MERCY JANE'S BIRTH STORY

Our precious third daughter, Mercy Jane, turned six months old this week! I simply cannot believe it! We are halfway to one so I figured it was about time I got her birth story out there. You know, before my mom brain turns to mush and I forget it completely (although it would be a difficult one to forget!)!

I have said before, but I love a good birth story. Maybe it is the mom in me, or that in another (smarter) life I would have been an obstetrician; but whatever it is, I love them! Reading them, experiencing them, and therefore, sharing them! And as difficult as this birth was, it was my DREAM birth and I can’t wait to relive it with you. :)

(If you’re super into it like me, you can read her big sisters’ stories here! Anniston & Elliott)

The Back Story

A quick history lesson… My due date with Mercy Jane was March 22, 2022. With Anniston I had to be induced at 39 weeks due to elevated blood pressure. With Elliott I chose to be induced at 40 weeks, the weekend of her due date, so that we would guarantee being home for Christmas. With Mercy Jane, I had nothing standing in my way and I was DETERMINED to wait as long as possible to go into labor on my own. Something my dear husband and I didn’t see eye to eye on. ;) I could have chosen to induce at 39 weeks, but being that this could be my final baby, it was my hope and prayer to experience going into labor naturally.

The month leading up to my due date I didn’t have much going on. Barely a centimeter dilated, barely effaced, and not even a single Braxton Hicks contraction. BUT when I went to the doctor at 39 weeks 2 days, things finally started looking promising! I was 3 centimeters dilated and 60% effaced. This was a Wednesday and my doctor told me she wouldn’t be surprised if something happened over the weekend!

Wellllllll let’s just say, Sunday night rolls around and both my husband and I are a little anxious/disappointed that not a thing seems to be happening. The baby waiting mind game is no joke! But still, I was stubborn enough to want to wait things out. :)

I went to the doctor Monday morning at 39 weeks 7 days and was even more effaced and about 3.5 centimeters dilated. My doctor told me she really thought it would happen in the next 24 hours, but at this point I believed this baby was going to live in me forever haha. I left my appointment and went about my day like nothing was going on. I went to an hour long bootcamp class at the gym and then went for a 3 mile walk… hilarious to think about now with what was to come. :)

Around 8:30 that night, still NOTHING. My husband recommended we go to bed early “just in case” things got started… and even though I still had no expectations of anything happening, I am very glad I listened.

The Timeline

10:30 PM, March 21st

At 10:30 pm I woke up abruptly and for a moment thought I wet my pants haha. After laying there for a moment I had my first natural contraction EVER and I realized as I had the contraction that more liquid seemed to come out (sorry if that’s TMI, but it is what it is) and I realized my water was breaking!

It was nothing like the movies or like how it felt when my doctor broke my water in the hospital with my previous two labors. Both of those felt like a huge gush at once, and this time it was just a very gradual leak with each contraction.

I got out of bed (changed haha) and went to the living room so I wouldn’t disturb Miles. If this was happening, I wanted him to get as much rest as possible if we would be heading to the hospital soon… little did I know this would be an all night thing.

From 10:30 pm to 8:30 am (yes, 10 hours), I had contractions 10 minutes apart on the dot. They didn’t really hurt, but they were uncomfortable enough that even as I would start to try and drift off to sleep on the couch I would wake up at the 10 minute mark as I had another contraction. All night long I just watched chick flicks, read, and prayed, waiting for them to get more intense.

5:30 am, March 22nd

Miles got up around 5:30 am and had no idea any of this had gone on all night. He was excited once he realized this was happening, but at this point I was in a bad mood because I was once again convinced she was never coming out. I called my mom in Atlanta at that time to tell her to head our way “just in case” and she too was excited, but I truly thought we would only end up going to the hospital to see if they could help things progress.

My mom got there around 8 am and soon after Miles asked if it was safe for him to leave and take Anniston to school. I’m pretty sure my response was something along the lines of “nothing is ever going to happen so go on” haha. As Miles left, my mom told me she would stay home with Elliott and recommended me go for a short walk just down our street to get some fresh air (and hopefully a better attitude).

