Pregnancy and Freebirth of Michal Daisy

So lets start out with how this pregnancy came about!

In late May of 2016, I had my first post partum cycle after having Jacob (14 months pp). We decided to continue to not prevent and leave it all in the Lord's hands. Well, late June rolls around (the time my next cycle was due) and nothing. No period, but no positive tests. I must have taken 15 tests between June 25 and July 2nd. Nothing. 
So, I shrugged it off. "Well, I'm still breastfeeding and that messes with ovulation and cycles and all the things, so maybe it is all just inconsistent. Whatever." 

Fast forward two weeks.
We are sitting in our favorite chinese buffet (ew. I know) eating crawfish when I break one open only to have my hands covered in crawfish eggs. I was stunned. In all my time eating crawfish, NEVER HAD I EVER had one with eggs. My husband was also in amazement. I set that one aside and went to open another. MORE EGGS. My husband jokingly says to me, "Well, I guess if we find a third one, it is a sign that you are pregnant." I went on to finish my plate with no more eggs to be found. My husband gets to his very last one, and sure enough, the inside is covered in eggs. We both kind of looked at eachother and laughed, and joked that I needed to grab a test on the way home, I am not sure why, but I did not and continued on with my life, tucking this sweet instance in the back of my mind.

About a week later I was at church. Worship was on point that night and I was really feeling the Lord speak to me. At that point I had a vision of this beautiful girl. She had the most gorgeous skin tone, long dark curly hair, and these beautiful green eyes (just like my husband). She was perfect. The Lord told me that this was my daughter. I went home and told my husband and mentioned that I should probably go buy a test. I didn't. Again. 
The next night me and the boys were driving around Denton waiting to pick my husband up. The boys were getting restless in the car, so I decided to stop at Walmart to let them stretch their legs. While there I realized I still hadn't tested. So, I figured, why not pass the time, buy a test, and take it. So, that is what I did. Never in my life have I seen such a positive test. I was overjoyed and I knew at that moment, I was getting a baby girl. 

Normally, I am generally against the use of ultrasound for pregnancy (I'm not going to go into detail about why. Feel free to get in contact with me if you would like to know more), but in this case I felt it was important for me to have a first trimester ultrasound to accurately date the pregnancy since there was such a big window for conception. I received this ultrasound which gave me a "due date" of March 20th. The day after Jacob's 2nd birthday!
This was by far the hardest first trimester I have had. I was sick for about 6 weeks, lost around 15 pounds, and just really struggled physically, emotionally, etc. Partially through my second trimester, I made a trip to the ER for some concerns I was having. They admitted me based on some misunderstood medical reasons and the general ignorance and pride of the attending OB. I had another ultrasound at this point. I asked the tech to tell me gender if she came across it. She tried and tried. The answer I finally got from her was, "I think you may have a girl, but I really can't get the best look. Baby keeps crossing its legs." 
I felt like I could hear the Lord laugh and say, "I already told you that you are having a girl. Why do you need to seek out answers for yourself? Just trust me." Okay God. You got me. We decided to trust the Lord that this was our girl, Michal. 

My pregnancy was pretty easy going from about 20 weeks until 37 weeks. At 37 weeks and a few days, I have my first bout of false labor. 10 or so hours only to go to sleep and wake up with nothing. This happened probably 3 more times from 37-41 weeks. I struggled constantly with hip pain and was seeing my chiro about 3 times a week. It was intense and I was very much ready to be done. 

My due date of March 20th came and went  (to no one's surprise really). I kept telling Cedrick how I could not imagine being pregnant any longer, but it seemed every day contractions would come and go and no baby. 

Well, March 29th rolls around. Cedrick stayed home from work (as he had the past two days prior). We did our normal daily things. Then Cedrick said he felt like we needed to get out of the house. I am thinking that he meant somewhere right nearby... so, we got in the car and somehow we ended up at the square in Denton. I ask Ced what we're doing there and he said, "I'm tired of you being pregnant. We're going to walk this baby out." 

So we walked. And walked. And walked. We decided to wander around the bookstore. In the middle of the bookstore I began having a super strong heat flash and knew that something was up with my hormones. I told Cedrick we needed to go, like right then. This was about 5:30 pm. 

On the way home, Ced tells me that he asked Sarah (my AMAZING friend who was going to come over while I was in labor to help with anything I needed / help with kids / whatever) to come over for a bit so that he could go watch a basketball game. I made the comment, "watch me go into labor while she's already here". Which was followed by 2 odd feeling contractions. I texted Sarah and told her she might as well bring all her stuff because I had a feeling I might have the baby that night. This was somewhere around 6 pm. 

We grabbed Chick-fil-a, went home, and i fed myself and my children. At around 7 I noticed that I was contracting sort of consistently. So, I got up, cleaned my kitchen, and swept my house. As soon as that was over, I started bouncing on my birth ball, to encourage these contractions to keep coming. 

