McKay's Birth Story

Alright! I found the good old blog again!  I also saved my other children's birth stories into a digital file on my computer so that if this blog ever does get lost there is another digital copy somewhere!  Ya for my paranoia!  Onto McKay's birth story!  When I found out I was pregnant with baby number #4 I thought since the last home birth went so well why don't we do that again!  So we did!  Side note: McKay you were definitely a surprise baby because your mommy swears there was no missed birth control this time.  However, thinking back on the timeline you were probably conceived when me and your daddy went on that awesome trip to China back in April 2019 and somehow you overcame the birth control with your ninja powers and yes son you were made in China!  Now that I have thoroughly embarrassed ya I want ya to know that yes you were a big surprise but you are always so wanted and loved!  When I was 39 weeks and 5 days pregnant I remember sitting up at 2 am early that morning and crying because I was so darn fat and just knew I was going to be pregnant forever.  Hello 38 pounds of weight gain.  Yikes!  So when I woke up again at 8:30 am and started having beginning contractions I just thought I wish those darn Braxton Hicks would go away!  I got up and took care of the animals and made Jayce his lunch for school.  I then started my normal routine of picking up the house and getting Owen and Aiden ready for the day all while wishing those darn Braxton Hicks would go away.  I am pretty sure Trevor knew what was up because he kept asking me if he should stay home from work.  I told him I was fine and that I was going to take Owen and Aiden to Daycare and then go out to lunch with some friends.  So Trevor took the two boys to Daycare and went to work.  My friend Candice did end up picking me up to go to lunch because the contractions were getting kind of painful.  We were a sight me and Candice.  When we got to the lunch place I kept having to stop and breath during a contraction and Candice would offer me her arm to lean on (bless her heart, she was 32 weeks pregnant herself with her sixth baby!)  We met our other friends Cheryl, Adrienne and Rachel and I proceeded to happily eat and laugh in between contractions.  On the way back to the car my mom called and asked how I was doing.  I had texted her earlier that morning and mentioned I might be going into labor later that day.  I told her I was fine and that I was probably just experiencing some super early contractions.  My mom was planning on being there this time for this home birth.  When I got back home around noon with Owen and Aiden I decided to call Trevor and have him come home.  He did.  Good thing too because things started to really hurt.  I then called my mom a little after 1 pm and mentioned she should probably get off work early and start to make her way down.  She was about a 3 1/2 hour drive away.  Around 2 pm contractions really started to hurt so I called my Midwife, the wonderful Elizabeth Smith again and mentioned that she should be ready to come down.  She asked if she should come down now and I said Na.  I was an idiot!  I'm so paranoid about jumping the gun that it was almost too late this time! Around 3 pm my Midwife called me and asked if she should come now and I said yes please!  Contractions were really hurting by now.  She jumped in her car and made it to our house in a little under a hour (she lives all the way in St. George).  On the way she called her assistant Rachel to come and was so worried that she wasn't going to make it in time that she told Trevor to call her if the baby started coming out and she could talk him through on what to do.  She also called a birth worker named Kayce she knew in Cedar to come over and hang out with us until she could get there.  Contractions were really hurting by now so I climbed into the tub and was doing everything I could to just get through them.  Trevor was amazing!  He was so calm and didn't complain once as I squeezed the life out of his arms.  Trevor was going to take Owen and Aiden to Candice's house but in a panic I told him he was not allowed to leave me alone for even 5 minutes!  Things were getting real people.  Around 4 pm Kayce the birthworker from Cedar arrived and gently started to talk to me.  Jayce also came home from school.  Trevor asked Jayce if he wanted to watch a movie (Owen and Aiden had thankfully fallen asleep while watching a movie) and Jayce replied I want to watch the baby be born.  So we said okay!    Around 4:15 pm Liz the Midwife and her assistant Rachel showed up and boy was I soooooo happy to see them!  Liz has been delivering babies for about 33 years and boy does it show!  There is just something so calming and confident about her during childbirth that it just seems to automatically transfer to the laboring mother or at least for me it does!  At about 4:35 pm I was still in the tub and Liz mentioned that it looked like the baby was stuck behind my pubic bone.  She mentioned if I laid down on my back and pushed on the next contraction or two it would get the baby out in a jiffy.  It did!  McKay, you slide right out into the water and the Midwife scooped you up and put you on my chest.  I wouldn't let Trevor catch the baby because I was too busy clutching his arms during contractions!  McKay, you lifted your little head right up and looked right at me with those big eyes!  It was amazing!  After your mommy got all cleaned up (she didn't tear at all, yahoo!) me and you moved to the bed and got to rest!  Jayce said that was his first time watching a baby be born and it was something!  Sadly my mom, your Grandma Liz didn't make it in time for your birth but she did show up a little bit after.  I should have told her to hurry up and come earlier, oh well.  McKay Melvin Bradford you were born on Monday, January 6th at 4:45 pm and weighed 7 pounds and 2 ounces and was 19 1/4 inches long.  You were also the Midwife Elizabeth Smith's 1,600 baby she has helped deliver!  You are pretty stellar son and we are so thankful you are part of our family!