Love, Mommy: Felicity Therese: A Birth Story

Felicity Therese Deaver is here!

Felicity has been much anticipated, especially since school got out. I spent those weeks frantically cleaning places in the house that never get cleaned and organizing everything in sight. The pregnancy went well, although by about 36 weeks, I began having quite a few contractions—not very intense, but noticeable. I had a doctor appointment on Tuesday, June 2. As I predicted, I was dialated to 3 cm and she was sitting pretty low. Dr. Berney said, in his opinion, I was ready to be induced, so he spoke with Dr. Kenney in Lincoln and got it scheduled for Thursday morning.

I spent the next day spoiling the boys and Lucy. We went to Dairy Queen and played at the Y together. We also finished up a little cleaning and packed our bags. Luke was able to get off work a little early and we left town around 2:30 on Wednesday. After dropping the kiddos off at Grandma and Grandpa Mach’s, Luke and I enjoyed dinner and great conversation at Lazlo’s in Lincoln.

Sleep was pretty elusive for both of us that night. I had insomnia off and on for most of the pregnancy, and we were both up by 2AM Thursday morning, just waiting. After watching 3 hours of Good Eats on Luke’s phone, I was grateful for 4:30 to roll around when my alarm finally went off. We got to the hospital at 5, as scheduled, opting not to stop and get breakfast on the way. I knew they wouldn’t let me eat once I got there, but I was banking on a quick labor like my last two. I figured I could last until 10 without food.

We had two of the same nurses as we did with Lucy, which was comforting. Going through labor is basically like going to battle and I still felt connected to them. They got me hooked up to the monitors and IV and then we waited. Dr. Kenney hadn’t left any directions for my induction, so the nurses weren’t sure if they should start pitocin for me or just wait until he broke my water. After two hours of just laying in bed, crazy, crazy tired, they got ahold of him and were able to start me on pitocin. Contractions started slowly and by about 8:15, I called for my epidural. I was feeling like a pretty big wimp because contractions really weren’t painful yet, but the anesthesiologist reassured me that “it’s never too early to get your epidural.” Smile Dr. Kenny showed up at about 8:30 and broke my water and then labor really started—at least that’s what the monitors said, because the epidural was perfect and wonderful and amazing and God’s great gift to me and I couldn’t feel a thing! Seriously, modern medicine is such a blessing! By 10, I was feeling some pressure and when they checked me again, I was about 8 1/2 cm and they called for Dr. Kenney to come down. 15 minutes later, he arrived and it was time to push! I only pushed through 3 or 4 contractions and baby came out very quickly. It was crazy hard and painful, but it was such a short time! Thankfully, God never lets mommys remember these details. We were pretty sure we were having a girl and when she came out at 10:12AM, Luke confirmed, “It’s a girl!” We did all the oohing and ahhing and just looked at her and kissed her and tried to take in the sublime reality that this little girl is ours forever!

Besides having all the crazy emotions of having a new little one, I was absolutely delirious from lack of sleep. We had decided a few months earlier that we would name her Felicity Therese )(Felicity a name we liked and Therese after one of our favorite saints, St. Therese of Liseiux, but suddenly, when she arrived, it just didn’t seem to fit. I shocked Luke when I told him that I thought we needed to come up with a new choice. We texted our family and announced that baby girl had arrived and was healthy, but that her name was TBD. We (mostly I) went back and forth for 4 or 5 hours between names, digging up old ideas and introducing new ones.

She nursed great right away and dozed for most of the afternoon, and finally by 2 or so, I was able to get a quick nap in as well. When I woke up, it was clear that Felicity was the perfect choice for our baby girl after all. I really think I was just unable to make such a big choice on so little sleep.

She slept all afternoon and into the late night. In fact, after sleeping six hours straight, Luke and I tried to wake her up by stripping her down and putting cold water on her. After all this, she still wouldn’t wake up and then her body temperature was so low that the nurse swept her away to sleep in an incubator for a few hours to warm her! After warming up an nine total hours of sleepiness, she finally nursed again.

Mom and dad brought the kiddos down to meet their new sister that afternoon. The boys were all smitten and Lucy half loved, half hated her—which is probably going to be their m.o. for the next several years. They all loved holding her!

I mostly loved my postpartum vacation that was the hospital stay. I loved having food delivered and having tons of snacks at my disposal. I also loved my sweet friends bringing me Fazoli’s and Olive Garden and good coffee. We enjoyed visits from Felicity’s great grandma, Emily, Beth, Jake, and the Guenthers. Mostly, I loved having unlimited, uninterrupted time to enjoy time with Luke and just snuggle Felicity, a luxury that I knew would be gone the moment I left the hospital.

We went home Saturday morning and began our new life as a family of 8. Luke and I look at each other almost every day and wonder aloud, “Where did all these kids come from?! How did this happen?!” It’s so cliché, but it seems like a blink of an eye since Luke and I welcomed Dominic, eight years ago!

Everyone has been adjusting very well. Felicity has been a good baby, sometimes sleeping 6 or 7 hour stretches at night. She is beginning to be much more alert now, at one month. Her hair is already getting lighter.

I feel like I’ve gotten absolutely nothing done for the last month, but the kids are clothed and fed (thanks to many generous friends) and I try to convince myself that that is enough! We purchased a giant 12 passenger van two weeks after Felicity’s birth, which is helpful for getting everyone around town when I’m feeling super brave and adventurous.