On April 7th, 2014 we welcomed Rose Lucero into the world. It was a day full of surprises, new experiences, and so much joy. Here is Rose's birth story and some pictures of our sweet daughter.
April 7th was a Monday morning. I woke up at 4:30 am and felt wide awake. This is very unusual for me. I looked on Facebook for a little while and eventually fell back asleep. I had to get up at 8:00 am because I had a doctor's appointment. So Wyatt and I ran to the doctor, Wyatt still in pajamas and me in some sweats, (aka pajamas). I was 38 weeks and 5 days and this was the first time the doctor was going to check me to see if I had progressed at all. Well, turns out I was dilated 4 cm and 70% effaced. Say what?! She then asked if I wanted to be induced. I thought, "Why would I be induced? This baby is doing just fine coming on her own." So I left the doctor's office thinking, "This baby is coming in the next couple days." I had to run to the store to pick up a few things, so Wyatt and I stopped by the store and while walking around I felt more discomfort than usual. I felt some contractions but I've been having lots of Braxton hicks contractions with this pregnancy, so I didn't think anything of it. Once I was home I started to think that the contractions seemed more regular. I had planned lunch with some friends, so I got Wyatt and myself ready and thought, "I should probably start packing a bag for the hospital, just in case." Wyatt and I met my friends at Torchy's Tacos for lunch. I had thought about possibly canceling lunch but I then I thought, "If I do have the baby, I want to have eaten a good amount because I don't know when I will eat again." So at lunch, with the encouragement of my friends, I downloaded an app to time the contractions. I was having them 7-10 minutes apart and they lasted 30 seconds. They were not painful and I could talk through them just fine. My friends asked if I was ready and I replied, "No, my house is a mess. I thought I had at least 9 more days!" Wyatt came 10 days late so I never imagined I'd need to be ready this early. Our weekend had been busier than normal too. A good friend of mine got married and it was general conference (A semi-annual LDS conference lasting two days that you can watch via internet), so we let the mess pile up at the house cause I thought I would have time to organize things. Well, I was wrong.
So my friends came over and helped me organize the baby stuff and clean up. They also set up the bassinet for the baby while I packed a bag for the baby and me. I feel so grateful to have friends like this! I called Isaac on my way home from lunch to tell him to be on call because I thought the baby was coming sometime in the evening. But as my friends and I straightened up, the contractions started to become painful and I knew we had to go to the hospital soon. Plus, the contractions were about 4-5 minutes apart. I called Isaac and he came home to pick me up and take me to the hospital. When Isaac came in he said, "You don't look like you are in much pain." And I wasn't having intense pain but the contractions were getting closer together. Also, knowing that I started the day out at 4 cm, I knew that the hospital would admit me, and worst case scenario, they might have to give me pitocin if the labor slowed down. So we drove to the hospital.
Here is a picture of me during a contraction. Contractions are an interesting sensation once they become more painful. I often felt like I didn't know what to do with my body. Should I walk it off? Stretch it out? Lay down and breathe through it?
Here is the last picture of our family when it was just the three of us...well,
I guess Rose is technically in the picture as well.
Here is a picture of Isaac and I while I was in triage.
Isaac took this picture of me breathing through a contraction in the hospital room.
Alright, to continue the birth story...
Isaac and I arrived at the hospital and I checked in at the desk. We then sat down and waited while they printed out some forms that I had to sign in order to be admitted into triage. I think by this time Isaac started to believe that I was experiencing pain when I had contractions. They took us back to triage, had me pee in a cup and change into a gown, and then we waited for like 15 or 20 minutes before anyone showed up to check me. it was kind of weird but whatever. So, finally a nurse and doctor came in and they checked my cervix. I was at 6 cm and 80% effaced. They asked me if I wanted an epidural and I told them I wasn't sure and I was waiting for my doula to get there to discuss it with her. My doula arrived right after they put me in the room. I was undecided about what I should do and asked if they would check me again. I was at 6-7 cm. I decided to order the epidural because they still had to send my labs off (I guess they have to check some stuff in your blood) and I had to receive a bag of fluids to prevent my blood pressure from dropping when I would get the epidural. So, it would take at least 20 minutes. I wanted to try going natural but I was feeling a lot of pain at this point and I wasn't sure how much longer the labor would last. I figured that if I progressed quickly I could always decline the epidural. Plus, when I began to feel that intense pain, my desire to prove anything about my own strength to myself or others flew out the window. So they started the bag of fluids, took my labs, and sent in the anesthesiologist. Well, the anesthesiologist came in and started to go over how the epidural works and the risks, etc. As he was talking I had a contraction, so he stopped and started back up once the contraction was over. But then, another contraction started and he continued to talk as I breathed through the contraction clenching my hands around the side rail of the bed. Right after that contraction subsided another one came on. At some point the anesthesiologist's voice tapered off and he disappeared from the room. I vaguely remember his face that seemed to say, "Uh, I am not injecting a needle into this crazy lady's back." By this time I'm screaming, crying, moaning, trying to express my pain in whatever way I can and nothing really seems to fit. I then cried to Isaac and the staff, "I came too late! I can't get the epidural! I won't be able to sit still!" I felt a lot of distress because I knew that the pain was unavoidable at this point and I didn't know how long I would be suffering. So I had another contraction and I felt a strong urge to pee so I pushed but nothing came out. At the next contraction my water broke. Then, I realized that when I was having contractions, the nurses and doctors didn't know that I was pushing. I couldn't really help but not push. It felt like my body was just reacting to the contraction. So I shouted out, "I'm pushing!" They flipped up the sheet they had placed over my legs. And lo and behold, Rosie's head was crowning. The doctor rushed in and told me to wait to push until she got her gloves on. At this point it was strange because I actually felt like I could wait. Once the doctor was ready, I pushed and our little Rosie slid right out. They placed her on top of me and I felt completely shocked. I just delivered my baby...naturally! We had come into the room at 3:00 pm and at 3:38 pm I had a baby in my arms. They delivered the placenta and stitched up a small tear. I don't remember feeling any pain at this point and didn't ask for pain medications until the next day. I just remember thinking, "That was wild!"
