Histoire de la Naissance

In honor of Victoria's 2nd birthday on August 7th, I wanted to post her birth story. Seeing as I'm about to make another birth story with her little sister--and not knowing if that would interfere with my desire to post Tori's story--I figured I'd better post it now just in case. So here it is!

Victoria Lynn Murdock’s Birth Story

Transcribed by Sarah Jane Murdock on July 27^th, 2011

I started having contractions several days beforehand, though I didn’t realize it at the time. I thought they were just Braxton Hicks contractions, just getting more uncomfortable.

A couple days before, we went out to eat with Russell’s parents, David and Barbara, at Mother’s Café in honor of their wedding anniversary. At that point, contractions were every half hour to forty-five minutes. I remember sitting in the restaurant grimacing slightly while eating. David and Barbara later said they noticed something was up, and weren’t surprised I had Victoria so soon afterwards.

As the contractions got more intense, I asked Russell for a Priesthood blessing. It gave me great comfort and piece that I would be able to get through the labor.

That night was somewhat uncomfortable, but bearable. Though I realized at this point that these were probably more than just Braxton Hicks contractions, I decided to go to work anyway. Why miss a day of work for a false alarm? While there, the contractions slowly got closer and closer together. I took out a piece of paper and pencil to track them, watching them go from twenty minutes, to fifteen, to twelve, and so on. I was chatting with Russell online, keeping him informed. He finally suggested that perhaps I should call the midwives at the birthing center to make sure.

I took his advice and called. When I told the midwife what was going on—having a contraction over the phone to boot—she told me that I was, in fact, in labor. Talk about a wake-up call! She said I was still in the early stages, but that once I hit about five minutes apart, to call back because I would need to come into the birthing center at that point.

I had a choice to make: go home now, or wait out the day? Since I was only at about 10-12 minutes at that point, I decided to finish out the day. I informed Hollis and Michael, my bosses at the UTCLE, of the situation. Hollis asked if I was sure I wanted to stay and I said yes, while contracting! Looking back on this, I had to laugh at my naiveté; it probably would have been better for me to have left. I even remember having a meeting in Michael’s office and having to grip the table with my head down at points. Suffice to say, it was hard to pay attention in that meeting!

It came time to pick up Russell from the AG’s office, where he was doing a summer internship. Rather than get someone else to pick him up, I figured I could drive there myself, as it was only fifteen or so blocks away. Boy was that an intense ten minutes of driving in traffic! Word of advice: driving while having contractions is NOT advisable. Russell immediately took over driving duties once I got there.

We spent the next several hours at the house timing contractions. I would lie on my side on the bed and yell out “okay!” every time one started, and Russell would mark it down. At about 11 o’clock, they finally got into the 4-6 minute range, and we were ready to go to the birthing center!

Roswitha, the midwife, met us there with a smile and brought us into the room, then put on some relaxing, meditative music, which helped. I continued to breathe through my contractions and go to my “happy place”—as we learned in the Bradley classes. Roswitha would continue to check me to see that I was dilating steadily. At one point we got into the tub, where the contractions continued to get stronger.

Once in there, I suddenly felt a “pop” followed by a “GUSSSSH.” I remember thinking how intense a sensation that was—my water breaking. Shortly after that point, it was time to push. There were two other women birthing babies at the center that night—perhaps it was the moon, or something in the air—so Roswitha would leave us for periods of time to check on the other ladies. I continued to push in the tub, but wasn’t making much progress.

I found that I did not like pushing at all, in fact. I don’t know why. I just didn’t. An hour passed, maybe longer. Finally Rosewita made an executive decision and told me we needed to move me out of the tub. I kept shaking my head, even though I knew deep down that was the right thing. Between her and Russell, however, we managed to get me out of there and onto the bed with my feet on a birthing stool. An assistant came in to help Rosewitta during this critical time. At that point it only took a few minutes more, and Victoria was out!

Though I don’t exactly remember the pain (it’s true what they say about amnesia), I remember feeling exhausted and, well, pathetic, for lack of a better word. Then once she was out and on my chest, I remember the feeling of complete awe that a whole entire person just came out of me! The ecstasy soon turned into concern, however, when Victoria’s cry wasn’t as strong as we thought it should be. The midwives hopped quickly into action, checking her lungs to discover that there was still fluid in them. Russell and I looked at each other, then at our new baby, as the midwives went to work clearing the fluid from her lungs. Once they felt satisfied they got most of it out, they gave her back to me and continued to monitor her closely. We put an oxygen mask near her to be on the safe side, and stayed an extra few hours. Luckily she pulled through like a trooper, and we got the all-clear to go home.

I’m so blessed to be Victoria’s momma. I can’t begin so say what a blessing she has been in my life. She is so loving and kind; she even takes care of me as much as I take care of her! I am so glad she joined our family.