Lomani Joe's birth story

We have two kids now...we have two kids now...it's still a bit surreal. I am so proud to introduce to the world our little Lomani Joe Mokofisi Larsen. Born Sunday, June 9, 2013 at 7:30pm. 7 lbs 3 oz 19 inches.

Pregnancy

This pregnancy was so different from the last one. I didn't get sick. I was way more active. I taught a HOT HULA fitness®  class from the beginning of my pregnancy 'til I was 2 days shy of being 40 weeks. I felt like this labor/delivery was going to be so easy. Because my recovery with Leone was so horrible (I had an episiotomy) I did my research and felt so good about going natural. The benefits of going natural was that you could move around more which lets the baby come down easier, you could be in a more natural position to deliver so there are less risks of tearing/episiotomies, and recovery time would be cut down to a minimum.

Because I was already coming up on my due date, the dr kept monitoring the baby's heartbeat and my contractions (which I wasn't having) and asked me what I wanted to do. I said I'd rather let it happen naturally than have him induce me. On my due date, I was still having no contractions and the baby's head was high, so the dr wanted to induce me the next day. I asked that he wait it out just a little longer before going that route. He said he'd give me 'til Monday then they'd have to induce. I prayed and prayed that the baby would come before Monday so we wouldn't have to induce.

Birth Plan

I went to the hospital to have an NST on my due date and I was so glad that I'd be able to ask the nurse about my birth plan. My birth plan said that I wouldn't have an epidural, I'd like to have mobility, I'd like to use the shower/bath, I'd like no pain meds, I'd like to be in a squatting position. I was so set on my birth plan. How disappointed was I when the nurse said that they do constant monitoring and that I wouldn't be able to move around. I was so devastated. I didn't want to be confined to the hospital bed through the worst of the contractions, so I decided that I'd go as long as possible without the epidural, then get it. I also got the strep b test that came out positive so I couldn't be in early labor at home just in case my water broke. I was so overwhelmed that nothing was going as planned.

Labor/Delivery

3 days past my due date early labor began around 1am Sunday and I went in around 330am 'cause I didn't want my water to break before getting the antibiotics. I was dilated at a 2-3 for a while then a 4 for a long time and nothing was progressing. I thought I could handle so I told the nurse I'd go natural. My mom in law came to be with me and she was so amazing, rubbing my feet and helping me relax. I felt like Yes, I can do this. Then, around 3pm the pain was getting so unbearable and I still was at a 5-6, so I decided to do the Pitocin. I was contracting every 2-3 minutes and I was still stuck at a freaking 6! So I gave in and asked for pain meds which the nurse said would just take off the edge, but I'd still feel contractions. Worst thing ever! I felt so not in control of anything, loopy, groggy, and still feeling the pain! I finally asked for the epidural and finally was able to rest. They upped the Pitocin 'cause I still wasn't progressing and finally things started picking up around 6pm. They broke my water for me and the baby was still high. This little booger was so stubborn!

645pm I started freaking out. I felt like I couldn't breathe and my anxieties were kicking in. I asked Aaron for a blessing and I just kept praying and praying that the feeling would pass. I started shaking uncontrollably and needed to throw up and Aaron kept asking what was wrong and I remember the nurse telling me that that was a sign that the baby was ready to come so I called her in, and everything happened so fast. She checked me and called the Dr in. They started setting everything up for me to deliver and I remember thinking finally! Thank you HF for hearing and answering my prayers. They had me push a couple times just to bring the head down a little and the nurse said, the next contraction I'm going to have you push two times and that baby will come. I just thought, yeah right, it's not going to be that easy. Sure enough, one push, two pushes, out comes baby! Relief! I cried when I saw my baby boy. So many different emotions from this one and the last one. Leone's labor/delivery felt so easy and this one felt so difficult. As of now I don't even want to think about having another one, but I'm super grateful for the two boys Heavenly Father blessed us with. I love my boys :)