Blake's Birth Story

Blake Olivia O’Bryan

7lbs. 9oz.

20.75 inches

Born on September 8, 2013 at 3:45pm

{These pictures are from the hospital photographer.  She did a great job and it only took a few minutes}

Labor and Delivery:

So I woke up at 2:45 and had a few cramps.  I had just gone to bed at 12 because I worked that night, a busy Saturday shift. After having a few contractions with some cramping, I decided to time them. I was estimating about 7 minutes apart.  I decided to wake up Kyle and let him know what was going on.  By the time I told him they were 7 minutes apart, I was timing them at 3 minutes apart. I didn't really know what to do because they told us to go to the hospital after I was having contractions 5 minutes apart for at least an hour.  Had I missed that part? Did I sleep through it?

I sent a text to my doctor because she told me to call her at home to make sure I didn't get the doctor on call.  ** She is the most amazing OB/GYN and more on her later.  I told her what was happening and she said, go to the hospital and tell them I will be right behind you.

It took us about an hour to get it together and get in the car.  Finish packing my bag, get dressed etc.  When we showed up my doc had already called us in and we went to triage.  I was dilated to 2 and they made us wait to see if I progressed enough to get to stay.  Thankfully I did get to 4 while we were there and we were admitted.

Once we got to the labor and delivery room, which was huge and really nice by the way, we were right at the nurses shift change and were assigned what I can only assume was the best nurse in the hospital.  (I literally wanted to cry when her shift was up and we went to a postpartum room. I was calling over my shoulder, "come in to Tsunami in a month or two and I will buy you dinner.")

The contractions were getting a little bit stronger and I couldn't decide if I was ready to do the epidural.  I really didn't want to slow things down and I was willing to do anything to avoid a c-section.  I was still dilated to 4 but they said I was past the point where it was ok to go ahead and have it.  After a few more contractions, I decided to go for it.  My doctor came in, with a giant knitting needle, and I knew what was about to happen.  It seemed like everything was going so fast.  She broke my water and the next contraction was INTENSE.  I only had one or two more before the anesthesiologist came in.  Thank God! Except for the fact that he looked about 10 years younger then me.  The epidural was nothing, took like 10-15 minutes and that was that.  I literally felt high.  They swore I wasn't given narcotics but it definitely felt like it.

The next time my nurse checked me, I was at 6. We hung out a little longer and when I started to feel a little more pain I pushed the button for a little boost from my epidural.  Well, before that I could still move my legs pretty easily, I just had less pain.  After I pressed that button, my right leg went pretty dead.

She checked me again and I wasn't expecting to be much farther along because it hadn't been that long and I couldn't really feel the contractions other than some pressure.  Well she said, "ok, are you ready to be so stoked? You are at 10."

So it was time to push.  Wow, even though we had been there for 10-11 hours already, it felt like it was going really fast.  (I'm sure my family in the waiting room didn't feel this way)

She grabbed my leg and showed me how you do it.  Three  pushes with quick breaths in between per contraction.  We just transitioned right over and it was so calm and easy.  I keep saying "this is it?".  It was so much less dramatic than I had pictured.  It was just the 3 of us and my doctor was on her way.  Kyle was amazing.  Supportive and encouraging, my advocate for my birth plan. My nurse was very respectful of my plan and made sure to remind the doctor of my wishes.  Everyone was so easy going and genuinely wanted me to have a good experience.  Kyle got to sit right up by my head and could talk right in my ear and cheer me on.  He was also actively participating because he had to help me pick up that dead right leg.

One of the most important things on my birth plan was that I wanted to pull out the baby (Kourtney Kardashian style).  I realize that a lot of people are turned off by this idea but I thought it would be amazing to help deliver my own child.

I pushed for about an hour to an hour and a half.  I could feel just enough to be able to push effectively.  Just as my doctor was getting Blake's shoulders out she said "ok Mara reach down and grab her".  I did and I pulled out my baby girl and it was every bit as amazing as I thought it would be.  It is such a cool memory that I will always have.

Kyle cut the cord and that was it.  We got to have over 2  hours of quality time with our new baby girl before they kicked us out and into a postpartum room.  We had a little bit longer than normal because Blake's temp was low and she had to sit under a warmer for a while.

When it was all said and done I realized that childbirth is really not that scary. I could do it again. Which is convenient because I definitely plan to :)