Rio's Birth Story

After nine long months I am so excited to write this blog post!

I went into Rio’s birth with no expectations and no plan and I think that was the best thing that I could’ve done for both her and I.

The Friday night before she was born, Will and I were in bed joking around that this would be our last weekend without baby so we should plan something fun. Little did we know that in less than 12 hours, Rio would have the plans set for us.

Saturday morning at 6am, I was 39 weeks and one day, and I woke up to some lower belly cramping. After a trip to the bathroom I got back into bed and tried to sleep but the cramping started to go into my lower back. I had read that pre-labor would feel like this and since my cramping had never been in my belly and back before, I knew something was different.

I woke Will up at 630am and told him I might be in labor and we started tracking the contractions. He asked me to describe the pain and it was like a mixture of period cramps, an upset stomach, having to go to the bathroom really really badly AND stabbing pain in the lower back - all at once.

My contractions from 630-9am were all over the place. 12 minutes, 6 minutes, 8 minutes apart but they were getting stronger and stronger.

I knew this was labor and that I needed to eat something before heading to the hospital but all I could stand was buttered toast and gatorade. I walked around the house pacing and exhaling as I hung on to all sturdy surfaces for support.

It was time to call the doctor.

I called the OBGYN office and got directed to the on-call doctor who told me it might be labor or it might be false-labor that could wear off in an hour or so since my water hadn’t broken. She also told me to wait until contractions were 5 minutes apart and that she was sorry but my regular doctor was out of town. Offfff courseeeee. I knew that it was a possibility that my baby would come right when he went on his vacation “staycation” and it looked like a total stranger would be delivering my baby.

THIS IS FINE. THIS IS FINE. THIS IS FINE.

I called both my parents and my in-laws to tell them that I might be in labor and to stand by. And the waiting game began.

From pacing the house, to curling up in a ball in bed, to running to the bathroom…this was the next 3 hours. Will was a panicked mess so he threw himself into work and made conference calls and sent emails like a madman.

Finally at noon, the contractions were 5 minutes apart and we headed to the hospital. I didn’t think I was going to make it. The pain was so strong and I was having contractions every 3 - 5 minutes by the time we got to the hospital parking lot.

After getting lost in the hospital parking lot that we had been to a million times, we parked in what I’m pretty sure was our doctors spot and got up the Labor & Delivery. I inched down the hall and had to crouch down on the floor as we met our nurse.

She took me into our room and asked me if my water had broken (it hadn’t) and to put on a robe (I put it on backwards). She measured my cervix as was like, OH! You are more than halfway there!! If you want an epidural, we need to get it to you NOW. I was so happy I didn’t have a set plan in place. I knew I wanted to try and go natural as far as I could but was open to whatever happened. At that point I knew one thing and one thing only - DRUGSSS! I NEEDED ALL THE DRUGS!

The anesthesiologist came in and gave me the medicine and I felt pretty good after it kicked in. Unfortunately that feeling didn’t last long and he had to give me more. Keep in mind, I never take anything, no tylenol, no ibeprofuen, nothing ever. So my body went into shock and I was shaking like a leaf. I was shaking so hard that they couldn’t get a read on my blood pressure and when they could, it was stroke level high, which only abetted to my hysterics.

They called for the doctor and she was at the other end of the hospital so they had another doctor on standby in case she didn’t make it in time. I told Will, that I didn’t care who delivered my baby, a random passerby of the hospital etc.. just SOMEONE get her out!

The doctor arrived and literally dove into a gown and gloves as I started to push. Throwing up, and pushing became my reality for the first 5 minutes and my resolve quickly went from - ‘You got this girl’ to ‘GET THIS EFFING BABY OUT OF MEEEE!!!’

Her head was out and all of a sudden everyone screamed at me to stop pushing. her umbilical cord had been wrapped around her neck two times and the doctor had to unwind it before I pushed again. That was the last push.

Rio Emerson Smith made her arrival.

After a 6 hour labor at home, a 3 hour labor at the hospital and 25-30 minutes of pushing, she came out 6 pounds 9oz, 20 inches long and eyes wide open.

I held her in my arms for about a minute before I passed out. My body was in shock and I had lost almost a liter of blood. The shakes came back as the doctor stiched up my two internal and external tears and the nurse gave me fentanyl and methadone. Not even objecting I laid there shaking and crying and honestly don’t remember much else.

Rio got some skin to skin with Will who got to cut the cord and she her get measured. I love that they got that time together as soon as she was born!

For the next hour all I remember is the doctor saying, “Does she want to see the placenta?” and “Lets start rolling the uterus”.

One I laughed at, one I screamed bloody murder. They don’t tell you that massaging or rolling the uterus is a million times more painful than giving birth. I begged the nurse to stop as I clawed at her arm. But a necessary thing to prevent clots and hemorrhaging to death - so I let it go on.

Finally, things settled down and we started calling our family and friends as we scarfed down mashed potatoes and sandwiches from the hospital cafeteria. They moved us to our recovery room as the sunset painted the walls upon our arrival.

Rio latched on so easily and slept like an angel for our two nights there and it was such an experience learning how to diaper her — and myself haha!

Now a full week later, we are home with our little babe, still recovering and learning this new life. Our worlds have changed so much and I can’t believe that she is finally here.

As two people who were like, we will never have kids, we don’t want kids - Rio has changed that perspective completely. I can’t describe to you the feeling of how much I love her. I can’t describe the love and respect I have for my husband who cares for her and me. My whole mindset has changed and I can feel it in my DNA. She has changed us to our core and I can’t wait to see her journey in this life.

Our little gal, born in the time of the coronavirus. Our peace in the chaos. Our light beam.

I love you so much,

Your Mom.