Our Birth Story

Ok. So I got this idea from a friend, after I read her story… Thanks Jamie!

And so it begins . . .
March 2, 2009, approximately 9:00 p.m. CJ began to let me know he was ready to come out. Although the pains were very real, I was told that I was in false labor or I was having Braxton Hick’s contractions. After three hours of this . . . nothing. March 3, more contractions; very sporadic varying in duration, strength, and interval. March 4, I was sure CJ was a coming. I was having strong, regular contractions. There was a noticeable increase in duration, but no real corresponding increase in strength. That’s important because apparently to be in “true labor” the signs need to go like this: strength ↑, interval ↓, duration ↑. Oh, and it needs happen simultaneously if one isn’t going in the right direction or is staying flat, it’s not time to go to the hospital. Well you all know March 4th was not CJ’s birthday, and apparently he had gotten tired. Because I stopped having contractions, well not at any regular interval anyway. The weekend comes and goes. On March 9, 2009 I am running errands. Around 1:30 I find myself at Wescom Credit Union, making a deposit, suddenly I felt a wet warmth in my nether regions, and a quick jolt in my abdomen. I guess it hurt more than I thought, because the teller asked me what was wrong. I calmly told “oh it’s just a contraction”. She asked if I needed her to call anyone I politely said “no”, and completed my transaction. When I got back in my car and sat down, I noticed that my bottom was wet. I immediately though, “crap, I think my water broke”. So I called Chris, and my mom, and his mom. I was being really com considering what was going on. I drove myself home and waited for Chris. I changed my clothes and got a knock at the door. It was Andrew and Lanisha (Chris’ youngest brother and his girlfriend). Chris wasn’t going to make it for a while, and his mom thought her car was too small to be comfortable for me, so this was my rescue team. Andrew was so excited and nervous. I believe I was the sanest one of us all. Andrew was more than I could have asked for. He helped me out the door (although I could have done it alone). He helped me get in the car. He drove extremely carefully, making sure to ease over any bumps or dips in the road. I was about ready to admit him by the time we made it to the hospital. I was having contractions every 4 – 6 minutes and Andrew was having an anxiety attack in unison with each one. Andrew, Lanisha, and I made a secret stop on the way to the hospital, which only we know about. Love you guys!

At the hospital . . .
Andrew, parked my car in the valet stall, grabbed a wheel chair and came back to get me. He wheeled me up to labor and delivery (where I was scheduled to be induced the next morning). I was sent to fetal diagnostics, where I was well known. Janet hooked me up to a monitor and Andrew and Lanisha got a chance to breathe. A couple of doctors (sorry don’t remember their names) came to check on me. I was only 1 cm . The second doctor checked me to see if my water had broken; the test came back with an ambiguous result. A little while later the doctor came back to check me again, this time she confirmed my water had broken and although I was only one centimeter I was being admitted. Good thing too, because I don’t think Andrew could have taken driving me back home. I walked to my next room hoping to walk CJ down. No luck, he had changed his mind about wanting to come out. Well this is getting long, so let me try to shorten it a bit. I was all set to have a natural delivery. Order up a midwife in case my OB wouldn’t make (and he didn’t), and then came the hard part. 13-hours of un-medicated bliss (or at least that’s what I’ll tell CJ). After being asked several times and denying it, I agreed to have an epidural. Wouldn’t you know it the anesthesiologist was in with another patient and wouldn’t be able to get to me for forty-five minutes to an hour. Getting the epidural allowed me to sleep and relax. Which is what I needed. Seven hours later CJ was ready to enter the world. The nurse came in to take my vitals and ask how I was doing, and if I was ready to push. I told her this was my first baby but if being ready to push meant I felt pressure down there, then yes. I started pushing CJ started coming. The midwife barely made it in time. It was only about 20 minutes from the time I began to push till he was out. I thought everyone was trying to encourage me when they were saying on my third push his head was already crowning. But they weren’t. CJ was here. At approximately 9:54 a.m., March 10, 2009, Chris and I welcomed our joy (CJ) into our world. However, that was short lived as this has quickly become “his” world.

Birth Team . . .
- Thanks to Andrew and Lanisha for driving me to the hospital (and making our stop).
- Thanks Aisha for rubbing my back and talking me through it.
- Thanks Alex and Travis for providing the comedy (I can always
depend on Trav’s antics to make me laugh)
- Thanks, Mom, Najae , and Ashley for your love and support.
- Thank you Twynya for the bagels. Who knows when I would have eaten if not for you.

We Love You All!

Thank you hubby (Chris) for giving me the greatest gift anyone can receive.


P.S. this was written by mommy, because she had hte most details about the situation. :-)
signed C.J.

I'm Here

Christopher Clarence Kindle was born March 10, 2009 at 9:52 AM. He is 20.75" and weighs 6 lbs., 13 ounces.