The Birth Story of Sorraya Adira

The Birth Story of Sorraya Adira Brucks

Wednesday, January 22, 2014, started out looking like it was going to be an eventful day for us as Ally started having contractions at around 5:00 am that morning. As it turns out we had no idea just how eventful it was going to be! Just to give an idea of how quickly the day moved - at around 10:30 am I (Chris) ordered some things from Amazon while Ally (sort of) watched Downton Abbey as she continued to labor. Due to my exertion in placing such a large Amazon order and wanting to be prepared for the long day of waiting ahead, I got up to make a quick sandwich at about 11:15. Not even 45 minutes later Ally was holding a sweet little baby girl on the kitchen floor right next to the sandwich prep area.

Back to the beginning, when Ally started feeling the first contractions that morning. Her contractions continued steady and predictable at about 10-12 minutes apart until right around the time that Amazon order was completed. Throughout the morning Ally had kept in contact with nurses at the hospital, giving them updates on her progress. Based on the timing and duration of contractions the nurses did not think Ally needed to come in yet. They told us to wait until contractions were steady at 5-7 minutes apart. So, as the long wait continued Ally tried to find a comfortable position by straddling one of our dining room chairs. Ryken, close to two years old at the time, promptly copied mommy on another chair so that he could be close and join in on the game.

Ally’s contractions never reached any consistency at 5-7 minutes apart. They were sporadic at 10 minutes, 5 minutes, 8 minutes, 4 minutes, etc. It was during this time that I got up to get something to eat and it was also at this time that I first got a little sense that events were moving faster than anticipated. I asked Ally if she thought there was time to eat or if we should go, her words said yes but there wasn’t a lot of confidence behind them. We decided we should let Carol know that the time was coming for her to watch Ryken while we went to the hospital, so Ally sent a text at precisely 11:22 letting her know we would be asking for her help in just a bit. At this point I definitely thought the delivery was coming faster than expected, as did Ally, but I still didn’t grasp just how quickly it was moving…because if I did I wouldn’t have eaten that sandwich next.

The contractions starting coming much faster now and Ally texted Carol that the time had come, she left a minute later at 11:48. That very minute was also the time of the last recorded contraction. It was right after that when Ally first felt the urge to push - her body telling her the time had come. She let out a groan which was a clear signal for me to get moving and I quickly started gathering everything to leave. Another minute or two and Ally had that urge again, this time her water broke. I opened the garage, started the car (it was a freezing January day), and buckled Ryken in so that I could go back for Ally. I ran up the stairs to get Ally, looked at her, and said “we’re not going to the hospital are we” or something like that. There was clearly no time, this was happening. Ally said “She’s coming!” as she could feel and see the babies head between her legs. Meanwhile, in my head, I recognize the facts of the reality in front of me and know what’s happening…but I’m still really struggling to process the speed at which it’s all happening.

I run back to the garage, get Ryken, shut the car off, close the garage, run back up the stairs, set Ryken down, and call 911 - I believe that took 2.7 seconds or so…and I’m still struggling to process this all. I’m not sure what Ally was thinking, she was definitely concerned, but overall looking very calm considering the quickly changing situation. I’m talking to the dispatcher now, she makes me give my phone number and our address, repeats them both back incorrectly, which I express my displeasure with and demand very politely that they get help on the way.

The dispatcher has a brilliant idea, Ally needs to lay down as standing won’t work very well - I wish I had thought of that. By this time we really can’t get Ally moved so I help her lay down where she is standing, in a comfy little spot on the hard floor between the refrigerator and kitchen island. Within seconds, I was holding the head of our little girl in my hands. The delivery itself was perfectly uneventful just as God designed it to be. Sorraya’s head came out with very minimal pushing and she also knew her next move, naturally turning to her side so the rest of her little body could come out. Beautiful beyond description…and a very happy moment! With a second gentle push I was holding our baby girl. As all this was happening little Ryken was standing there witnessing the birth of his little sister, and understandably was not enjoying the moment very much. He saw what was happening as mommy being hurt and was very concerned for her, but he did a very good job all things considered.

I handed Sorraya to Ally so that I could go get some towels and blankets. Ally remember’s saying, “Stay with us baby girl”, as she worried for the safety of our new little one with everything happening so fast and so very unplanned. Thankfully, our Creator and Sustainer of life had other plans. I brought the towels and blankets back and wrapped Sorraya up and tried to get some blankets on Ally as well, giving Sorraya back to her during the process. I then ran down to the front door to get it unlocked so no one felt the need to break it in to get to us.

The dispatcher was still on the phone told me I needed to tie of the umbilical cord. Ryken was still crying and I really couldn’t hear the phone, which was on speaker to free hands up. I told the dispatcher to hold on and I took Ryken upstairs, hugged and kissed him, told him everything was going to be okay and that someone would come for him soon, then put him in his crib to get him out of the action. He listened well and trusted what I told him, laid down, stopped crying and waited for someone to come. Back to the umbilical cord now, my mission was to find a string to use - what I found instead was iPhone ear buds which did the trick nicely and with a little extra style of course. 

