Welcome Maelee Kate Morgan!

I woke at 6 a.m. on the 23rd and was feeling more surge-like symptoms rather than Braxton hicks tightening. I waited a few minutes and then woke up John to tell him I thought early labor had started. I took a bath and they didn't settle down, but were irregular. I went on with my day doing my hair and make-up and doubting if I was really in labor. John made me breakfast and we ate outside with Colby. I then had some spotting so by 10:00 a.m. I decided I better tell my mom who had come from Oregon on Friday. We thought it was going to be a day spent with these irregular contractions until noon rolled around and I was bouncing on my ball, sitting backwards on the toilet, and Colby was making us laugh riding his Chick-Fil-A cow naked. That was a nice distraction. 

My mom decided she better take Colby over to Steven and Kat's and I told her we would probably still be at home so to come back here...not! I got on all fours and started listening to a Hypnobirthing record, but the contractions really started picking up so John called my doula, Latissa. Thank goodness for Latissa, she told us it was time to meet at the hospital. I waited at the main entrance while John parked teh car, two nurses offered me a wheelchair and I declined  both times until I walked through the doors and had another contraction and one said, "I'm getting you a wheelchair"...yeah actually that was really nice. We checked into the hospital at 1:18 p.m. and I went into a temporary room while they got the delivery room ready. 

I was hooked up to the fetal monitor and laying on my back (which I really don't like!). My midwife Josi checked me and I was dilated to a four. My mom and Latissa arrived at the same time and Josi and Latissa took off the fetal monitoring and helped me get up on all fours a minute later though. 

John put on a Hypnobirthing track while Latissa rubbed a cold stone on my back, she and Josi squeezed my hips, pressed on my shoulders, and on my knees during a contraction. That was so helpful! 

Josi (mid wife) doing counter pressure 

I felt the urge to push before I even got to the labor and delivery room. A couple of minutes went by before I got in there and I was sure I needed to use the bathroom. Instead I just pushed and out gushed my waters all over the floor, it felt like a jelly fish had just fallen out of me. They helped me lay down on the bed to have a hep-lock IV put in. The paramedic student turned on a fluorescent light which really agitated me. I started to tense up, then he missed my vein and dropped the IV on the floor, so Josi flipped the light off and Latissa asked if I wanted to get on the birthing ball and helped me get on it and the nurse Michelle did the IV herself.

I was surprised how bruised my arm got!

The bruise on my hand is almost gone now, but you can still see some of it.

They really helped me calm back down and focus on breathing. By this point I was so hot Latissa asked if I wanted my gown off and I said, "yes!" She took it off and said, "Sounds good! A lot of woman birth in the nude!" I kept saying I needed to go the bathroom, but Josi was insistent I get on the bed to be checked because they all knew it was baby, I got one leg up on it and had to push again. Then they got me all the way up on the bed and I automatically got up on all fours and just started pushing. There wasn't time to see how dilated I was, she was born four minutes from the time I started pushing until the last one. I dilated from a four to a ten in 27 minutes and I was at the hospital for 40 minutes before baby girl entered this world.

We left the umbilical cord connected until it stopped pulsing and then John was able to cut it unlike when we had Colby. 

Giving birth without medication was intense, but I wouldn't say it was painful. This experience was definitely the right approach for me personally. 

As soon as baby was out and I some how ended up laying back down, I smiled with enthusiasm and said, "I did it guys! I did it! That was amazing!" Everyone laughed, cheered and congratulated me. That room was full of nothing but love and support! 

Welcome to our family Maelee Kate Morgan, you are a beautiful miracle. We love you! 

Sunday, August 23 | 6 lbs, 12.5 oz | 19 inches | 2:02 p.m

Proud daddy...he's such a great one too! 

Nana's first time seeing a birth-thanks for holding my hand mom!

Colby is already such a great brother and good helper!

Her finger nails were seriously long when she was born!

I love the smiles in her sleep. 

Daddy's arm is going to get stronger that's for sure

Maelee's name has a lot of significance. It comes from two of my great grandmothers. Mildred Lee Dimick (Grandma Patty's mother) and Mae Vilate Hjort (Grandpa Burton's mother) plus my mom and sisters middle names are Lee. Her middle name "Kate" is after my cousin Kaitlin.