The Story of Rhett William Smith

Stories of another mama bringing her baby into the world today has me feeling quite reminiscent about my own little love's arrival. I'm so thankful I had the brain power to write down Rhett's birth story soon after we came home from the hospital, while all the little details were fresh in my mind. During naps I scribbled down page after page of everything I could remember about his journey into the world, even though I could only write in short spurts because the tips of my fingers were numb- a side effect of the residual swelling that had really only started in the last few days of my pregnancy.

Most of the details I still remember, but reading those words that I wrote just two short months ago makes me feel like I'm reading a fairy tale. In a way, I guess it is my own little fairy tale about a little prince that came into my life and changed everything, especially my heart, in ways I never could have ever predicted. Being his mama is the absolute greatest thing that has ever happened to me. I'm so happy to finally share it with you.

Rhett's Birth Story   

Saturday, July 22

I woke up feeling some strange feelings in my belly. It was officially my due date, but I was pretty sure you weren't in any hurry and would decide to arrive later in the week. At my last appointment earlier in the week I was dilated, but just to one and a half centimeters (and I think she may have just exaggerated the half to make me feel better). People asked me daily "when are you due?" and I would tell them that Saturday was your due date, but I was sure it wouldn't be then. I felt exactly the same...until I woke up Saturday morning.


Friday night was hot, hot, hot and after I got home from work I spent some time doing my usual nightly walk of three laps up and down the driveway and then watering my flowers. I even added some extra tobacco stick stakes to my tomato plants to keep them from falling to the ground under the weight of the green tomatoes that were growing on them. I was bigger than a bus, but quite proud of myself for still moving and trying to get things done. Mama (your Gigi) and I talked on the phone and made plans to go get a pedicure the next morning in Glasgow so my feet would be in good shape when you did show up. We had developed a habit of going places on Saturdays just to get me out of the house and walking and moving, and Due Date Saturday was to be no different.

Your sweet daddy and I spent the rest of the night at home and went to bed early to get what we didn't realize would be our last good child-free night of sleep. Well, as good as could be with my very frequent trips to the bathroom waking us both up. (Looking back on it, we actually sleep more now that you are here!)

That night I had a dream. I can't remember any of the details of what was going on, I only remember that I had a baby boy, and like a screen shot from the dream I can still to this day see a vision of the back of my baby boy's head covered in dark, long hair. I had some other strange memories of dreams of feeling pain, and I think that I was actually having some early contractions in my sleep.

I felt so huge but looking back I guess I wasn't really as big as I felt.

I took these the morning of my due date.

When I woke up feeling something strange, I was in disbelief. First off, I had no real idea what contractions were supposed to feel like. I thought that was what I was feeling, but I wasn't sure enough to even tell your daddy. He happened to have slept later than usual that morning before leaving to go work at the farm and noticed that I was up early and acting strange. When he questioned me I told him that I thought maybe I was having some contractions. He stayed around the house for a while but I encouraged him to go on and get the things he needed to do done for the day. I told him I'd be fine and let him know if things got more regular or stronger. We had been to child birthing classes and knew we shouldn't go to the hospital until my contractions were about 5 minutes apart, and we were no where near that. I did decide that, just in case, I'd take a shower, shave my legs and make sure that our hospital bags were packed and ready for whenever we would actually need them. (The fact that I had packed and unpacked them several times already will come as no surprise to you as you get older and really get to know me.)

I washed the dishes and picked up around the house, I changed the sheets and vacuumed, all the things I had told myself I would do as a distraction when I thought I was in the early stages of labor, and also to have done for after you arrived and people were coming to the house to visit you. I had downloaded a contraction counting app and started timing things because they had definitely gotten more regular, but I still don't think I had fully admitted to myself that I thought I was actually in real-life labor.

My mama came and picked me up and we went to eat lunch (Sonic - I had a junior deluxe cheese burger and an ocean water, as what would end up being my last meal before you were born). I told her what was going on and we changed the going to Glasgow for pedicures plan, just in case. We went to the car lot and saw Papa Cliff and Uncle Codger and told them what was going on, that I was having some contractions, they weren't regular, so nothing big to worry about. We left there and went to visit with Uncle D, Aunt Kaylee and your cousin Reece. Reece poked at my belly (with the assistance of Gigi) and told you to hurry up and come meet him. I guess you were listening because things were starting to get stronger and much more regular.

Reece really enjoyed his seat on my big belly!

"Come out of there, little cousin!"

Your daddy had been texting me all day checking on us, and I finally told him that maybe he might want to come home. Gigi dropped me off and he was there and I told him that I thought that this was the real-deal...we were having a baby soon. I told him that he should probably go ahead and take a shower and get ready. He took the longest shower ever! While he was in there I had really, really strong and really, really close contractions, close enough that I was afraid that maybe we had waited too late to head to the hospital. We had discussed things enough that he knew I absolutely did not want to go to the hospital and be stuck in a bed for a long time, and we were going to wait as long as possible before we went. I laid on the couch and that slowed my contractions down some, but when I would get up and start walking they would pick back up and get closer. Around 5 or 6 we decided to go on to Glasgow to the hospital. I couldn't remember feeling you move around as much as usual, whether you were or weren't I can't really be sure because I was distracted by the contractions. That made me nervous and I really wanted to be able to hear your heartbeat. I figured if we went in and they checked me and made sure you were doing ok and I wasn't dilated enough to stay, we could go get something good to eat and  figure out a plan from there.

