The Incredi-Wahls: The FUN Has Arrived...

....... and by fun I mean Baby Lanni is here! She has been for a while actually.
Her due date was December 12. On December 11, Byron was leaving for work. He kissed me goodbye, leaned down to my belly and said, "Lanni, it's time to come out. " The front door closed at 5AM and that is when the contractions started. They were no big deal. Inconsistent all day long. They were kind of discouraging because they got my hopes up. I didn't tell my mom (she was here) because I was afraid of jinxing myself! I kept waiting and waiting for things to get serious. I never had Braxton Hicks contractions, so I was very hopeful this was something! Byron got home and I told him, but obviously, no baby.....yet.... Then, on December 12 things got serious. It started in the morning. THESE were different than yesterday. More serious. Around noon I told my mom and Byron that these contractions were the real deal. They were....well, they hurt a little bit. I read books prior, and lots of people told me the big workout ball was the best thing for labor at home. Lies. That thing just amped the pain factor up as soon as I sat on it. So instead I would do some yoga pose called Child's Pose, I think, on the ground that stretched out my lower back (that's where all the "surges" were) and Byron rubbed it until it was over. This was just warm up for him. Oh, I should also mention we wanted to have this baby all natural. No epidural. Just doing it how women have done it for years. I read books and books about it. "Just breathe through it." "Relax your whole body." "Women in other countries go about their day, then squat and have baby." Honestly, I had a very easy pregnancy. I was hopeful labor would be the same. We stayed at home as long as I could. We left for the hospital at 5:30PM got there at 6. I was checked in to Triage. Everything was fine. My midwife came in to see how far along I was. Before she checked she said, " I honestly don't think you are in active labor right now." Um... seriously? Not what I wanted to hear. She checked and sure enough... I WAS in active labor. Barely. 5cm dilated. Whew. We went to my room at 6:45. My room was awesome. First of all, it was big which I loved! The lights were dim, they set up a labor pool, the bathroom was big. I loved this room. I loved the pool. It was awesome. Since labor was all in my back the pool really helped me relax ( I use "relax" loosely). My midwife was awesome. She moved me around, from the pool to the bed to the pool. Oh, Byron has been rubbing the WHOLE time. I am serious. Every contraction, since we were at home, he was there rubbing my back. Love him. We were moved to the bathroom, I sat on the toilet and told everyone I was going to throw up. I read in one of my books that very few women actually throw up. Well, I guess I'm one of the lucky few. I sat on the toilet and threw up for a long time. I had nothing to throw up, but my body just wouldn't stop. Eventually, it did stop and I moved back to the pool. My midwife was great, always to encouraging. I need to honest and say up to this point I was moaning and groaning. As soon as I started throwing up (transition) the moans and groans turned into very, very loud moans and groans. Oh I loved that pool. But my midwife had me move to the bed. She asked if I wanted her to check to see how far we are. Of course I wanted to know. 9 1/2 cm! They put the back of the bed all the way up so I was knees hanging onto the back of bed. It was the most comfortable position for me to start pushing. This was it. Lanni was coming. I think I said "I can't do this anymore" 100 times before Lanni got here. Byron would tell me how good I was doing. He was a great coach. I was exhausted. Pushing a baby out really does a number on ya. I thought I couldn't do it anymore when I heard our wonderful nurse call another nurse and say, " Want to come to Room 11? We are having a baby in about 2 minutes." Oh my gosh! That gave me extra strength I desperately needed. Lanni's head was part of the way out and my midwife told me she would be "born in the caul", or the bag of water. This supposedly is good luck, as well as an easier journey for baby Lanni. My midwife told me to reach down and feel Lanni's head. I did. It was unbelievable to me that I was touching MY baby. Byron's baby. OUR baby. She was really here!! I pushed one more time and could feel her head come out. Most people say that the "ring of fire" is the most painful. It wasn't for me. It relieved all that pressure Lanni was putting on back. Ahhh... And one last measly push and I felt her little body wiggle out. Byron said as soon as she was all the way out the water bag finally broke. (I wished I could have seen.) In my arms she went. Stunning. Beautiful. I was holding her. I will never forget the way Byron looked as he laid his eyes on his baby girl for the first time. We had waited for this moment for 40 weeks and it was beyond anything we could have imagined. It was perfect. Then Lanni pooped all over me, but who cares! She cried a little and opened her eyes to see us. I was in love! I love my baby Lanni. And of course Byron got to cut the cord. Soooo, after 4 1/2 hours of labor and 1/2 of pushing, healthy baby Lanni was born on 12/12/13 at 10:45PM weighting 6lbs 14oz and 20 1/4 inches long.
A while before labor started Byron gave me a priesthood blessing. It said my body would function properly and everything would go well. It sure did. I'm so grateful for such a healthy body that was able to bring our baby here safely and heal quickly. Oh, did I mention that Byron was the best back rubber in the whole world. He actually did such a great job that I had big rug burn spot on my lower back. The day after Lanni was born it turned into a big scab. Haha! Good job Byron!
We were so blessed to have such a wonderful midwife and nurses during our stay at the hospital. They were so good and took such great care of us. Thank you Mercy Gilbert for being the best hospital ever!
Now she is 8 weeks old! She brings such a light to our family. She is such the perfect sweet baby. She is so chill, just like Byron. She sleeps with her eyes half open, just like me. It's so crazy that she is both of us. She has my eyes and feet, but the rest is all her Daddy. She loves to eat, just like both of us. She LOVES the batch and shower, just like me. She farts just like.....Byron! HAHA! She's starting to sleep a lot longer at night (thank goodness). Her smile is the best thing in the world! She is so much fun. I know it will only get better. We love her so much and are so excited to start our little family.
Life is truly a miracle. Everything about is so beyond my earthly comprehension. A bazillion things HAVE to go right in order to create a precious baby. I knew Lanni was a precious gift from our Heavenly Father, but the reality of God and Jesus Christ became more.....tangible as I held my baby. She came straight from Heaven to ME. ME! A perfect baby came to unperfect me. Wow. How lucky am I? We are truly blessed to able to teach and love Lanni through out this life. It just reaffirmed and made stronger everything I already knew. I'm so thankful for families and hope Byron and I can be blessed enough to have a few more miracles!