Nora Caroline Babbitt was born Wednesday December 7, 2005 at 1:25 PM at Patience Corner Nurse-Midwifery Center in Gainesville, FL.

Her birth was really special and magical for Greg and me. On Tuesday Dec 6, we had our 40+ week appointment (our due date was Dec 2) and found out that I was 2 cm dilated and 80% effaced. The midwife thought that I would probably go into labor sometime before the weekend, which was exciting for us. I just didn't know it would happen so soon!! Greg and I watched a movie (The Interpreter) on Tuesday evening and went to bed kind of late (a bad idea in hindsight...). I woke up around 12:30 AM, after about 30 minutes of sleep, with cramps and contractions that made it difficult to sleep. I wasn't sure if it was really labor though, because I had been having pre-labor cramps and contractions for about 6 days. I tried to read, watch TV, nap, and take a hot bath so I could relax more. Around 4:30 AM, I decided that this really was labor because the contractions had begun to intensify in frequency and duration and take more of my attention... so it was time for Greg to wake up and help out. We hung out for the next few hours as I tried to breathe through the contractions and relax as much as possible. At about 6:30 AM we went ahead and called the midives because the contractions were coming 4-5 minutes apart and lasting about a minute and had been that way for about an hour. The midwife on duty suggested I stay in a hot bath, eat, drink, and stay home a little longer. I laid down for a while and Greg later told me that even though the contractions were coming 2-3 minutes apart, I was falling asleep and snoring in between them! Greg was so wonderful, he would massage my back and bring me things to eat and drink. At 8:00 AM we called the midwives again and agreed to meet Marie, the midwife then on duty, at 8:45 at the birth center. We also called my mom in Perry, because I really wanted to have her around for her support.

When we arrived at the birth center, I was pretty much a zombie, but she checked me out and said I was 4 cm dilated and almost completely effaced, so I was glad to have made some progress, but I was so tired that I didn't know if I'd be able to continue to handle the contractions or relax enough to labor naturally. Transferring to the hospital was my greatest fear! Greg helped me decide (my brain was mush) to try a small shot of a narcotic to help me sleep for a couple hours to increase my chance of being able handle the rest of labor. I guess that by taking medication, the birth was not completely natural, but it was a worthwhile tradeoff to me to not have to have intervention later in the process. I laid down at 9:30 AM in the beautiful birthing room and indeed was able to relax enough to sleep through and between the contractions. It felt like heaven! The medicine began to wear off after awhile, and I couldn't sleep any longer by 11 AM, but that hour and a half was just what I needed. My mom also arrived sometime around that point and came in to visit. Although she didn't stay in the room during labor and delivery, something about just having her at the birthing center made me feel a lot better. At 11:30 AM I got into the shower and stood in the hot water for about 30 minutes. Then I stayed in the tub a little while and labored on my hands and knees. I am so grateful for the prenatal yoga classes I took for the second half of the pregnancy, because I was using the poses and breathing techniques to integrate each contraction. At this point, the contractions were very intense, but I was energized to relax and concentrate on each one bringing the baby closer to being born. I took another hot shower and then kept laboring in the tub. Let me just say again how wonderful Greg was. He kept telling me that I was doing a good job, bringing me popsicles and juice, pressing into the small of my back with each contraction, and just being a wonderful support. I tried to keep a very positive energy between us and be really sweet and polite whenever I asked him for anything. The midwives kept telling him that it was going to get a lot worse and I was going to be yelling at him, but I didn't want to do that, because I thought that by having a positive atmosphere, I would be able to relax and labor better. I switched to a squatting position and labored like that for a while, which was intense but it felt like it was helping.

Around 12:30 PM, The midwives estimated that I would probably have the baby around 4:30 PM, based on when I went into labor (4:30 AM), the intensity of the contractions I was having, and because I was still being nice to Greg. However, I kept having a sensation that I wanted to push with each contraction, but I was scared to do so if I wasn't completely dilated, because I didn't want my cervix to swell and inhibit labor. So, the midwife checked me again at this point and said I was completely dilated!! How exciting... So then she said I would have the baby within the next hour, and everyone started getting things ready and time started flying by. I wanted to keep laboring in the tub, but there wasn't room for the midwife to deliver the baby, so I moved back to the bedroom and sat on a birthing stool. The midwife called the birthing assistant, Daniella, to come help out, and then she got everything ready for delivery. When she was ready, I really started to push, and this part felt really good and productive, except for the burning sensation as my perineum stretched. The birthing assistant arrived just as I began to push the baby's head out, at which point my water also broke. I was so focused, I didn't even realize the head was out, until Greg told me to look down and see. Wow! She had a head full of long black hair (like her Dad's). The midwife kept trying to get me to slow down, but it was hard to stop the momentum, and the rest of the body was born soon. I think I went too fast, because I did have a second-degree tear, but I didn't feel anything at that point. The midwife put her right to my chest and suctioned her nose out. It was so wonderful. Greg was shaking and in tears. Five minutes later, I pushed again and the placenta came out really fast. Then they clamped and cut the cord - they asked Greg if he wanted to cut the cord, but he was shaking so bad, he couldn't do it!!

We moved to the bed and they cleaned the baby while she stayed on my chest (the whole time we were at the birthing center, Nora never left the room, which was so nice!). We still hadn't seen if she was a girl or boy, so we had my mom come into the room, and we all looked together - a little girl!! We hadn't completely decided on a name at this point, but Greg said she really looked like a Nora, so that was the name. About 30 minutes after birth, we tried to breastfeed, and Nora latched right on and started sucking. Apparently she loves to suck - she was born with a blister on her arm that the pediatrician said was from sucking in utero!! We hung out there for a while, and a little while later we got into the tub together. Then they weighed and measured her - 8 lb, 5 oz (what a chunky monkey!) and 20.5 inches long, and we hung out a while longer. Both of her Apgars were 9 and 9 - a happy, healthy baby!! We all ate a little bit and tried to get me rehydrated, and the midwife stiched up my tear. My Mom and Greg started calling everyone we could think of to tell them the good news. We began to prepare to leave the birth center around 6:00 that evening, but I was still kind of dehydrated, and when I stood up to go to the bathroom, I totally fainted for a second, so thankfully Daniella was trying to talk to me at the time, and was able to catch me before I hit the ground! We stayed a little longer and I drank a bunch more fluids and finally started feeling better. We left a little while later and went home - it was so nice to be able to spend that first night in our own home rather than in a hospital! Greg got us a gourmet dinner from Wendy's since I was totally craving a burger and Frosty. I just want to say how much I appreciated and benefited from the prenatal care and labor and delivery support I received at Patience Corner. Anyone having a baby in the Gainesville area should consider this option for a natural birth.

The last week has definitely been a transition, in learning how to breastfeed and getting adjusted to nighttime feeding and soothing. Nora loves to eat, and had gained back to her birth weight in just one week! She also loves to be carried and walked around with, which my mom said is my fault, since I walked so much while I was pregnant! We've had two pediatrician visits with Dr. Parker at Eastside Community Practice, and Nora has been perfect each time. We love having Nora in our lives and are so grateful to be blessed with such a wonderful Christmas gift! We are glad to be able to share the story of her birth with all of our friends and family.
Love, Callie and Greg.