Right at that moment the door bell rang. Carol is here to watch Ryken so that we can go to the hospital and Ally can deliver this baby. Well, Carol mentions there is a fire truck pulling up outside so I let her know what happened and ask if she can go be with Ryken. The first responders arrive at the same time and come in to check on how everyone is, and everyone appears to be pretty good thankfully. Ally is starting to get colder so they help get her wrapped up with more blankets. The paramedics arrive but are struggling to figure out how to get the stretcher up the stairs of our split level home, so they ask Ally to walk down the stairs to the stretcher. Ally never really considered this series of events before; deliver a baby, go to the nearest stairs, walk down with a newborn baby in her arms, blankets wrapped around her, and a towel between her legs.

Once Ally and the baby were on the stretcher, Ally dutifully put on an Arsenal beanie and the paramedics wrapped her and Sorraya in a heavy bag to protect them from the -20’s outside. The stretcher was put into the ambulance and we were ready to go to the hospital. I checked on Ryken before leaving, he was playing with a little bear one of the responders had given him. On the way to the hospital, Ally thought she was delivering the afterbirth a number of times, but each time it was a false alarm. In between the false alarms, Ally was enjoying watching how alert our little Raya was and cherishing having that little hand wrapped around one of her fingers. I was just a couple minutes behind the ambulance and used the drive time to call our mothers and let them in on the excitement.

Ally and Sorraya arrived at the hospital and were waiting for an elevator when Ally saw me walking around looking for them so she had the nurses come and catch me so we could go up together. Our room this time around was the big suite room in the corner of the hospital, room number 609. Ally got settled into her bed and they took Raya to get her cleaned up and do all those fun tests. During this time the afterbirth was delivered with no issues. 

Sorraya weighed in at 5 lbs 14 oz and 19 inches long. She had low temps and low blood sugar so she was taken to the NICU. Ally also was group strep B positive this time around and was not given the precautionary antibiotic IV during delivery (for obvious reasons) so the doctors wanted to make sure Raya did not have any infection issues.

We waited and rested until the doctor came back to let us know what was going on and then we went to see her! Each time we went into the NICU, we had to ring the doorbell and wait to be let in. We had to go straight to the sink and wash our hands to our elbows for 3 solid minutes, using a timer and everything. Once the cleaning process was complete, we could put on our gowns. We walked over and saw our little sweet pea wrapped up and with cords all around her. What a sight. Iv’s in her head, and one on her foot and two sticky things on her chest. They handed her to Ally first and a member of the NICU support team came over and took our very first picture with our newest blessing! Then Ally tried to nurse her for the first time. It was good to be with her and have a chance to hold her after having her taken to the NICU so soon after we got there! We spent time with her when we could, and Ally would come and feed her when they called if we weren’t in there. She was in the NICU for a total of 3 days.

We didn’t have a name picked out before she was born. We had a list and we thought we would choose the right one once she was born and we saw her beautiful face! After her delivery, I thought it would be neat to pick a name that represented how she came into this world. We had both liked Sorraya, which means Princess, but we didn’t really have a middle name to go with it. After doing some looking around during that first day I found the name Adira, which means noble in one language of origin and restless or impatient in another language. Considering the great hurry she was in to get out of the womb and into the world it seemed like a perfect fit. So, Sorraya Adira Brucks it is - our little princess who is always in a bit of a hurry.

Thursday night, Ally and I ate our celebration dinner that is given to the new parents by the hospital. Filet minion and surf and turf, with sparkling apple juice and cheese cake for dessert. Later that night, Chris went and got Ryken to come see mommy and meet baby sister Sorraya for the first time. Ally was already in with Sorraya finishing up a feeding, so she heard Ryken and I when we came in. Ryken had to get washed up as well and he got to wear a little gown that had puppies and balloons on it. He came over with us and saw her and he called her “Raya! Baby Raya!” He liked seeing her, but was very distracted by all that was going on around him with the constant beeping and lights flashing in the busy NICU. That night, Ryken and I slept at home while Ally stayed at the hospital and had a few different midnight snacks with Sorraya, sleeping as she was able. 

I got back to the hospital on Friday once we had someone to watch Ryken. Ally was released from the hospital about 7pm that night. She fed Sorraya one more time before we left the hospital with Sorraya still there! It was one of the hardest things to do! We went back to the hospital for one last feeding for the night, at 9pm. The nurses will be giving Sorraya formula until we make it back to the hospital in the morning around 9am. 

Saturday we stayed in the NICU most of the day, waiting to hear how Sorraya was doing and if she was going to be able to come home or not. One nurse in particular really got things going for us and if it weren’t for her, and of course God’s sovereign plan, we may not have been able to take Sorraya home with us that day either. But at right about 3:00 in the afternoon, we left with little Sorraya and brought her to her new home where she will grow, learn and be loved!

God’s hand was in every piece of her birth story, as it is in all the events of our lives whether big or small, and we are always quick to share the story of God’s goodness and love to our family on the day that Sorraya Adira couldn’t wait to come out and greet us!