Mabry's Birth Story {part two}

{read part one of Mabry's birth story here}

Contractions were beginning to get even stronger. "This is what I wanted to happen? If this is going into labor naturally, I want a do-over! I'll come back for my scheduled induction, please." These may have been a few of my thoughts as I layed there in the MOST unbelievable pain of my life! {I was scheduled to be induced on the following Wednesday, the 28th.}

The nurses didn't like how fast my body was going into labor. Neither did my body.

On the way to the hospital I could feel my left side begin to tingle. I had no idea what it was from. Hubs thought maybe the baby was pinching a nerve or circulation was being cut off with the contractions. He wasn't concerned. I'm thinking "left side, heart attack. I'm going to die. If I wasn't in so much pain I may have Googled it. *remember: NO Googling for self-diagnosis! It'll make you nuts!} When I got to the hospital the tingling only got worse. And then the tingling turned to stiffness. My left hand was so stiff I couldn't move it. As a matter of fact, my whole left side was well on its way to board stiff. I was in labor, contractions were coming less than every two minutes apart, crying in pain, having a hard time breathing...it was AWFUL! Word on the streets is that I was hyperventilating. Hubs was right by my side the entire time. I joke that when we go to the hospital to have our babies that he isn't allowed to leave me...the entire stay. Truth is, he doesn't leave, except to get food that tastes better than hospital food. He never leaves my side. He stays strong for me. He is my voice of reason when I think I can't do it anymore. When I thought I was surely going to die due to hyperventilation, he kept me calm. {I didn't really think I was going to die. Or, maybe I did. It was brutal, y'all!}

The nurses strapped the oxygen mask to my face and moved the IV from my stiff left hand to my right hand. While it was on my left hand the fluids they were trying to give me weren't flowing because of the stiffness. Weird, right? After all of that was seemingly working as it should a God send of a nurse asked if I minded if she taught me how to breath through my contractions. Um, YES PLEASE!! She told me to find a focal point across the room. {my focal point was this little green light. I can recall two times that someone stepped in front of my focal point and I wanted to jump outta that bed and push them out of my way. I was TRYING to breath, people!} With each contraction I was to look at that focal point, take a deep breath in and then exhale long, like I was blowing out fifty birthday candles. It helped. Tremendously. I stopped making my "this pain is going to surely be the death of me" sounds. But, I can't promise I wasn't making those faces that women make while in labor that you've seen in all of the movies. Thank you, Nurse Ginny!

You'd think with my contractions being as close and strong as they were that delivery would be soon. Yeah. No. I was stuck at 2cm dilated. The doctor came in and felt my belly and voiced concerned of the baby being "a big one." She asked if I had ever had a c-section and how large my largest baby was. Jonah was my largest at 9 pounds, 3 ounces. I didn't see any issues delivering the baby...just get me to where I can push. Please.

The doctor decided the only thing to do to speed me along was break my water. After four inductions, I knew that would be the next step. What was she waiting on??? After my water was broken I was allowed to get an epidural.

I had high hopes for this epidural. I was ready for some relief. I was ready for a nap. I was ready for anything but the next contraction.

Anesthesiologist comes in. She's a sweet lady. She was about to be my best friend. The epidural was in place. Hoorah! And then the epidural didn't work. I could feel EVERYTHING in my right side. Everything that I worked so hard to breath through ten minutes ago was back...on my right side. {where's my little green light????} Hubs overheard them talking about scar tissue after multiple epidurals or something. What the heck? Apparently, that was the issue. Who knows. And that little button they give you to press when you need a boost of medicine? It's supposed to work every ten minutes. Mine only worked every fifteen. For real.

I am happy to report once the epidural was in {and not working properly} and maybe eight pushes of that handy button {that also didn't work properly} the nurse came in and announced I was about 8cm. Praise the Lord. Progress was being made!

Shortly after that, I begged for more medicine. Something to make the pain in the right go away. The anesthesiologist came in and gave me what she called "strong enough for surgery." Thank you very much, Doctor! It worked! But, we had to move fast. I was now feeling the urge to push. And the nurse told me not to. What??? "We need to wait for the doctor", she says. Ha! I'll do my best. {pfff}

You ready for this? Doctor comes in, nurse grabs one leg, Hubs grabs the other, contraction comes, one push, two pushes, three pushes...IT'S A GIRL!!!

That's it. Mabry Mae Hutchins put me through roughly six hours of pain for three pushes through one contraction. And I wouldn't have it any other way.



She weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces and was 19 3/4 inches long. She is beautiful. She looks just like her big sister, McKinley.

Sadly, this is one of the only pictures we have of her birth. We were NOT ready to go to the hospital that Sunday. We thought we had a couple more days to plan. We had no camera, just our phones. Bummer. We have a great story though! And another beautiful, healthy daughter.



I'm glad I snapped this photo after she was born. The day after her birth I went for a minor surgery and came out looking like a bloated momma. It wasn't pretty.

I can't wait to share with you more pictures of our precious girl. I've started a small project with photos. I'll share updates on that monthly.

In the meantime, here's a preview of one...in case you don't follow me on Instagram.