It was about 7:50 when I really felt like this was it. Baby was coming tonight. 

Around 8 Cedrick left to go watch his basketball game. I told him to keep his phone nearby, because I may need him to come home. I started to put kids to bed and they decided that it was a perfect night to fight bedtime. 

About 8:15 Sarah showed up. I asked her to clean my bathroom tub incase I needed it. While she did that I sat and sang Jacob to sleep while trying to breathe through contractions. They were getting pretty tough. 

8:45 I had kids asleep and I went in my room to focus. I grabbed my headphones and Sarah put on some calming oil to diffuse. I labored on the ball for a bit bit it got to be too much. So I moved onto my knees on my floor. As contractions would hit, I would lay over out mattress and breathe. 

9:10 Things started to get hard and I was feeling weak. My body started begging me for a banana. So Sarah got me a banana. I began debating filling the tub, but I was afraid to get in too soon and stall things. I told Sarah I needed Cedrick home, so she let him know he needed to come home. 

9:40 I felt things were moving fast. I began seriously considering filling the tub, but I wanted my husband there. Now. So I dialed his phone number. He ignored my call. I was ready to hunt him down and kill him, as he walked in my door. He made some joke, and I looked at him and was all... This is not the time. He realized that this really was it and baby was coming fast. I continued to labor on the floor/edge of the bed for a few minutes. Contractions became overwhelming, so I sent Sarah to fill the tub. 

9:56 I noted in one of my Facebook groups : "Bath tub is being filled. I'm feeling like transition is coming soon. They're almost on top of eachother. 

Waters are still intact so that's cool."

10:05 I got in the tub. Cedrick grabbed the laptop and put on my labor playlist. Sarah filled my water bottle. They sat on the edge of the tub and encouraged me through everything. Sarah kept reminding me to drink water. Cedrick held my hand and let me practically break his fingers through every contraction. They reminded me to work with the contractions, not against them. I kept whispering to myself, "don't fight them. Don't fight them." Laying down in the tub grew uncomfortable, so I got on my hands and knees and had Cedrick put some counterpressure on my lower back. 

At about 10:50 I said that my body felt like I needed to push through contractions, but that it didn't make sense because I hadn't transitioned. At that point my husband said the most profound statement he had ever made about birth... "Doesn't your body know better than you? Shouldn't you just listen to it?" About that time I could feel transition coming. I could feel the panic and anxiety about to hit. Sarah grabbed the rescue remedy and I took 4 drops. It eased me through transition easy and fast. (This next part is awkward, but hey... you're reading about childbirth) The next contraction I felt like I needed to have a bowel movement, before I could get out of the tub it happened. So, then I HAD to get out of the tub. I pulled the plug and moved to the toilet and finished that. I was bummed because I wanted to have the baby in the water, but I knew I didn't have time to drain, clean, and fill the tub at this point. 

As the next contraction hit, I felt it push me to my knees. My body was telling me the best position. 

About 11:05 I positioned myself on my knees, with my forearms on the edge of our tub to push. Sarah placed towels under my knees to help pad them and to just have under me. She gave me a towel for having my arms on to. My body was pushing through contractions. The pain was so great and I began to feel like I couldn't do it anymore... so I knew she had to be close. 

I remember reaching down and feeling that my waters were still intact and that her head was not far inside. With the next contraction my waters broke. I reached down again and her head was almost out. I knew she was coming with the next contraction. I told Cedrick and Sarah she would be out with the next one and to keep all hands away. 

11:16 pm I pushed and her head fell into my hands. Another push right after, and her body came out perfectly. I pulled her up to my chest and sat down. I was totally exhausted. I sucked out her nose and mouth with mine. She was the cheesiest little baby I've ever seen. I then checked to make sure we indeed got our girl. (WE DID! PRAISE JESUS!) 

We hung out in the bathroom for a while, took a few photos and videos, and waited on the placenta. It took about 30 minutes to come. We placed it in the designated placenta bowl, covered it with an old receiving blanket and Sarah took baby and placenta into the bedroom to my husband. I cleaned up and put on my robe and climbed into my bed. We woke Sam up to come help tie and cut the cord. He was so excited to hear baby sister was here. He cut her cord, held her for a moment, and then went back to bed. 

We hung out, nursed, and oogled over our little girl for the next couple hours. We went to bed at about 4:30 am 

The next morning we did her length and weight. We knew she was tiny because none of her clothes or newborn cloth diapers were small enough to fit her. She weighed in at 7 pounds 3 oz and was 19 inches long. 

She is in perfect health. She did not go through jaundice like my others did. She is just absolutely beautiful and perfect. She loves to nurse and be cuddled. Her brothers love her like crazy. Daddy (who said he never wanted a girl) is wrapped around her abnormally long fingers. ❤