Maternity Shoot

Even though it's been 4 months (haha now it's been 7 months), I still want to document my pictures.  Having the privilege to grow a human body is so amazing and I wanted to make sure that it was captured.  We took the weekly pictures but I also wanted to do a real shoot, so the Thursday before Heidi was born we took these pictures.

Heidi's Birth Day

I didn't want to post Heidi's story until after Christmas because I had made Heidi a book and also made a copy for her grandparents as a way to feel connected to her birth.  Now that Christmas is over and Heidi is almost 7 months I can share :)


Heidi each of us have our own special story so I wanted to write yours down so that you will always know how your special day went.

It all started on June 20th.  Dad and I had gone in for a doctors appointment and knew that if my belly was measuring too far behind again, we would have to schedule an ultrasound to make sure that you were ok.  Sure enough, my belly for this weekly appointment measured at 33 weeks when we were at 36 weeks.  We left the office with an ultrasound scheduled for the following Wednesday (6/25) and started talking about the possibility of you coming early.  Wednesday came around and they measured you at the ultrasound saying that you were 5 lbs 1oz.  Dad and I were excited to see you again but also anxious to know what was going on.  After the ultrasound, we headed to our doctors appointment.  The midwife we had the appointment with wasn't my favorite but after this appointment I ended up really liking her.  She came into the room and let us know that after reviewing the information from the ultrasound, they were concerned about the combination of your weight and the levels of the flow in the umbilical cord.  This combination made them concerned that something was restricting your growth and they thought it would be best to have you come early. They wanted to take you sometime during the next week because that would be in the 37th week and they thought it was long enough.  It was crazy to us to think that, at times, it can be better for a baby to be outside of mommy's tummy rather than inside.  During all of this, both dad and I were completely calm. We were comforted in knowing that medical technology was advanced enough that having you come early didn't mean you wouldn't be safe. The midwife also told us that, because you were breech, they would have to schedule a c-section.  Both dad and I weren't very excited about this news and we asked the midwife about delivering you breech rather than having a c-section.  Kathy, our midwife, let us know that there are very few doctors in the states that will do that and unfortunately there was nobody in our area of Michigan that could.  Even though having a c-section wasn't an ideal delivery for us, we still wanted what was best for you which made it all ok.  Since we were taking all of this information so easily and not stressing out, it made our midwife make the comment that she couldn't believe how calm we were and that she had been afraid to come into the room to give us this news.  Needless to say she was shocked and impressed that we were being so calm.  I guess the fact that we mentally prepared for you to come early and that we wanted what was best for you made it easy for us to accept the "bad" news.

Since they were concerned about you and wanted you to come the next week, we were told about several different tests that they wanted to do before you came.  They started that day and sent us to a different room to have a non-stress test done and to talk with the OB.  The test took 20 minutes and you looked great.  During the test, the doctor talked to us more about what was going on and about the c-section.  The doctor told us that all of the c-section time slots were full so they were trying to find a time for us.  After a few minutes, the doctor's assistant came in and told us that the only time that was available was the coming Saturday, the 28th at 8:30 am. Seeing that this was our best shot, we were scheduled to have you in 3 days.  When we found this out I looked at dad and laughed.  I couldn't believe that you would be coming so soon and that it was perfect timing for dad's work schedule.  You see, dad had to take the week of the 4th of July off and having you come on the 28th gave you and I nine days with dad before he went back to work :) I also need to note that the doctor also mentioned that she couldn't believe how calm we were being and that the midwife had told her about us being awesome and calm.

We left from that appointment knowing that we would have our sweet baby in just 3 days.  Since you were coming early and you only measured 5 lbs, dad and I bought some premie clothes and diapers.  We were so excited and couldn't wait to see if you were a girl or boy.

On thursday we found out that Gram Birks, your great grandma, aka Gigi, had passed away.  Knowing that she was giving you lots of love before your big arrival made us so happy and brought us comfort.  I hope that her and Great Grandpa Leake gave you a lot of advice on how to stay strong while in the middle of this crazy world.  I'm sure they gave you a lot of hugs and kisses too.  Probably enough to last you a life time :)

Friday we had an ultrasound to do an apgar test to make sure that you were still doing alright.  You looked good so we were sent on our way to spend our last day with having you in my belly.  I had to have my blood drawn and get my hospital ID band so that when we arrived at the hospital in the morning we would be all good to go. 

After all of that, we went on our last date as a family of two.  On our honeymoon we had seen How to Train a Dragon, so we thought it fitting to see How to Train a Dragon 2 on our last day of just the two of us.

Now for your BIG DAY.  Before heading to the hospital we stopped at the beach to take our last belly shot.  It was early since we had to be to the hospital by 6:30 am, but we didn't care because the sunrise was beautiful and we were full of anticipation.  Once at the hospital we were put in a room to get all of the prep work done.  Once dad and I were on our own I had dad give me a blessing.  I'm so grateful that he holds the priesthood and can give blessings.  Then for the next 2 1/2 hours we had a lot of people coming to talk to us about what was going to be happening.  We met the Dr for the first time, a lot of the nurses, and the anesthesiologist.  They had dad dress in what we called his oompaloompa outfit.  It was then time to head to the OR room.  

