Molly's Birth Story
Molly's birth story and pregnancy is a pretty special one to me. When Teddy was born, both Sean and I were pretty adamant the he was the last one. But when he was about 3 weeks old, I had a dream that there was another little girl waiting to join our family. I thought nothing of it and chalked it up to being hormonal and post partum craziness.
At my 6 week post op with Teddy, I was diagnosed with Hashimotos disease which is a thyroid disorder. So basically my thyroid wasn't functioning how it should and I was on the long road to forever getting my blood drawn, testing to make sure my tsh levels were where they should be and other stuff. Super exciting. This was another reason Sean and I decided Teddy was our last baby. There are too many complications with a thyroid disorder and pregnancy etc.
The older Teddy got, the stronger the feeling I had that there as still another little girl waiting to come to our family. So I brought it up to Sean one night and he sorta laughed. I told him to just think about it and he said he would.
Fast forward to a few months later and we'd both sort of forgotten about the whole baby conversation. I got really sick and asked Sean to give me a priesthood blessing. Let me preface this. This blessing was a blessing of sickness, to help me heal. Nothing related to family, pregnancy, or anything of the sort. Once he started the blessing, he paused, and then said, "There is another little soul waiting patiently to come to your family. When the time is right, prepare for her coming." And then he ended the blessing. I started bawling and Sean's face said it all. He was stunned. So we prepared for another baby. I called my endocrinologist and my midwife they both assured me I could have a healthy pregnancy as long as I kept up on my meds and got tested regularly to stay on track. They both told me it would take anywhere from 3 months up to a year to get pregnant since I had a thyroid disorder. Sean and I thought that was a great time gap so we started trying. Low and behold this little soul was not patient at all and one month later I had a positive pregnancy test! I still get emotional even thinking about the blessing and the circumstances of Molly's pregnancy.
Molly's pregnancy was the worst pregnancy to date. Between the thyroid doctor appointments, my regular doctor appointments, the severe nausea/vomiting and trying to take care of a 6,5,2 and 1 year old, it was a struggle. Also, with a thyroid disorder, you're at a higher risk of miscarriage and neurological problems, along with preterm birth.
At my 8 week dr visit, I was really really nervous we wouldn't find a heartbeat. Sean took off work and came with me along with my two youngest babies. Once we were at the office and got set up for an ultrasound I could hear my heart in my ears. When they set the doppler on my belly, I saw the most beautiufl wiggly little baby I'd ever seen. She (we didn't know she was a she yet) was bouncing around and looked like she was dancing! My midwife laughed and said, " there's your healthy little bouncing ball of baby!" I cried and was so grateful.
Weeks and Months went by and we had our second ultrasound resulting in a baby girl. (I always knew it was a girl!). When September hit, birth month. I started getting really nervous and emotional. I knew it would be just me and 5 kids with no help. My mom's health was in poor condition and my dad had just had back surgery. My mother in law was busy with the other grandkids, so I knew what I was in for. I wouldn't have much recovery time and I'd be thrown back in to getting kids up and ready for school, taking them and picking them up from school, house chores, breakfast, lunch, dinner, running errands, grocery shopping etc. I'm not complaining, just coming to the realization that this is me and only me with a now 7, 5, 3, 1 year olds and a new born. It'd get pretty hectic!
Molly had dropped quite early in my pregnancy. at 35 weeks I remember feeling alot of pressure and pain in my hips and lower region. Sure enough she'd dropped. I was dilated to a 3 and 80% effaced at my 36 week appointment. I continued to stay at the till 39 weeks when I was at a 4+ and 90% effaced. I was so uncomfortable by then that my midwife asked if I wanted my membranes stripped. I had no idea what that was so she told me. She said sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't so I decided to go ahead and get stripped. Nothing happened all day long until about 6 pm. I started getting the worst contractions I'd ever felt in my life. I took a bath at 7 pm and then the contractions stopped. We got the kids to bed and everyone taken care of and then the contractions started again at 10 pm and were about every 6 minutes. My midwife told my to come in so I went to the hospital. An hour later, I wasn't dilated any further so they were going to send me home when the charge nurse came in and watched my contractions. I had had 3 major ones in a matter of 10 minutes and she said that there was no way I was going home now.
They got my into my room around 12:30 and then shortly after I got an epidural. It was glorious! They checked my cervix again and I was dilated to a 6. Sean should up shortly after that and stayed with me while Shauna stayed with the sleeping kids. My midwife said she'd come in in about an hour and break my water. it was close to 3:30 when she finally came in and said that she had to go up to the point of the mountain to deliver another baby. She checked me again and I was dilated to a 7. She broke my water and then said she'd be back around 5. At about 3:55 I was feeling alot of pressure and asked if they could check me again. The nurse came in somewhat annoyed since she was just in here, but when she went to check me she let out a little shriek and said, "oh dear! The head is right there!" so they called my midwife in a hurry and she came in, suited up and then Claudia (my midwife) looked over at Sean and said, "Hey daddy, would you like to join us?" Apparently Sean had slept through this whole thing! At about 4:17 am I started pushing and with two quick pushes miss Molly Jo was born. She was perfect and the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. She came out quite hungry too!
We got to do skin to skin and just sit for a bit. Then they took her, weighed, her, cleaned her, and gave her right back to me. She weighed 7 lbs 13 oz and 20.5 inches long. She was and is so perfect!
She's been such a blessing to our family. A true calm to our storm. She hardly cries (unless she hungry) travels well especially since she has to be in the carseat 3 times a day to pick up her older siblings from school. We love you Molly Jo, and we're so grateful you came to our family. You complete us!
