Birth Stories

Landon Walker

We were living in Florence, KY at the time of Landon's birth - born in Edgewood, KY.  We were away from friends and family, an hour and a half from our home towns.  It's always scary to have your first baby as it is, but being so far from home was quite terrifying.  We were excited, though.  Nervous, but excited.  Having a new little person in our lives was going to change everything.  

It was 5:04 am on October 30th when I felt a sharp pain in my stomach area.  I got up to use the restroom and noticed I had some mild cramping.  I just knew it was time.  Aaron timed my contractions.  The "cramps" were getting a little stronger and closer together.  We were about 5-6 minutes apart at this time.  Having my first baby, I knew there was no need to rush out the door.  I talked to the doctor on call and asked if it would be okay to shower.  He told me it was fine, as long as I felt okay.  After showering and gathering last minute things for the trip to the hospital, we headed off.  At this point, it was about 7:30 am.  We got stuck in rush hour traffic and had about a 15 minute drive to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Edgewood, KY.  Aaron was flipping out thinking he should take the emergency lane to get me there on time.  I told him that I was fine, even though the contractions were getting more and more intense.  I had to be calm for both of us.  

Finally we arrived at the hospital.  I had to check in and fill out my paperwork.  They sent me to their assessment room to be monitored to find out if I was in labor or having false labor.  Well, turns out I was definitely in labor.  They told me to walk for an hour around the maternity ward.  At this point my contractions were getting worse to the point of having to take breaks by leaning against a wall.  I knew he was coming and it wouldn't be too long before arriving.  I went back to the room after my hour was up and they hooked me up again and checked on my progress periodically.  One nurse came in and checked me, and as soon as she walked out, my water broke.  They immediately came back in with a wheel chair and prepped me for a room.  The time was about 9:00 am.  

When I got to the room, I got my labs drawn, my water bag, and shortly after, my epidural.  I was 4 cm.  We waited patiently while making our phone calls.  Family was starting to arrive one by one.  My niece, Amy, wanted to be in the room while I delivered.  She had never experienced a birth and was excited to be there for me.  I tried to rest because I knew that I needed energy for the big moment.  I dozed here and there, but I was too excited to sleep.  I also felt rude sleeping in front of our guests.

The doctor came in and checked me and told me it was time to push.  Aaron was there, Amy was there, and my SIL was there.  I wasn't quite comfortable with other people in the room, but I was just ready to meet my little guy so I just went with it.  I pushed several times and wearing out before I told the doctor I needed help getting him out.  At that moment, the whole room changed.  The tables moved around the room, a sheet went up over my legs, and people were moving all over the place.  At first, I thought what in the world is happening.  Then the forceps came out and they pulled as I pushed.  And there he was.  A fighting mad little person that wasn't too hip on the hitting the cold air.  Boy, did he have a good set of lungs.  He cried and cried while I cried.  I couldn't believe I was officially a mother and he was mine.  Landon was a whopping 8 lbs. 3 oz. of pure gold.  His birth time was 7:13 pm.  I had an episiotomy - eight stitches, but he was so worth it!  We were so happy!

The name Landon came from a baby book and Walker came from Dad's middle name and his paternal great grandfather's first name.

Liam Daire

Liam was born in Jeffersonville, IN at Clark Memorial, where Aaron and I were also born.  I thought that was neat.  Being back home and close to friends and family this time was way more comforting.  It was 5:04 am (yes, same as Landon!) when I woke up from leaking.  At first I thought I peed the bed so I got up and used the restroom.  The leaking wasn't stopping.  I told Aaron that I was in labor and my water was breaking slowly.  Aaron quickly started gathering our things, thinking that this baby was going to come quicker (being the second).  So, we called the doctor told him what was happening and then hopped in the shower.  The doctor had predicted about 6-8 hours of labor and not to rush.  Well, I took her advice and took our time.  The contractions were so much more intense than with Landon.  This one suddenly felt different.  I was in a lot of pain after my shower.  I continued to leak so putting on clean, dry clothes was a bit of a challenge.  

By the time we got to the hospital, I was drenched from my private area down and my contractions were almost unbearable, which made it hard to move.  The time was about 7:30 am.  They wheeled me to the assessment room and had me put on a gown.  I was dying from intense pain at this point.  I continued to leak.  The nurse looked at me and said, "I think it's pretty obvious you're in labor so let's skip hooking you up and get you a room."  I was relieved that they didn't waste any time.  Well, I got my room, but I just had to lay there waiting for my labs to be drawn and my water bag.  They also couldn't find the anesthesiologist.  I was pretty nervous at this point because the pain was too much to handle.  And I have a high tolerance for pain!  The time was about 7:50 am.  They checked me and told me that I was 7 cm and moving very fast.  Still no labs or water bag, and still no drug doc.  I knew it was getting close to pushing him out.  I could feel him dropping into my canal.  The pressure was unreal.  One nurse kept saying, "Don't depend on getting your epidural.", over and over.  I told her, as nicely as I could, to please stop saying that.  It was discouraging and negative and I didn't want to hear it.  I never heard it again.  

Thanks to a nurse named Holly (best nurse ever!), I was able to get everything done.  She even left the room and basically pulled the drug doc into the room so I could get my epidural.  The time was about 8:15-ish am.  The doctor took forever because I was moving from all of the pain.  We were at about 8:30 am at this point.  My doctor came in to check me and told me it was time to push.  I told her that I could still feel everything, but she told me it was time.  So, I pushed a couple of times and there he was!  My epidural didn't kick in until after I gave birth (ouch! ouch! ouch!), but seeing Liam for the first time was enough to distract me from the stinging and burning that was going on down under.  I had an episiotomy with Liam, too.  Only one stitch, though.  So much better on the recovery time!  Liam's birth time was 8:38 am and was a tiny bundle of 6 lbs. 4.5 oz.  He was so much easier to push out!

We were having such a difficult time naming him, he almost left the hospital with no name!  Liam was mentioned several times over the course of my pregnancy and then a time or two in the hospital.  Aaron loved it instantly, so I knew it was a good pick (he's difficult when it comes to names).  Daire was already picked out, we were just trying to pair it with something that had a good ring to it.  Daire comes from my maternal great grandmother - Virginia Daire Adams.  She basically named me Andie, so I gave back and used her name.  Daire is actually pronounced Dáire in Irish (like Sahara), but we kept it simple and pronounced it like Claire.