Welcoming Kellen into the World

To begin I want to say a huge thank you to Alan Lange who captured my labor and delivery so beautifully. Being a photographer myself I love capturing experiences to allow other to really have a document of important chapters of their life. Thank you to the nurses as well who ended up delivery my little kellen when natural labor went to quickly for us to get my doctor. Thank you to my sister who were able to be support while my husband was miles away :)

September 8, 2017
 
7:00 AM
Can’t sleep anymore, a few random contractions during the night and feeling anxious about what the day holds
7:30 AM
Kyson wakes up extremely happy. He plays while I finish getting ready. We have breakfast together and I try to explain that baby might be coming today.
9:00 AM
I drop Kyson off to daycare. He usually loves going but today he is sad to have me leave him there. I’m already feeling extra emotional not knowing if I will be the one there to pick him up.
10:00 AM
Arrive at the hospital for my appointment. Alisha (my sister) meets me there so I won’t have to be alone. The doctor tells me I’m at a 5 so I'm technically in active labor. We decide I will go for walk before checking in. Really it’s because I feel so hungry and know once I check in they wont let me eat.
11:00 AM
Eating a huge breakfast and feeling some contractions but having a hard time accepting that it isn’t just false labor again. (I had multiple false labor and it was extremely emotionally and physically hard on me)
NOON
Meet up with my aunt to give her Kyson's car seat and bags. It’s weird knowing that the next time Kyson sees me I won’t be pregnant.

​2:30PM
All checked in and the doctor has come to break my water. I’m having regular contractions and at a 6. Contractions pick up intensity with my water broken but not as much as I thought they would.
I sit in a warm bath which feels amazing but feel like things aren’t moving as fast in the tub.

​They check and I haven’t progressed that much. I feel a little worried that this labor might be long.
I ask for my first dose of phetanal to help take off the edge, which helps me regather my thoughts and feel more ready to finish.

​I can have another dose after an hour so after 45 minutes I begin debating on what I want to do . They check I’m at an 8, they agree they could give me one more dose because I don’t feel like pushing yet.
The contractions begin to really pick up right at the end of one another one starts so I have no breaks between. 

​5:08PM
I start talking about getting an epidural……

5:10
But before we can really finalize that idea I feel my muscles begin to push and a fire lights under me. I know exactly what this means and express focally that the fire has started. Mentally I’m regretting not getting an epidural because knowing I wasn’t a fully dilated to a 10 I prepared to be pushing for a while.

​I turn onto my side and ask for a hand to push against. Missy (my sister) reaching out. After grabbing hold of her hand, I mentally tell my body to do what it needs to and my only job will be breathing. I focus on emptying my lungs completely which helps me to naturally take deep full breaths. I hear myself breathing and it sounds like I’m in way more pain than I really am. It’s so intense but I can easily tell exactly when his head is out. I roll over onto my back instantly.

​5:12
Kellen is born. I almost want to laugh when I hear the nurses say his head is out. Like no dah I can feel it hahaha. I reach down to him and feel like I’m meeting an old friend. My sister Missy cuts the cord.

Once he is on my chest, my doctor comes running in. I apologizing awkwardly and don’t even know why I’m saying sorry. He helps deliver the placenta and finally I feel full relief. I keep repeating in my head “we did it”

​Later we arrange for my aunt to bring Kyson by to meet Kellen. I was a little nervous but Kyson loved it and seemed to understand everything, it makes me so happy I put so much effort into preparing Kyson for the arrival of baby.

I asked kyson if he wanted to hold kellens hand. He takes both of kellens hands and doesn't let go. I never knew my heart could hold so much love.

The last picture I would love to share is one I really wanted to try and make happen. I even had talked to my doctor about holding the baby and having a gopro on his chest so his arms and baby and me would be in the shot. funny enough kellen came too quickly but my sister still helped make the shot happen! Me and Karl both looking so in shock and happy was not planned but made me so happy to see we both look the same even though he was miles away :)