Nyla's Birth Story

Welcome to the World Princess Wong

At 40 weeks and 4 days I gave birth to a beautiful little angel. Our sweet Nyla girl was born all naturally on August 25, 2020 coming in at a sweet 6 lbs and 15 oz. She ended up being delivered at St. Joseph hospital, which was not the original plan, but ended up being the most magical experience we could have asked for.

Getting to the Birth Center… I mean Hospital

Throughout the Pandemic, it changed the way pregnancy and appointments looked for us a lot. We originally were going to tour two hospitals and the Birth Center of Denver in March, right at the height of Covid-19 outbreak. Obviously the tours were cancelled, and we kind of were just sitting on our hands hoping that in person tours would resume in a month or so. So we stuck with our current care until then. Then our Doctors Office had to close due to Coivd and we were now being bounced around between facilities and online appointments. Around 28 weeks we had to choose somewhere to get care and give birth. The Birth Center of Denver gave us an online tour and they were allowing mom and partner to be at the appointments so we decided to go with them! I wanted an all natural birth so their philosophies seemed inline with what I was envisioning.

Fast forward to my 40th week appointment on Friday August 21: We went in for our usual checkup, I was excited to see if their were any signs of baby or dilation so far. I got my vitals taken as soon as we got their and my Midwife said that my blood pressure was just a tad high but not to worry we would retake it. We listened to Nyla’s heartbeat and checked to see that I was 1.5 centimeters dilated. Then we retook my blood pressure and it was still just a slight bit elevated. She said not to worry just to come back in the afternoon and we will check it once more. I was starting to get very paranoid because if you have high blood pressure of any sort you not only can have pre-eclampsia but it would also disqualify me from giving birth at the birth center, which basically would crush my dreams. Well we went back that afternoon and guess what, it was still elevated. The midwife said that it could be due to the heat, or just an off day and do not panic, we were just going to recheck it on Monday first thing. Well Monday came and it was a whirlwind to say the least.

That morning the nurse came to check my blood pressure, but the machine was not working. So she grabbed the manual blood pressure cuff and told us not to worry she still remembers how to check! (You can imagine the uneasiness I was already feeling). When she took my blood pressure, it didn’t feel right, and then she immediately said ,y blood pressure was outrageously high, like the highest I have ever heard. I had a very hard time believing it was even true due to the way she took it but at that point there was nothing we could do. She brought in the Midwife who proceeded to tell me I was off to the hospital. I was distraught. I could not stop crying! My whole pregnancy was a true blessing and I was perfectly healthy with no complications. I just couldn’t believe that now at this point something was going ‘wrong’. We were sent home to grab our bags and told to go check into St. Joseph’s hospital.

A lot of tears were shed along the way, but I managed to pull myself together because after all we were about to welcome our little girl into the world. My mom came and picked up our dog Leo, we grabbed our bags and off we went. When we got to the hospital I was feeling 1000 different emotions. I was mostly just so worried about this high blood pressure and having to be induced. After all, I spent 9 months planning and prepping for an all natural birth just for it to be taken away by an induction and hospital setting. When we got all checked in the took my vitals and guess what, my blood pressure was NORMAL. Not on the high side and everything else was looking all good too. Now the emotions of anger were setting in. I was fine. I knew it all along. But, all of that was here nor there now because we were mentally prepared to meet our little girl and were already at the hospital so why not just have this baby. Plus the midwife at St. Joesphs assured me that was the best decision just incase later in the week my blood pressure did get high or pre-eclampsia decided to take over.

At the end of the day, being at St. Joesphs was the best thing that could have happened to us. I still got to be under the care of Midwives, have an all natural birth, and was supported in ways I didn’t even know I needed! It was all a true blessing in disguise.

And so Labor Begins

Once we got all checked in and into our hospital room, I got to talk with the nurse and Midwife about my birth plan and what I had envisioned for miss Nyla. They were all so attentive and respected all my decisions and desires. When I got there I was only about 2 cm dilated which may sound like I was moving along, but this still could mean I was a few days away from labor starting on its own. I was having contractions about every 5-9 minutes but could not feel them at all. Now because I wanted to stay as natural as possible, I was pretty against having medication and especially didn’t want to have Pitocin as a personal preference. We decided to start with a cervix softener just to ripen me up and see if we could get contractions to come more regularly. It was a small pill that I let dissolve on my cheek. Luckily this was the only medication I had to take the entire time and just needed on dose! After about 4 hours my contractions were now coming every 5 minutes, even though I still could not feel them.

It was now around 8 pm at night, we had the nightshift nurse and Midwife now, who we just LOVED. They let Rashawn and I order pizza! It was so fun and a meal I will never forget as our ‘last supper’. At this point I was still only about 2 cm dilated, so the Midwife suggested maybe we try the Foley Bulb method. You can read the more medical terms of what this is here if you are curious, but basically it is a water ballon on either side of your cervix to help it dilate! I had it inserted around 9:30 pm and by 10 pm I was starting to feel my first contractions! They were coming every 4 minutes. They were not painful, but it was defiantly uncomfortable and nothing I have ever felt before. I took my first bath and just started to prepare for the journey ahead.

Around 4 am the nurse was able to take the water ballon’s out and told me I was now about 4.5 cm dilated. She said at this point my body knew what to do and I could just labor on my own natural way from here on out. The contractions were coming about every 3 minutes and getting more intense, but I just kept breathing and telling myself that I was stronger than the contraction.

