Delia Neve Parker

Here is the story of how sweet Delia Neve entered our lives.

A few months prior to Delia's due date, which was a controversy in its self... according to the Dr. she was due September 14, according to her daddy it was September 17... anyway, a few months prior David and I started attending a Lamaze class because we had decided to go as natural as possible. Why? I didn't like the disconnected feeling I had with Stella's birth, a sense of not being in control and I hated being strapped to a bed for 14+ hours, unable to move. So I wanted to go in with an open mind this time, so we decided to take a class to prepare ourselves and I HIGHLY recommend this class to everyone... going natural or not.

So feeling a little more prepared we entered the last month of pregnancy with our weekly appointments. Each time barely being dilated to a 1, after the 4th week (week 40) of hearing this, I was getting a bit bummed. Due date came and went, as did the 17th (David's birthday). I even went on a bike ride to try to start something, but I wouldn't recommend that to anyone, ever. We tried everything. And that's as much detail as I'll go into. I went to yet another appointment at week 41 mentally preparing myself to go another week without delivering. I was still no more than a 1 but my midwife refused to let me go any longer (she had a bad weekend with horror stories of natural births at 41 & 42 weeks and didn't want to add us to the list). After hearing the awful stories I agreed to be induced the next morning. She did a sweeping at this appointment to hopefully get me going on my own, and did it again 3 hours later. These did cause some awesome contractions that were spaced 5 minutes apart. Gran-apple came to pick Stella up and my mom was on her way from Idaho Falls. I was so emotional when Stella left, kept trying to tell her things would be different when we all came home again but that I'd love her even more... but it all came out in tears, not words. About 9 or 10 o'clock that night we decided to drive to the hospital. I was sure all the contractions had done something... nope, still a 1... well, maybe a 2... nope definately a tight 1. They gave us the option to stay or go labor at home. I decided to come home, I fell asleep around 2 or 3 which meant it was all false labor. The next morning I went to be induced. Except now I was a 2... but no contractions. The kind nurse started me on pitocin around 9 a.m., and so began the walking, the bathing, the movies, the soothing music, the wonderful smell of essential oils and oh yeah, the contractions!

Before we left that morning, me at 41 weeks.

I liked the idea of a natural birth so I wouldn't be hooked up to anything. Unfortunately I was toting around an IV pole and monitors all day. They came to check my progression every few hours and I finally made it to a 3. Time seemed to be moving quickly until they changed the nurses around 5. I loved both my nurses, they were both quiet, subtle energy ladies and I had full confidence in them both. Contractions were getting stronger and I was excited to be checked because I just NEW I'd be dilating now. I was checked again around 7 and I was at a whopping 3. I was at a 3 all day. I had been at a 1 for over a month. And after this long day, I was still at a 3. Are you sensing I was discouraged? Because I very much was. I had been hoping all day the pitocin would start my labor, then they could take me off and my body could take it from there. It was hard to swallow that I'd have to be on the stuff in the first place after preparing for 10 months to go naturally. So I was given 2 choices, up the pit or get my water broken. Around 7:30 my midwife came in a broke my water. I went from having some moderate contractions to severe not able to stay on top of and no break in between contractions.

Now let me take a break here, because I want to recognize some very special people in my life and the role they played in this. First, my loving husband. Who from the very beginning supported my decision. It was so fun going to those classes, learning together, practicing what we learned together and being able to apply what we learned that day. He was constantly massaging, moving and walking with me, taking my focus off the pain and on to funny things. He had been writing letters months prior and gave them to me before we left so that I could have a stack of letters to read through out the day to help me stay distracted. That is true love. He had the most calming voice through out the whole experience and I am truely grateful I had him by my side. I could not have done this with out my Davey.

Also, my wonderful mom. We knew from the beginning we wanted her in there with us. She kept me breathing, literally. The pain, as some of you know, was unbearable and my mom was right there holding my hand reminding me to breathe and how to breathe. She too kept me focused and kept reminding me what it was all about. She was so positive the whole day, I could not have done this with out my mom.

So after about 20 minutes of the intensity that was brought on by breaking my waters, the nurse checked to see how far dilated I was. Can you guess? :) I was a 4. I caved. I decided the pain was too much and if that's all I had progressed then I was done. Little did I know you can start the transition period at a 4... I thought you had to work up to it, and I thought I'd be in agony for hours still, so I cried and pleaded for the epidural. Moments later I was checked again and I was an 8. I was standing at the bedside hanging on to David when I doubled over and grabbed the nurse in a hugging position. She asked, "are you pushing?" Me, "YES!!" She got me on the bed, and ran out to get everyone. Somewhere in the midst of this my loving family shoed the anesthesiologist away. For some reason I was stuck in this attitude cycle of no progression and this pain isn't getting me anywhere. That's when the midwife grabbed my hand and put it on my baby's crowning head. That gave me all the adrenalin I needed and a few moments later she was finally here!

My midwife Karen, David, lady in yellow and my nurse Andrea.

And my beautiful Delia....

My body was shaking uncontrollably after she was born, and the only thing that stopped it was when they laid her on me and we were skin to skin. So calming.

Proud daddy and best coach ever.

This is how I saw him the rest of the night...

In one hour I went from a 3 to pushing her out. She was born at 8:30 pm, 7lbs 5oz & 20 1/2 inches long of perfectness.

Saying hi to grandma for the first time

She was so chill after her birth. She didn't cry through her bath, and this is her getting her little foot print stamp, again just chill and checking things out. She was very alert.

Sisters reunited:)

Nothing like baby snuggles, it's almost been 4 weeks and I haven't moved from this position!

And here are some fun pics of our little Delia to enjoy....

So maybe going on pit and having my water broken for me wasn't a part of my plan of going all natural, but by the end of it all and looking at my beautiful healthy baby... does it really matter? Maybe next time I will be able to go into labor on my own, and maybe not, but I definately don't regret not having the epidural. I felt so good after, I felt it all.

Stella is doing great with Delia. And Delia responds to Stella with smiles. I plan special times throughout the day that I can just be with Stella and we do activities. So far I think she's been a rock star of a sister. We'll be upstairs getting ready to go down stairs and she says every time, "bring my baby!" Our neighbor had a baby just a few months ago and brought her over along with some other goodies, as she was leaving and holding her baby, Stella started freaking out... "that's my baby! hey, bring her back... don't take my baby!" Randomly she'll tell me, "I like her, i like her a lot". And she's very protective if other little kids are around, they are barely allowed to even look at her without Stella warning them that they're getting too close. I think she's doing great, and we're all learning to adjust together.

And Delia is a great baby. It trips me out how much she looks like Stella. We are still having long nights and trying to find a schedule that works, but I am loving the new baby phase more than ever. I don't let many people hold her, I hog her most the time. She's very alert and she has already been alertly smiling. There is no doubt she was meant for our family, sometimes it feels as though I've known her forever. I just love our little family, I feel so blessed, I just love being us.