fast and furious! 

THINGS I LEARNED IN THE HOSPITAL 

1. Each nurse is SO different and has her own opinions. Some were tough but loving, others were super chatty, but all of them wanted to help us and enjoyed their jobs. One nurse didn't want to give me strong medicine all the time, but another nurse gave me anything I wanted. They treated me so well and were all concerned about my 4th-degree tear.
2. Recovery is a real big deal. I knew recovery would be hard, but I didn't realize how sore it would be and how many supplies you need in the bathroom after. My husband built me a home-bathroom table that has shelves for all my supplies. I'm talking pads, numbing spray, Depends, tucks pads, more numbing spray, etc. I'm taking Ibuprofen around the clock and so far it's manageable. I still feel like I got hit by a truck, that's the best way to describe that after-birth pain and soreness.
3. You may have scary moments. Our first night with Jovi in the hospital, she spit up clear fluid and was gagging a little. I freaked out obviously and we got nurses in there ASAP to check her. She had swallowed some amniotic fluid, which is common I've heard, and they taught us how to suck out mucus in her mouth with this little bulb sucker. We bought a ton more and have one in every room of our house now because we're a little paranoid. She's all good now, but those scares are REAL.
4. Hormones are real. I've cried once or twice a day so far, not because of real sadness or anything, but just because of all this CHANGE and EMOTION. My body is shifting back, hormones are up and down, and you're hit with all this LOVE for a baby. Your home becomes so different, everything gets turned upside down. 
5. Ask everything and take everything. We took full advantage of all the hospital supplies, hiding and stuffing things away. They let us take the hospital water mugs (which I LOVE) and diapers, wipes, numbing spray, pads, swaddles, hats, etc. Some nurses even brought us handmade beanies and a handmade quilt for Jovi. They said they're usually NICU blankets but they snuck us one and gave us like 3 hats. Even the ladies who came in to check my vitals were SO nice. 
   
6. The hospital was great but hectic. The hospital was so nice because you have nurses right there and if anything goes wrong, you have help. We had nurses take her to the baby nursery both nights for a few hours so we could sleep—my mom asked for us, and I'm so glad she did. Most of our hospital stay felt like we were confined to this room, thrown into this new life. And the knocks on the door happen ALL THE TIME. It can be a vital checker, a nurse, a random volunteer handing out cookies, room service, etc. I would have just fallen asleep and then someone knocks and comes in to wake us. 
7. Home is better. I was nervous that once we got home, we'd be so lost. And we are, haha! But I feel much more relaxed here and comfortable. Our first night home I said, "It feels so normal that she's here because she has been here this whole time, in my stomach!" 
   
   

We are tired, emotional, sore, happy, overjoyed, anxious, amazed, more tired, and so excited to have her earth-side.