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My first baby didn’t come quickly. I really wanted to have a natural birth but after thirty hours of intense contractions about every four minutes, regular vomiting, and no sleep, I opted for an epidural. She was born about four hours later. I’ve been told that your second delivery should take about half as long as your first. So I figured I’d be in labor for 16 to 18 hours with Korban…which sounded doable compared to 34 hours. Nevertheless I was encouraged in the birthing class (I took hypnobirthing) to visualize and focus on my ideal birth. So I focused on and prayed for an early birth date, he was due on the 25th and I asked for the 17th, about 8 hours of labor, and that he weigh between seven and seven and a half pounds.
Well, the 17th and the 25th came and went without any signs of labor. I was frustrated and discouraged by the first of June and trying really hard to have a good attitude. On the second of June, my brother called to say their baby would probably be born that day. Their baby was due May 29, four days after my due date. I prayed and cried a lot that day. I asked for a good attitude and joy for my brother and sister-in-law. I asked for my baby to be born. I asked for grace and that I wouldn’t be jealous. Then I cried and just felt sorry for myself. My mom, who was staying with us, awaiting Korban’s arrival, was wonderful. She listened, she encouraged, she took Jennika so I could sleep and she told me it was okay to have a breakdown once in a while.
On the 2nd I had another appointment with my midwife’s assistant. These were the routine weekly check-ups since I was overdue. I knew that after this appointment I would have one more and then face induction…which terrified me. At this appointment my NP recommended that I try taking an herb call Black Cohosh to see if that might move things along. I stopped at the grocery store on the way home to pick it up. All that day I alternated taking that herb as well as a supplement that had red raspberry leaves in it, and evening primrose oil pills, all are supposed to help start labor. That evening we took a long walk down and then I took a warm bath.
At about one in the morning on the 3rd I woke with strong contractions, but this wasn’t new. Every night for the last three I’d have good strong contractions for about an hour and then they would just go away. So when they started on this night I was just too tired to get my hopes up. I didn’t time them, I just tried to sleep. They gradually got stronger and closer together and continued longer than an hour! A couple hours later, when I couldn’t comfortably lie down through a contraction I got up and entertain the possibility that I was in labor for real this time. For the next couple hours I tried to relax, listened to the relaxation cds I had from my class, threw up regularly, and tried to stay hydrated. At about 5:30 Kris woke up and asked, “Are you having labor?” I told him I was, that my contractions were about six minutes apart. His response, “Can I sleep a little bit longer?” I don’t’ think he was very awake! 🙂 I told him I’d wake him when they got closer together. I was thinking I still had a long way to go before anything serious happened.
By 8:00 a.m. my contractions were taking all my concentration and were about three minutes apart. We decided to head to the hospital. As we drove, I prepared myself for the check-in and what we’d learn. When we got to the hospital with Jennika’s birth I was only dilated to a two even though I’d been having contractions for nearly twelve hours. I knew, from my last dr. appointment that I was dilated to a two so I told myself I’d be happy if  I was a three or a four when we checked in. I also calculated how many hours I had been in labor and told myself we’d be doing well if we had a baby by seven that night.
At the hospital they decided to see how far along I was before calling my midwife, who would head right over when I was in active labor. The nurse’s eyes got big when she checked me and she excitedly told me I was a 6! I was so delighted I could hardly believe I was that far along. The nurses quickly called the midwife and started to get ready for the baby. My nurse said I’d be through the transition phase quickly and then be able to start pushing, but I didn’t really believe her. I was thinking I still had at least four more hours. As the nurses checked me in, Kris ran back down to the car to park and bring up our bags. By the time he got back up to our room I was feeling the need to push, actually it really wasn’t a need or anything I could really control, I’d have a contraction and just be pushing. The nurse checked me again and I was fully dilated! She encouraged me to not push until my midwife was there, but I really couldn’t not push. My midwife walked in a couple minutes later and I was relieved to not have to try to fight what my body was doing. I pushed for about five minutes and Korban came out, blue and tiny. Once he took a breath and started crying he colored up normally. He weighed just six pounds, three ounces and measured nineteen inches long.
As I stared at my little boy I could hardly believe he was in my arms already, at 10:10 in the morning, hours before I expected. Twenty minutes later I walked to my recovery room
P.S. Regarding my requests to God, I got one out of three…Korban’s labor was almost exactly eight hours long! 🙂
Previous Article Welcome Korban!
6 thoughts on “Korban: The Birth Story”
June 12, 2009 at 12:19 am
Thank you for sharing your birth story Nikki! The good and the bad. It is so hard to wait, and we all break down at times. It sounds like he was worth the wait, and it is nice that God said “Yes” to one of your prayers. 🙂
I’m still praying for you guys.
June 12, 2009 at 12:25 am
Thanks for the tears Nik. I get them when I watch Baby Story on TLC.. but these aren’t the same. I am truly overjoyed that God was gracious and gave you such an “easy” labor. AND,, thank God he wasn’t born sooner.. sounds like the little guy needing some more time to fatten up! You are amazing, did a great job and I can’t wait to meet the little fella.. I’m gonna go cry some more now! ❤
June 12, 2009 at 3:54 am
Yay! Thanks for sharing Nikki! I love birth stories… especially while I’m pregnant. It helps me have confidence that my own birth experience will be survived and even positively reflected on. Go mama!
June 12, 2009 at 5:06 am
Congratulations! I can really relate with the “late” babies! All of mine were late with the exception of Shelli – she was born on her due date.
From his weight, though it doesn’t sound like he was very late. God knew he needed a little more time inside to grow just a little more! Those last few weeks are so hard! Have a wonderful time with your little one.
June 15, 2009 at 10:18 pm
Tears! Oh I’m so happy for you! I miss you and can’t wait to see Chester. I’m gonna call you!
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