8:30 am

I ended up walking a very slow mile and as I did my contractions started to pick up from 10 minutes… to 7 minutes… to the time I got back to my house at 9:10 am, they were 5 minutes apart. At the same time, Miles was pulling back in the driveway from dropping Anniston off. I remember saying “that one actually kind of hurt a little bit!” and thought if that happened for the next hour we would maybe get ready for the hospital…

9:15 am

Right after getting back to the house, things picked up drastically. I went from “that kind of hurt” as I walked back in, to every two minutes needing to squat down in a new level of pain. My mom quickly told us we needed to get in the car and go, but I was still in a little bit of denial and didn’t want to show up to the hospital and be turned away. Miles and my mom decided to ignore me (so glad they did) and started getting everything read to go. Miles was throwing things in the car and my mom was trying to pull me out the door as I tried to put on a little bit of makeup hahaha.

9:35 am

Miles finally got me in the car and sped down the highway at a number we don’t need to share to the public. ;) I called my doctor and left a message, but once again, even with the level of pain I was in and the fact that my contractions were on top of each other, I was convinced I was just being a wimp and had a ways to go.

9:50 am

Hilarious moment… I refused to let Miles drop me at the front door of the hospital because I was scared we were going to get separated. There was no parking to be found so when we finally got a spot we probably had to walk almost a half mile, that took about 5 minutes longer than it should have because I was stopping every minute, squatting for a minute to breathe through a contraction, before walking only one minute and starting all over again.

10:05 am

After what felt like an eternity actually getting to the hospital doors and checking in, we finally got up to triage for the nurse to check and see if I was really “in labor” HA. With one quick check they said I was at 9.5 centimeters and her head was coming! They quickly got me in a gown and in the bed and started running me down the hall. Through the contractions and the chaos I was able to pick up on what the nurses were discussing. My doctor was actually the one in the hospital that day, but she was finishing up a surgery. They called my OB office across the street to have a doctor run over because they said this baby was coming NOW.

10:10 am

They got me into the delivery room and over onto the delivery bed and at this point I was writhing in pain. They were getting me hooked up to everything and I could hardly hold still long enough for them to do anything. As they called to check on the ETA of the backup OB, my doctor came running in! She ran over as soon as she finished her surgery and I’m not sure if I’ve ever been more excited to see anyone in my life!

The minute she got there I started pushing and OH. MY. GOODNESS. I had epidurals with my first two and even though they didn’t work great, they definitely did something because I have never experienced a pain like this. There was no time for drugs this time around and at one point I thought pushing that head out might just kill me. I never thought I would be one of those “crazy, screaming ladies” in labor, but here I was, one of them, screaming and clinging to Miles like my life depended on it. (Miles said I actually had him in a headlock as I pushed, but I have no recollection of this haha.) It felt like I was there forever so it was crazy to think that this all happened in fifteen minutes…

10:24 am

It took a few pushes to get her head out, but after one push that I thought might do me in, her head finally came out and with one final push the rest of her body came sliding out! Our girl was HERE!

Mercy Jane Fidell. March 22, 2022. 10:24 am. 6 lb 8oz. 20 inches.

Our third baby girl was finally here! And after all the waiting and anticipating, she came on her own, on her due date, right on time! Thank you, Jesus! His plans are always better than anything I could think up on my own and He has blessed up with the most amazing gift! She was (and still is) perfect in every single way!

Shortly after her birth I said I would never do that again haha; however, now that I am six months removed, I am convinced that is the only way to do it. ;)

Happy half birthday, Mercy Jane!

It was a dream of mine to go into labor naturally and to have an unmedicated birth. I had two great inductions before, but still I just wanted to know what it was like to experience labor on my own. It’s not for everyone, but I am so grateful for not only the gift of this perfect girl, but the chance to experience something I had prayed about for so long!

Thanks for going on the journey with me! I am so grateful to the Lord above and the community around me that has helped us make it through the last six months! This girl is a DREAM, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t chaos when you have a family of five. ;) But I wouldn’t have it any other way! So grateful for this family of mine!