Here is me post labor with my sweet Rose.
Here is Rose after they weighed her. She was 6 lbs. 7 oz and 18 inches long.
Here are some more pictures of Rose
Here we are a few hours after the labor.
We aren't mimicking Rosie in this picture. Our faces are this way because we were in shock at how fast the labor and delivery went and that I just delivered a baby naturally like it was no thing. CRAZY!
Here were are mimicking Rosie's open mouth pose.
The proud daddy
Look at that angelic face!
Rosie and I just hanging out
The next morning, Wyatt came to visit. When he saw me holding Rosie he squealed and pointed to Rosie and came right over to us. He was then distracted by the many other interesting things in the hospital room.
Wyatt loves to drink out of straws
Wyatt seems a little uncertain about his new sister here.
Isaac's mom came to town the day after the birth to help out. A few days later his dad, sister, niece, and aunt came as well. It was so nice to have family to help us out.
Here is Wyatt holding Rose
Here are the Lucero cousins
The night we got home, we were eating dinner at the table and I looked over at the dish cloth hanging from the oven handle and noticed that it said "A Rose for Monday." Pretty interesting since Rose was born on Monday. We thought that was pretty neat, especially since my late grandma Bonnie had embroidered the dish towel. I often miss my grandmother and little moments like this help me to remember that she is still very much a part of my life.
Rose's little hand
Life at home with Rose
Well, it's official, Rose has pulled off sucking a thumb like a gangster.
Rose gets ready for her first sponge bath at home
Rosie and I post bath
I adore this photo of Rosie. She looks like she is smiling this sly little smile.
It seems to capture her cute little personality.
And here is a picture of her crying. Rosie was not up for a photo shoot.
Our Rosie is so precious. She was so tiny when she was born. She likes to sleep much more than Wyatt did. She is a great eater too. She absolutely loves to be held and will sleep longer in someone's arms than in her bassinet. Rosie makes lots of noises. She will make delicate little peeps and squeaks but the next minute she will make loud grunting and growling noises. It is pretty hilarious. Wyatt is doing better each day at learning how to be soft. He loves to look at Rosie and give her kisses. He also likes to pull off her socks, smell her feet and say, "Ew!" Wyatt has sweaty feet and one time when Isaac was undressing him he sniffed Wyatt's feet and said "Ew!" Now, whenever Wyatt sees feet, he thinks it is hilarious to smell them and say "Ew!" Boys will be boys, right?
I feel so blessed to have such a healthy baby and quick recovery. I'm also grateful that I was able to experience natural labor. It was a powerful experience that showed me just how perfectly our bodies have been created. I think a lot of moms worry that they might not feel the wonder and magic that they felt with the first birth but I now know that each child is such a miracle and my heart has enough space for any child that might come to this earth through me. I feel so so lucky to be a mom. Sometimes people think motherhood isn't a big deal because most women can birth children and have for centuries. And sometimes people make a big deal about motherhood because it is trendy to talk about all the different parenting strategies out there. But I think for anyone who truly dives deep into motherhood, the experience isn't common and it isn't unique. It is sacred. It is divine. It is personal. It is in the details.
I'm not sure that language will ever be able to fully express what transpires in a mother's heart. And I'm okay with that because in a world where we are prone to share so much (and obviously I share a lot as well, because I just shared the story of Rose's birth), it is nice that some things will just have to stay in my heart.