Everyone we talked to, from the lady at the reception desk to the first nurses we talked to said the same thing: "They probably won't admit you, but we can get you checked anyway." We were figuring the same. When we got to the triage room a really nice nurse named Annie checked me, and I was dilated to four. They decided to call my doctor, Dr. South, and see what she thought. The other nurse who had helped get all our info came into the room later and said, "you guys want to have a baby tonight?!"

We were so surprised. They moved us to our delivery room and we finally called our parents to let them know what was going on. We had told them earlier that we would probably go to the hospital later, they'd probably send us home, we'd let them know more if there was more to share. The nurses hooked me up to the iv's of Pitocin and fluids (which I hadn't wanted but was willing to accept at that point because I was ready to meet you and really didn't want to be up all night and the next day in labor). They also put a blood pressure cuff on me that would not stay on my arm and aggravated me endlessly, as well as the contraction monitor and your heart rate monitor. It was pretty far from my vision of being able to walk around without being connected to any of the machines and doing things completely naturally.

It was around 9pm by the time we got me all hooked up and settled into the room. Gigi and Papa Cliff had "coincidentally" come to Glasgow to eat and were still over there when I talked to them on the phone. Coincidentally. Ha! They told us they would come over to the hospital when they were done. We didn't realize that it was technically after visiting hours and for a few minutes I was really heartbroken that I wasn't going to get to see my mama while I was waiting for you to arrive. Tyler's parents headed to Glasgow, too, as well as his sister and the girls before we realized it was after visiting hours. I worried for nothing, because they were still able to come in and see us once they got there.

Mama brought Tyler the leftovers from their supper, which was a blessing because we hadn't eaten before since we were so convinced we weren't going to be admitted. Gigi and Nanny came in first to see us as my contractions were really getting bad (Pitocin, you are a mean, mean drug).They had upped my drip and contractions were really strong and getting very frequent. Aunt Amy and KJ came in next and at that point I was past the point of being able to socialize. I was hurting and yelling and moaning and probably scarred KJ for life. When the nurse came in and checked me again, I was at a 7, and that was when I let go of my dream of a completely unmedicated birth and asked for some pain meds. I did tell Tyler to make sure that if the drugs made me crazy not to let me get an epidural, even if I said I wanted one. That was the one thing I refused to change my mind about. The pain meds made me loopy and did nothing for the pain, and I completely regret getting them now, but they did help me relax a little between contractions, I suppose.

My memory gets a little blurry at that point, but I know we decided that we didn't want any more visitors. Your daddy somehow took a nap even though I was bellowing like a dying cow. I yelled. I screamed. I whined and said I couldn't do it more than a few times. Time flew by, though, and when they checked me again and I was at 9. Dr. South came in and broke my water (totally the weirdest feeling) and soon it was time to push. The pushing didn't last long at all, even though it was pretty dang miserable and I told them all I couldn't do it a few more times. But they were so encouraging and my body just knew what to do and at 12:59 am on July 23, you, my sweet baby boy, came into the world, just 59 minutes past your due date. The doctor and nurses were so proud of us for doing it without an epidural, and I have to admit that it is one of my proudest moments, too. I remember looking at you as they laid you on my chest and thinking your hands and feet were huge! (I was still a little loopy at this point.) Your little head was perfectly shaped, you had ten perfect fingers and ten perfect toes. And guess what? Just like in my dream you had a head full of long black hair! You were gorgeous and just absolutely perfect. You latched on quickly with very little help and were a great nurser from the start. I got to hold you for two perfect hours, with your sweet little skin touching mine, just as I had hoped I would be able to do.

After our Kangaroo Care time and a quick change for mommy back into real clothes following a fabulous shower, your Gigi and Nanny Pig finally got to come in and meet you. Then your Aunt Amy, and then Papa Hog and Papa Cliff came in and peeked at you too. The nurse had told me I had to eat before they could move us into our room, and she said someone could bring me something or they could try to find me a sandwich...so I got some chicken nuggets, fries and a Coke from McDonalds and it was probably the most delicious meal of my life! Haha. I can still remember how delicious that drink tasted after hours of only ice chips.

One happy (exhausted) Daddy

Once our little family was finally settled into our room.

Your entrance into the world didn't go exactly as I had planned (and I think you have already realized in your short two months that I am a planner) but things went very closely. You technically got here a day later than you were scheduled to arrive, but it was less than an hour over so I'll let that slide :) . I hadn't wanted the Pitocin and to be hooked up to an IV pole and freedom to get up and move around, but overall it wasn't that bad. I do wish I wouldn't have taken the pain medicine because it made some memories a little fuzzy, but I think I can forgive myself for that and just remember how it made me feel for the next time, if we are lucky enough to have a next time. I'm thrilled that I got to do most of my labor at home, walking around, eating and drinking and being able to do what I wanted. My hospital labor was short and pushing was really short too. I got so lucky with you, my sweet boy. 

 

The most important part of the story was that you arrived safely and perfectly healthy. You were worth every bit of pain. I love you so very much, my baby Rhett. You've already made our lives better than we could ever have imagined.