Isla Jane’s birth story 

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I woke up around 3:45am on Sunday, May 18 to go to the bathroom and switch some laundry to the dryer. Around 3:50am I felt a contraction and wondered if maybe this would be it. After having my last two babies early in the 38th week I was sure this baby would come around then too. Each night I went to bed thinking it would be the night we’d meet our sweet baby, and I’d wake up still pregnant. I was 39 weeks 1 day when the contractions started and I was hopeful, but not fully convinced, it was time. I paced around the living room and felt a few more contractions, but they didn’t seem very productive gauging them solely on intensity. I went back in forth in my mind on when to call Dorothy and finally settled that I’d wait until 4am to call her if I was still having contractions. I know 10 minutes doesn’t sound like much time at all, but in the moment it felt like I was waiting hours. Around 4:05am I called Dorothy and told her I was having contractions and she said she’d be on her way. I called Rachel, my sister-in-law and Dorothy’s assistant, next and she also said she’d head over. I felt silly calling them so quickly and hoped it was actually labor or I was going to feel so bad waking them up for nothing. 

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I went into our bedroom and woke up Elijah whose first words were, “Who did you call?” After unexpectedly delivering our last baby on the bathroom floor he was determined not to do that again! I told him everyone was on the way and asked if he could start filling the birth pool up for me. Rachel arrived at 4:22am and I told her I didn’t know if I wanted to try going to bathroom or get in the pool or what I should be doing. She told me if I wanted to have the baby in the pool I should probably get in now. 

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I got in the pool at 4:35am and while the water felt nice, I had a very hard time relaxing like I thought I would. I was very concerned that I might go to the bathroom in the pool and kept fixating on that thought. I got in and out of the pool and few times to go sit on the toilet because I was so worried about it. Each time I went to the bathroom I’d shut the door to be alone and get some privacy. 

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Dorothy and Maggie both arrived around 4:40am and quietly started setting up their supplies, listening to baby and doing their tasks. I still felt like the contractions were very tolerable and told Elijah that I thought it was going to take forever for the baby to be born. We were able to talk and joke in between the contractions which was nice. 

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At 4:55am I got out of pool yet again to go sit on the toilet where my water broke. Back to the pool I headed to have one more contraction before again saying, “I’m sorry but I just can’t relax in here.” And going back to the bathroom. Just a few seconds after sitting on the toilet I said, “The baby’s coming!” And Dorothy opened the door ready with gloves on… I’m sure she knew what was about to happen. 

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I was supporting the baby’s head as it crowned and Dorothy helped guide her out. I was able to stand up to help catch her and bring her immediately to my chest.  Elijah came in to be by my side right after I brought her up to me. At 4:57am we welcomed our sweet baby #7 into the world! A few minutes later we looked and were shocked to see that it was a girl! I had guessed boy my whole pregnancy so I was extra surprised. 

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I was able to move to kneeling on the floor for a few minutes to deliver the placenta before walking back to my bed for all the newborn exams and snuggles.