Oliver Leon's Birth Story
DECEMBER 12, 2018
The Birth of Oliver Leon
By Oli’s mom and The Birth Center client, Hillary
Oliver Leon was born December 12th, 2018, but his story doesn’t start there. Oli’s story starts on New Years Eve 2017.
My husband and I had been married 14 years. We had an 11 year old, a 7 year old and a 4 year old at this time. We were comfortable in our jobs and comfortable with our kids. We could finally go on vacations and have fun together without packing a thousand things or having to worry about too much crankiness or sleep schedules. We were happy. New Years Eve, 2017, after everyone had been put to bed, my husband and I were talking and he said, “I think we should have another kid.” I was surprised, but at the same time elated. I knew I had it in me to carry one more child. I was still scared and knew what I was in for, but I was ready to try again. The following month we were able to try and the month after that we found out I was pregnant. This little spirit had been patiently waiting to join our family!
Fast forward a few more months to my 7th month in pregnancy. I am a retail manager--meaning I am on my feet all day, walking at least 20,000 steps, lifting and bending in ways I really shouldn’t be while 7 months pregnant and I start to feel things I know I shouldn’t be feeling this early. Trying to find ways to lighten my load at work and at home just was not working. My nurse midwife, Ruth, and I decided I needed to stop working altogether to keep this baby cooking a little longer.
I felt bad leaving my co-workers at what was the beginning of the busiest time of the year, but I wanted to have this baby without any complications, so I could deliver at the Birth Center with Ruth. My last child was breech, so Ruth, thankfully, referred me to Sutter Davis where I was able to have a vaginal breech delivery. I still missed being able to have him at The Birth Center and did not want to have to deliver in a hospital again.
I stayed down and relaxed until I hit my 37th week. I got myself moving again and was ready to have this baby any day now. Week 40 rolled around and still no baby. I was barely dilated to a 2 and only about 50% effaced. By this time I was the biggest I had ever been with any of my babies, I wasn’t sleeping, was uncomfortable moving and was just done being pregnant. I had my 41 week appointment with Ruth and she had me trying all the things to get this baby to come.
Labor Begins
For a few days I had the strongest contractions and knew my body was working towards delivery, but the real contractions just were not coming. I had to schedule an appointment with Ruth’s Supervising OB to make sure everything was ok. So, Wednesday, the 12th of December, I had an appointment with Dr. Adams-Berry for 10:30 am.
I woke up that morning at about 3am with some contractions that I knew were a little more than Braxton Hicks, but they weren’t coming on regularly. I tried to rest as much as I could in between the more intense contractions, but still made it to my OB appointment. My husband cancelled all his patients for the day so that he could come with me and my mom was ready to take the kids for the day. This worked out perfectly because, as we waited in that waiting room, the contractions were getting more intense and more regular and lasting for a minute or more.
Dr. Adams-Berry finally saw me and decided to check me since I was contracting so often right in front of her. I was dilated to a 5 and she advised me to call Ruth right away. She also called Ruth, thinking this baby was on his way.
We arrived at The Birth Center about an hour later. Although I knew these were the good contractions, I still felt like I had some time before our baby boy’s arrival. My husband and I walked the circle in front of The Birth Center about 1000 times. Contractions kept coming, but I still felt like it wasn’t quite time. Ruth checked me 2 hours later and I was still at a 5. I was devastated. I was starting to feel exhausted and just wanted to lay down in my own bed. Ruth gave us the option to stay or go home and I was so ready to just go home. We live about 25 minutes away and it was prime traffic time, so my husband was a little concerned, but he wanted me to be comfortable.
Labor Intensifies
We got home and by the time I laid in my bed the contractions were much more intense and I didn’t want anyone touching me. I also felt like I couldn’t move because it would cause another contraction to come. My husband quickly got everything packed up again and ready to go, but it took me about 30 minutes to get down the stairs and into the car.
We finally get in the car and on the road and it is stop and go traffic. I just remember yelling at my husband to drive smooth. I felt it every time he accelerated and every time he used the brakes. It was intense. He said he felt a calmness that everything was going to be alright, so in his desire to just get there he was able to do as I asked and drive at a smooth pace with all the traffic. We arrived at The Birth Center at about 6:30pm. Ruth checked me and I was now dilated to 8. I labored on the ball while Ruth got everything together and ready for baby. I remember Janet (the post partum RN) arriving and just feeling a relief that this would all soon be over.
Pushing and Birth
Ruth advised me to get off the ball and find a comfortable position on the bed to help get the baby down. They left my husband and I to labor a little longer and told Adam to let them know when I feel the urge to push. All my other labors I never felt a great sensation to push, so I was a little stressed that it would be the same. I started using deeper grunts to help me get through each contraction and I believe Janet, Ruth and her assistant, Ruth, came back in and they helped me get in a good position to start pushing. Our little baby boy was still turned to the side a bit, not ideal for delivery, but with each push he started to turn a bit. Then my bag of waters broke a bit and Ruth said he turned. The next push it happened again. This time Ruth said he was ready, and she guided me through the pushes. Adam said it took about 15 pushes to get my 8 lb baby out (he was our biggest by a whole pound!), but once he was out all that was forgotten and my heart just filled with pure joy!
We hadn’t picked a name yet. Naming our 3rd boy was just hard. So we came to The Birth Center with 3 names. When we first saw him we both decided he wasn’t a Nathan! But we couldn’t decide between Spencer and Oliver. By the time the assistant came in with the paperwork I had an idea of what I wanted and Adam said, “you did all that work--you get to decide!” So Oliver Leon it is. Leon is for my grandfather who was born the day after our Oliver and later on we were told that Leon is a common name for boys born in December because it is Noel spelled backwards. So fitting for this Christmas season. Our only Christmas baby needed a name to represent the birth of our Savior.
Grateful
I am so grateful for Ruth and her Birth Center. She has such a calming, confidence that helps me to know that I can do anything and that everything will be alright. We are so blessed to have her in our lives, to help deliver 2 of our babies and guide us through the “stubborn” breech baby! We couldn’t be more in love with our sweet little baby Oliver that will continue to humble us out of our comfort zone and keep us on our toes!
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