False Alarm.

saturday

may 31, 2014

1:30am-

I wake up in tears, breathing heavily and leg shaking. Finally. What my midwife had warned me about. These were THE contractions. The ones that mean business. She said I would know when early labor stopped and when active labor starts. I knew this is what she meant. I'm able to get myself together. Breath through it and opt for the bath. If this was active labor, the bath wouldn't slow anything down. I tell Daddy my plan and tell him to go back to sleep. I also make sure he knows not to inform Ashley just in case this wasn't the real deal.

2:00am-

I've already sent texts to Ashley updating her on my status (and Daddy has done so secretly as well). All we could do was wait. The contractions weren't close enough together but the intensity was there. Definitely. 

4:00am-

Contractions have gotten closer together. 3-4 minutes. For a minute long. Sometimes less. Ashley has arrived and helped me labor a bit at home. Daddy and Ashley both asked what I wanted to do. I wanted to go to the hospital. I was in some pain and couldn't take it much longer (or so I thought). I shaved my legs, threw my wet, tangled hair up and got in the car. The thought of looking cute never crossed my mind. I only thought of the midwife and nurses. And of you, of course.

5:45am-
We arrived at vanderbilt hospital. It was a gorgeous morning and I thought to myself  "Cool. Let's have a baby." 

6:00am-

We arrive in Triage and we waited there until 9:00am just to be notified that I'm only dilated to 4 and cannot be admitted to labor and delivery. Back home we go....

photos by abigail wright
(auntie abz)

Easy Come, Easy Go

friday

may 30th, 2014

[due date]

7:00am-

I woke up having contractions. The contractions are close to enough together to send a text to my doula (and friend) Ashley. I had a regular follow up appointment with the midwife at 11:00am and didn't see the need to go into the hospital before then. One thing was for sure: those meager contractions were replaced with stronger ones. 

11:00am-

Midwife appointment time. I distinctly remember two very loud, obnoxious women talking in the waiting area. It was as though they didn't grow up knowing the phrase "inside voices" and I began scolding them in my head. Which then turned into very quietly whispering "shut up" when I felt a contraction coming on. Ashley met us there and sat in during our appointment. I was dilated to 2. Just 2. There was nothing to be done but wait. I could be pregnant for another few days or another week. Needless to say, I was discouraged and just wanted to finally hold you. 

1:00pm-

I was pretty quiet the remainder of the day. So much pain already and nothing to show for it. Or so I felt. Daddy and Ashley were constantly reminding me that every little amount of pain counted and you was closer to arriving. I wanted to believe that and recited that to myself plenty of times. Ammie & Papa booked a flight and lodging for that night. they would arrive in Nashville around 6:00pm and I was over the moon to hear that. I slept for most of this day. I woke up wanting french fries and plenty of distraction. I didn't want to talk about that morning. I wanted to forget about it and go on like it never happened. 

6:30pm-

We visited friends again after stopping at Fat Mo's (pretty much the best drive-thru fries and shake I've ever tasted in my existence thus far) for french fries and a chocolate shake. I had more contractions but in efforts to keep everyone calm, I held my breath through them and tried hard not to draw attention. I knew it was nothing and there was no reason to alarm anyone. I couldn't let another false alarm happen.

8:00pm- 

Papa & Ammie arrive at our house. I instantly felt better. I knew everything was going to be okay. We visited with them as I went through a few light contractions on the birth ball. They left around 10:30pm and after, something changed. The contractions I was feeling changed, yet again, in intensity. I lost my mucus plug (ew, gross. but hey, we ARE talking about birth here). Took another long bath (and definitely not the last) then opted to get some rest. 

By the time I fell asleep, it was close to midnight. My due date had come and gone.

And So It Begins

Thursday

 May 29, 2014

 9:00pm

When week 40 arrived, I was beyond ready to meet you. While I tried to be as social and as adventurous as possible, my body felt terrible. I had dreams of being pregnant forever. I looked up every single article online pertaining to inducing labor naturally (against my better judgement). My midwife told me to cool it. Nothing I had done or was about to do was going to force you to come any sooner. She advised me to rest up for the big day............and I didn't listen. I would know exactly why she urged this later.

On this day, I walked up and down 12th south avenue three times, did countless squats and even had our dear friend, Mark, take me for a bumpy ride in his jeep. While I did start having what I would classify later as meager contractions, it just wasn't working.

Anxious, stressed and tired, Daddy and I decided to distract ourselves by hanging out with friends and carrying on. I made him drop me off a little over half a mile from our friend Abby's (Auntie Abz) house. I wanted to walk. With a bucket of ice cream. It just made sense.

Growth.

Week 10 - Week 40

Name Game

We chose to make a list of three name options and wait to pick the right one once you arrived.

After a while, your father and I both started calling you the same name separately in our heads. And it stuck.

Gemma Rose Yetton

Daddy (brilliantly) brought the name Gemma to the table. And I fell in love instantly. You were meant to be our gem. Our precious gem.

Rose was a name suggested by my mother; your Ammie. It was taken from her side of the family. Sweet. Feminine. Rose.

We weren't sold on this combination right away but when Dad sent the playlist he made for my labor and it included Gem Club's latest record In Roses, something clicked. Suddenly your name has even more meaning (to me).

Gal Pal

January 9, 2014
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Your daddy and I find out we are expecting a little lady (YOU!) on May 31, 2014