Alexandria Ridley: The Birth Story

Woah, what a whirlwind. This little girl took a while to decide to come out and meet the world, but once she did she didn't waste any time! She wanted to have her own unique birth story all her own. Her birth was definitely more like Atlas than it was like Jane, but wasn't a carbon copy of Atlas's by a long shot. If you're interested in reading the other two, you can read about Jane's here and Atlas's here.

Last Bump Picture!

My labor with Xan was super short! But waiting for her to come felt like a long time! So let's start with when she started faking me out that labor was beginning. The first time I thought I could be in labor was after my midwife, Sallie, gave me my first massage at 38 weeks 5 days. A few hours after the massage I started feeling very mild contractions, but they almost seemed consistent. So I started timing them. For about an hour or two they came every 15 minutes then I had one stronger one so I let my mom and Sallie know and I would let them know if they started getting stronger. I sat down for dinner and then they dissipated. From then on I had contractions throughout the day that were noticeable, but never super strong. A few days later we had chili dogs for dinner and it messed with my stomach a little and I think that's why I had about 3 stronger contractions pretty close together. I thought that was going to be the beginning of labor too, so I told Sam, but then nothing happened after that. I didn't want to psych anyone else out again. So I decided to keep my contractions to myself from then on until I was sure it was the real deal.

Jane was so excited to meet baby sister!

At 39 weeks 6 days I had another massage with Sallie. We were both so sure that this massage would be the one to put me into labor. We were both wrong. I had a very similar response to the massage as I did with the first one. Mild consistent contractions that dissipated in the evening. A surprise to all of us, Xan made it a whole week more in my belly. At 40 weeks 5 days Sallie gave me another massage. The day before I had a few strong contractions while I was dancing with Jane at my parents house, but they still didn't turn into anything. I couldn't believe I could have so many contractions and not be in labor yet! The massage didn't have an immediate effect on my contractions, but it did it's job of feeling great and relaxing me! On Saturday, April 7th I did a few things to see if I could get labor really going. In the morning I danced with the kids to see if it would give me some stronger contractions. I had a few, but not as many as I expected. Then around 3:30pm I decided to take the dog for a walk on my own so could walk as long as I wanted too. As I was getting ready to go I had a contraction that was stronger than ones I'd noticed lately. I thought, "Perfect! I can see if this walk will make them stronger!"

Trying to walk her out!

Cambria and I started off on our walk on a cool, breezy April afternoon. It was a lovely half hour walk and I kept having mild to moderate contractions throughout, but none that I couldn't walk through. I got back and sat down to watch a show with Atlas and Jane. The contractions still didn't stop and were becoming consistent, about every 10 minutes or less, but still not super strong. I texted Sallie to let her know. She said, "I'll stop by and check you and see where we're at." I sat down for dinner and they seemed to get farther apart again. I felt a tinge of disappointment thinking I was wrong yet again. Sallie arrived as we were finishing dinner. She listened to Xan and mentioned she sounded excited like I had recently had a contraction, which I had. She checked me and I was already 5 centimeters dilated and 50% effaced. I was not in active labor though! I could have already been at a 5 for a few days. It could mean that labor is soon, but it could also be a few days still. Sallie encouraged me and told me it was a good thing! I was already half way there and not even in active labor yet. Sallie left and said she'd be ready for my call if things got real!

This is the last picture I took before Xan was born.

I kept having contractions throughout the evening, but I stopped timing them and focused on enjoying my Saturday evening. I called my mom just let her know all the info and I could be calling her in the night. I texted her around 11:30pm and let her know that I had a couple of stronger contractions right before bed and I'd call her if I woke up with stronger ones. I decided to see if I could sleep through the contractions because they still weren't super painful or anything. I went to bed around midnight. I woke up at 4am to a super strong contraction! I started timing them immediately. I realized I had to concentrate to get through them. I went to the bathroom in between contractions and got back in bed. When I laid back down I had an even stronger one! But then the next one came a little farther apart and a little milder. At 4:30am I wasn't completely convinced. I wanted to be sure before I called anyone at such an early hour. So I labored for 30 more minutes in my bed.

First strong contractions

Trying to figure out it was the real deal

At 5am I had been having super strong painful contractions for an hour and they were 5-7 minutes apart. I was finally convinced that this was it! Xan was finally coming!! I woke up Sam and told him I needed to call Sallie, but he could stay in bed for a while. I made my way over to the couch and called Sallie at 5:10am after I had another strong contraction. I told her this was it for sure. She said she'd head on over! I called my mom right after I hung up with Sallie. I think I told her it would be soon, but to have some coffee if they needed to. I should have been more sure about how soon it was going to be!