The next three hours were the hard ones. Contractions coming 2 minutes apart, and VERY intense. I was moving from bath, to birthing ball, to standing and holding Rashawns shoulders. Just trying anything to help make them easier. In between contractions I felt no pain and was 100% ok, but when that wave started to build I just found my deepest breath and strength. There were two contractions that made me throw up, but this happens to a lot of woman surprisingly. It made the pizza choice not as fun haha! At about 5:15am my water broke! It was not a sudden gush like I always imagined but just a constant flow of liquid coming out. It was crazy! I truly couldn’t believe everything that was happening, but at this moment Rashawn and I were stoked.

At about 6:30 am I was laying in the bath tub. I had my favorite nurse next to me encouraging me when suddenly I felt the most INTENSE contraction yet. It did not feel like the rest. I looked at her and said, ok how do you know when it is time to push?! She looked a bit shocked, and said well you would probably feel like taking a poo! I told yup, I am feeling that! We got out of the bath tub. It was time for the switch of night staff to morning staff so we had about 6 ladies in the room when my midwife checked my dilation. She said oh my gosh, were at a 10! Everyone immediately started clapping and cheering and I couldn’t believe I did it. The staff told me they were so impressed and proud that I did that all on my own.

At this point it was time to start the pushing. I had planned an envisioned a water birth at the Birth Center my whole pregnancy, but unfortunately I was not allowed a water birth at the hospital due to insurance (don’t even get me started) so I had really not thought of how I was actually going to give birth. Laying down was not comfortable one bit for me in labor, so I thought maybe I could stand or kneel. My midwife helped us and we decided to kneel on the bed with the headrest up for support. Rashawn stood in front of me and on each contraction I buckled down in the deepest parts of my being and pushed.

I had to push for just about an hour in total. When I first started the midwife warned me that it may feel like she’s coming but it can take a while. I looked over to her and said, I really feel like I am going to poo! She laughed and said well your gonna poo - everyone does! You have to relax those muscles in order to give birth. I was like ok well let me go use the bathroom real quick then!! ha! After we got all that out the way I was back in kneeling position. I truly felt like I could feel Nyla coming so I looked at the nurse and said, well can you just check? Sure enough her little head was coming out!! It was GO TIME! About 3 pushes later, at 8:15 am, my beautiful little girl was earth side in my arms.

It truly was the most magical experience ever and I think about it at lest once a day. I look back at how proud of myself I was to have her all naturally, for always trusting my gut and believing in my body and this miracle. The staff at St. Joesphs were SO incredible. They were all so encouraging, accommodating, and kind. I will never forget when we got to our postpartum room, the nurse who helped at birth said, “Before I go I just want to tell you how beautiful your birth was. Not everyone can do what you just did. To have her all natural, and with your strength it was just incredible to watch!” It made me tear up and those words will forever be held in my heart.

I also have to shout Rashawn out because he was the most amazing person ever in that delivery room. He was so encouraging, breathed with me, told me I could do it 1000 times over, and just went above and beyond in every step. I love him so much but this experience made that love deeper than I ever thought possible. I felt and still feel so so blessed to have him there and everyday.

Bringing her home

We had to stay in the hospital 24 hours after birth, which made me upset at first, but ended up being such a blessing. We got to meet with a lactation consultant who made breastfeeding a dream, get her birth certificate, check her hearing, get a 24 hour checkup, and have an amazing staff care for us. Despite the sudden change in all the birth plans, we felt so cared for and everything just felt like a perfect fit, like it was supposed to be this way all along.

Once we got home life felt complete! We got to introduce our baby to our dog, show her her new home, and just enjoy every second of new born cuddles. We did alll the skin to skin, took lots of naps, and just stared at her! I don’t think there was a second we stopped smiling those first few days. On the third day we had a midwife come to the house to do her checkup and she was SO kind. She couldn’t believe how healthy Nyla was and how she had only lost 4 teaspoons since birth! She also praised me for being in such good health and spirits post birth. Overall it was just a dream.

Life with her it the sweetest thing no matter how hard it can get. She really is such an amazing baby and I don’t have a single complaint about her, even when it’s midnight and she’s still awake :) I feel like she was always meant to be with us and I just love watching her grow everyday. Being her mom is the greatest honor.

takeaways from birth

I just want every woman who reads this to know that YOU have the power and strength in you to accomplish anything. If birth taught me anything it’s truly how amazing and powerful our bodies and minds can be. If you are pregnant or looking to have a baby in the future, just know you CAN do it all naturally. We all can. You just have to dig deep and believe in yourself.

It is such a miracle to have a child. Pregnancy and birth is something I would never take for granted. To see this life you carried and created finally in out arms is a feeling that’s indescribable until you experience it yourself. You just look at this little tiny human and want to cry tears of joy! She is a wonderful blessing and I cannot wait to watch her blossom into herself.

I wish a lot of things were different because of COVID, but I just try to always focus on the positives. She was born into a world with so much in the air and a different life than any of us have ever known. We just have to take everything one day at a time and do our best to stay healthy and happy. 2020 has tested us and taught us lot, but no matter all the crazy circumstances, I truly wouldn’t change a thing.

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