They made dad wait in a room and let us have a last kiss before we had to separate.  While dad waited we went on to the OR room.  As I walked in I noticed how bright & cold it was along with how many people were in the room waiting for us.  They had me sit on the operating bed and got me ready for the spinal block.  When they had me bend over the one nurse laughed and said "were not used to a limber mom", I guess I could bend over easily unlike other moms.  Before giving me the spinal block, they gave me a numbing shot.  That thing hurt and stung so bad that I flinched.  One of the nurses didn't like that and told me I needed to try really hard to stay still.  I replied with I can’t, it hurts, haha.  Once they had me numbed they gave me the spinal block.  I instantly felt my left foot go warm and start to go numb.  The next part was a whirlwind, they immediately laid me down, put up the blue curtain in front of my face, gave me oxygen, put a heart rate monitor on my finger and made me have my arms straight out as they started getting ready. 

As soon as they laid me down I started to feel really overwhelmed.  I had been nervous to get the spinal block and was nervous about the c-section.  As soon as they laid me down all of my emotions became really heavy.  I was wishing that dad was with me so that he could give me the comfort that I needed.  I was trying to hold back tears but was doing a bad job at it.  I also felt like I was having a hard time breathing because something heavy was on my throat.  It was just the blanket and once they moved it, it felt better.  The anesthesiologist came over and said something to me.  I thought she had noticed that I was feeling overwhelmed and was saying something to comfort me.  I soon realized that she wasn't trying to comfort me, she was saying something about not having my arms strapped down.  I realized this when she told the doctor that I had agreed not to hit her.  We all chuckled and the doctor joked about me not pinching her either.  The doctor then tested that I couldn't feel anything by pinching my tummy.  Since I couldn't feel a thing, that's when dad was able to come into the room.  He walked in and saw me lying there with tears in my eyes and asked if I was ok.  I had a hard time telling him why I was wanting to cry but that I was better having him with me.  

The next thing we knew was that Dad was being told to stand up so he could see you being delivered and announce what you were.  It felt like only a couple of minutes had passed by since Dad had sat down.  Dad watched over the curtain and the anesthesiologist held a mirror over the curtain for me to watch.  The mirror was at a funny angle so I couldn’t really see anything.  I didn’t say anything because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to see my belly open, however, I did make sure that I could see you.  You came into this world with your arms and legs straight out at 9:10 am.  Daddy announced that you were a girl and then you started to cry.  As soon as I heard your cry, it hit me that this was all real and I was so happy to have you here. That realization made me cry tears of joy.  I couldn’t believe that you were out of my tummy and that you were ours.  Dad and I were so smitten by you the moment you entered into our bright world.  

After you were born they took you over to a table to make sure that you were healthy.  They weighed you, measured your length and head, and took your foot prints.  Dad was right by your side the whole time except for when he would come over to give me kisses.  Watching Dad be with you at every step and seeing his eyes glistening with tears made me melt knowing that he was so in love with you.  Once they were done they bundled you up and gave you to Dad to hold.  You two hung out by me so that we could both soak you in.  You had us mesmerized.  

It was then time to go into a recovery room.  The nurses transferred me to a different bed which was so weird because I couldn’t feel a thing yet I was watching them bend my legs and move me around.  While in recovery you and I learned how to nurse.  You were such a champ and knew exactly what to do.  We were in the recovery room for a long time so that they could make sure everything was good with you and I, and because our room wasn’t ready.  While we were in recovery you got a little cold so they had you lay under the heat lamps.  Your temperature rose quickly and you didn’t have to stay under the lamps for long. 

We knew that our families were at home going crazy because they hadn’t heard if you were a girl or boy.  Dad and I were trying to let them know about you but our recovery room didn’t have any service so they had to wait 2 hours until we could get into our real room.  

Once we made it to our room we met a whole slew of new nurses and they immediately started taking care of all of us.  This is when you got your first bath.  Dad got to watch and from what I could hear, you didn’t seem to enjoy any of it until they washed your hair.  After that, It was time to soak you in, our beautiful little girl.

During our stay at the hospital mom and Dad took turns holding you and helping you sleep.  When you cried, you weren’t very loud unlike the baby in the room next to us.  We took a bunch of pictures of you and just soaked you in for the 3 days we were there.  On top of all of that, we showed you off on Skype to many people and Ryan, Jess and Noah came to visit at the hospital.  You were one loved baby.  

On July 1st it was time for us to go home.  Dad and I attempted putting you in a cute little outfit to go home but quickly gave up because you were so fragile and we were afraid of dressing you.  We then strapped you into your carseat, which you weren’t to fond of, but you liked driving and quickly calmed down.  Dad and I were nervous about going home but we were also excited because we had you.  After we got home Dad went and picked up Kody.  He must have known you were home because he wasn’t his crazy self when he came in the house.  He was happy to meet you and wanted to give you lots of kisses.  

Ever since you came into our lives, you have been our whole world.  We are completely smitten by you and are so glad that we get to be your Mom and Dad.  We love you Heidi Rae!