The top two were while I was moving to the couch

Once I had made the phone calls I needed to the contractions kicked into super high gear! I had to start putting my hands on my head, breathing deeply and groaning to get through each one. They started coming every 3 to 5 minutes!! Then around 5:30am I had the most intense contraction so far and I felt a small urge to push already! :O I was alone! Sam was still in bed and no one had arrived yet. (He told me later he intended to get right up, but somehow drifted back to sleep) I realize I'm really bad at communicating the intensity of the situation while I'm in labor. ;) I called my mom to make sure they were on their way soon and to make sure she had called my grandparents to tell them to come. I had invited my grandmother to be at Xan's birth. My grandfather would drive her and he would help my dad watch Atlas during the birth was the original plan, but they live an hour away and I was afraid they wouldn't make it in time. She said she had called them when I had called her and she and my dad would be on their way to me in just a couple minutes.

Waiting for my help to arrive

I stopped timing at 6am when Sallie arrived

I had another contraction and again felt that urge to push. I thought "No, no, no. Not yet. No one is here yet!" I started praying, "Lord, please let everyone get here in time!!" At 5:45am my parents arrived. I didn't realize Sam was asleep at this point, so I had to call him to ask him to let my parents in the door. They came in and my mom asked me if I needed anything. I asked her to get me some water and then I would be fine. I told her I didn't think it was worth it to try to get the birth pool filled up, but I wasn't sure. My dad went ahead and started trying to get it ready. At 5:50am Katie Perez arrived! Katie assisted Sallie when I gave birth to Atlas. I felt so much better when she got there. I was having a contraction when she walked in the door. She listened to me and looked at my iPod to see what my contractions were like. I told her that they needed to focus on getting the bed ready because I felt like I was about to have this baby! I asked Katie how far away Sallie was. She said she thought she should be arriving soon, but she would call her to make sure. I had another contraction while she was on the phone with Sallie and put her on speaker so she could hear me. Katie told me Sallie would be here before my next contraction. At 6am Sallie walked in the door. Hallelujah! I was having another contraction while she came in. I think she tried to ask me some questions right afterwards, but I don't remember what they were or what my answers were.

This was my first push at 6:19am I believe.

After Sallie got there I didn't pay attention to the time, the contractions were too strong! I asked if the bed was ready and they told me it was. So I said I wanted to try to go to the bathroom and get in the bed. I had contractions on the way to the bathroom and the bed. They were almost coming on top of each other at this point. My mom handed me a hair tie, so I put my hair up and climbed on the bed. As soon as I got on the bed I had a couple of contractions that I resisted the urge to push through. I told my mom to go and wake up Jane. When she got back she told me my dad couldn't get connections off the washer to fill the birth pool and would have to go back home for some tools. I told her there was no way I was going to make it to the pool, let him know it's totally fine and not to worry about it. I was happy to have her in the bed. Sallie noticed that I was resisting the urge to push and told me to let go and let her come. I was trying to let my grandmother get there in time for the birth, but Sallie was right, I needed to let her come! I pushed a little through the next couple of contractions, but not very seriously. Then I looked at my mom and asked where Jane was. She said she was on the couch watching a show. I told her to bring her in.

Getting serious with my pushes!

After Jane was there I pushed a little harder and Katie told me it put my chin down instead of up to be able to put more into my pushes. It's interesting that in the craziness of the moment I seem to forget the best way to push even though I've done this twice already. Sallie told me when the next contraction came on to take three deep breaths pull my chin in, bear down and push. I did that and they said good! That's what you need to do! That's when I realized I needed to pull my knees up to myself to get enough leverage to get a really good push. I did that on my next contraction and then my water broke! I pushed a couple more times and I felt her head coming out. I was yelling pretty loudly through all of this. Somehow Atlas slept through it! It pretty much felt like a constant contraction at that point and I just kept pushing. A couple more pushes and her head was out and one more push and she was born!! Katie caught her and put her right on my chest! I was sobbing with joy! She was quiet and I didn't hear her cry. Sallie listened to her heartbeat and it was great! Sallie was rubbing her with a towel for a minute, Katie suctioned her mouth a little and she finally let out one little cry and that was it. She was already asleep lying on my chest. I felt her steady breathing and knew she was fine. From the way I was lying down I couldn't look at her very well, but it was amazing to feel her on my chest. She's finally here! Born on 4/8/18 at 6:28am.

SHE'S HERE!!

After a minute I realized there was a world outside of me and Xan again and started looking around the room to see who was there. Sam was standing close by with a calm and relieved look on his face. :) Then I looked over at my mom next to the bed. She was tearing up and holding Jane. I asked Jane if she saw baby sister and if she wanted come see her closer? She was kind of hiding in my mom and wouldn't say anything. I think it scared her a little with the way I was yelling and she was still a little sleepy. I also saw my dad standing outside the bedroom door and smiling. Sallie informed me that Alexandria came out with her hand next to her head! I thought I had felt a little something extra when I was pushing her head out! She also told me I didn't tear because my pushing was very well controlled. YAY! After those first few minutes it was time to cut the cord since it had stopped pulsing. Sam and my mom had told me before her birth that they weren't interested in cutting the cord. I asked how far away my grandparents were and my mom said they were still a ways out. I had thought about asking my grandmother to cut the cord, but they were still too far away. My dad actually didn't have a chance to go home after the birth pool was no longer an option because he had just stopped trying to get the pool ready when I started pushing. So he was in the living room when Xan was born. I asked if he wanted to cut the cord and he said, "Sure!". It was pretty special for him to get to do it. :)

