The Birth Story

So, I thought that I would take the time to share about how the birth of Kinley went. It was very different than either Brianna or Nate's births, which were of course different, but had some similarities. Both Brianna and Nate came very quickly. With Brianna, I was induced and was only in labor for four hours and I did have an epidural with her (at about the third hour). With Nate, I went in for my 40 week appointment, and I was so far progressed that they kept me, broke my water, and Nate was born an hour and a half later, with no pain meds.

So, with that in mind, I was a little concerned about how quickly Kinley could come. And, I had never experienced contractions before my water broke. So, when at 38 weeks, I started having consistent, hard contractions, I didn't quite know what to think. I stayed home for awhile, and then I realized that they were only a couple of minutes apart and were lasting about 45 seconds. So, I called L&D on base, and they told me to come in. So, we dropped the kids off at my friend Nicole's, and headed in to the hospital. Once there, they monitored me for about an hour, and although they didn't want to admit me yet, they also didn't want me to leave the hospital. So, we walked around the hosptal for a couple of hours, and then they checked me again. I was still having consistent contractions, but I had not dilated any more (I was at a 4). But, they did admit me at this time. After doing the paperwork and getting the IV started, my contractions got farther apart. But, when they checked me, I was dilated to a 5-6. So much for my body working together. So, the doctor (whom I had yet to see) came in and was going to pop my water to get things moving again, but then decided not to. I never saw him again. I kinda think he didn't want to deal with it (although I have been told that he is just really laid back). During the next few hours, I labored on the labor ball and in the labor tub. While I was in the labor tub during this time, we were so tired. I would actually sleep in between contractions. During this time, Nathan was kind of complaining about how long it was taking this time. I was like, "Come on, its not like you are in any pain here!" Actually, I think and hope that I just thought that, because Nathan was really a great help throughout the entire process, and I couldn't have done it without him. Well, I could have, but it wouldn't have been pretty.

So, when the midwife, Major Rossio, whom I absolutely love (she delivered, or caught, Nate), came in at the shift change in the morning, she decided it was time to pop my water...I was now a 7. So, she did that, and the real labor began. I labored in the labor tub most of the time...I was going natural again...no epidural. So, about 11:30am I told them that I needed to push. The nurse called the midwife, who was at her office at the other end of the building...she would come soon. The nurse checked me and said I was only an 8 and I couldn't push yet. I told her that I really needed to, but she said I wasn't ready yet. That was at 11:44am. I got up to go to the bathroom, and when I stood up, the baby just started coming. I yelled to the nurse, "Something is coming out of me!!!" and she just said, "Sometimes it happens that fast." Major Rossio had just walked into L&D and heard me yell that, and she rushed in. They got me back on the bed, and Kinley was born at 11:52am. So, it didn't take long once she decided to come.

She weighed in at 8lbs 5oz, was 20 1/2 inches long, and had a full head of dark, dark hair. She is just so beautiful!!!