My dad cutting the cord

Once the cord was cut it was time to birth the placenta. I tried to push a couple of times still holding Alexandria, but it wasn't working. So I handed her off to her Marmee to be able to get in a better position to push. I got on my hands and knees and Katie told me to cough a couple of times and then push. That worked! The placenta was out. I was done! Sallie remarked at how perfect the placenta came out and that she had never seen such a clean birth. Seriously, not one drop of blood when the placenta came out. (sorry if that's TMI)

So much love and joy

Just minutes old

My sweet, sweet little girl. <3

I moved over to the side of the bed they had prepared for me and asked for my baby back. :) Now I finally got to really look at her. She was beautiful! Just perfect and looked very much like her siblings. Kinda a combination of both of them. By this time Jane had woken up enough and was ready to come see sister closer! She was in love immediately! She said "she's so cute!!! And little! Awww, she's so adorable." Sallie told Jane that Xan looked like her. Jane gave her the funniest look! She was like I'm big I don't look like a baby. Haha!

Getting a good look at baby sister

Meeting Great Papa

And Great Mama

I noticed Alexandria was starting to root. So I started breastfeeding her and she latched on so easy and was such a pro from the very beginning! She nursed for a long time! My grandparents arrived about 20 minutes after Xan was born. I said sorry for not giving them enough time to get there. My grandma said she was a little disappointed, but of course she understood there was nothing I could do about it and she was excited to be here now. Sallie and Katie sat down in the living room to have some coffee. My mom, Sam, my grandparents and Jane all went to relax after the busy activity of birth and my dad went to get everyone breakfast from McDonald's. Alexandria and I were left to ourselves for a while to nurse and bond. I love those first quiet moments with my babies. So much sweetness.

Time to weigh her!

Measuring her height

Atlas was very interested!

All three kiddos!!

Katie came in after a while and said she wished she could stay but she had to go home and get ready for work. I thanked her and told her I was so glad she could come and assist again. I finished my breakfast around 8:30am or so, Atlas had finally woken up. He came in to meet baby sister. He was so excited to see her! He was pretty gentle too. He said "Baby!!" He clapped his hands with joy when he was meeting her. So sweet!! Sallie came back in and said she was trying to let us rest but she wanted to see if it was a good time to weigh her. I said, "Sure, there's no telling how long she'll sleep, so let's go ahead and do it now." As soon as Sallie picked Xan up she said, "Oh! she might be close to 9lbs!" She was right, Xan weighed 9lbs 2oz. Sallie was about to measure her and guessed she was either 22 or 22 1/2 inches long. She was 22 1/4 inches! I think Sallie has delivered a baby or two before. ;) (more like 1000!) Her head measured at 13" and her shoulders at 14". Perfectly healthy little girl.

Jane showing Papa her stuffed dog from Mama

Atlas needed to show him his doggy too!

My grandmother had a gift for Jane, Atlas and Alexandria. Jane and Atlas both got a stuffed dog and Xan got a cute butterfly outfit that I love! She's so sweet. Atlas and Jane have been pretty attached to their dogs since. :) As I'm looking back through these photos I realize that there isn't a picture of Sam. He was there I promise! He held her soon after she was born, but somehow we missed a picture. I remember a moment with just Sam, me and Xan. Sam said, "Remember to say thank you. We easily forget in the craziness, but it's important." I completely agree. I had so much to be thankful for surrounding her birth and yet before he said that I'm not sure if I had thanked God for Alexandria and a wonderful birth. He's a catch that one. ;) After Sallie got Xan's measurements and footprints, she helped me to the bathroom to make sure I was good before she headed home. She gave me a hug and said great job. I thanked her for everything! My grandparents headed home shortly after Sallie left as well.

First time Pappaw got to hold Xan.

Opening her eyes for Marmee!

My dad got to hold Xan while I tended to myself for a bit, changed clothes, brushed my hair and such. Once I was ready for her back my mom said she was going to drive my dad home since they had come in the same car and then come back to help. My mom stayed with us overnight for two nights to help me while I recovered and then took Jane and Atlas to spend the night at her house for the next three nights! Sam was off for half of those days too. So I had lots of help! Such a blessing.

A couple of hours old!

After I had a chance to clean up a little. :)

Alexandria Ridley Daniels, a beautiful, healthy baby girl, was born a week past her due date at home at 6:28am on April 8th, 2018, weighing 9lbs 2oz and measuring 22 1/4 inches long. I would like to send out a big thank you to my birth team who helped me bring her into the world! Sallie Witte, Katie Perez, Sam, my mom and my dad. Y'all are the best! Thank you to everyone who prayed for us. All our prayers regarding her birth were answered with a wonderful yes! We give thanks to God everyday for giving us the wonderful blessing of Alexandria.

It doesn't get much sweeter than this!

Psalm 107:1

Oh, give thanks to the Lord for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

John 16:21-22

A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.