Birth of Avonlea Michelle Brucks

The birth story of Avonlea Michelle Brucks

On Sunday, October 28, 2018 while at the evening service at church, I noticed having some consistent contractions and thought they were different, not necessarily Braxton Hicks, but possibly more. They were not painful, consistent contractions-but they had my attention. I told Chris later that night, just as a heads up. But they stopped right around 10:30pm and we went to bed. 

Monday, I had the same light contractions on abs off all day- and probably cleaning all 3 tubs and showers didn’t help anything slow down (nesting perhaps?).

We went to bed at night and around 4:30am, I woke immediately when I felt my water break and gush out all over the bed. I quickly went to the bathroom and sat on the toilet to make sure the liquid was clear and a good color. I went and woke up Chris and told him what had happened. 

We tried texting and calling a friend to come over and be with the kids and she didn’t answer. So I tried my neighbor down the street and she answered and was over  in no time. 

We gathered our things and drove to the hospital, arriving at 5:20am. They were waiting for us and got us in the triage room right away. They did a test to make sure my water did break and it did. I was at a 3-4cm dialated and there was a babies head most certainly far down. 

We then moved to the L&D room and got me all hooked up with the IV and the nurse  got me some peanut butter toast to eat. 

Things had slowed down and we were just waiting and watching. 

Got checked around 11am and I was 5cm and 80% effaced. I was discouraged to know I was only at a 5. The Nurse kept pushing pitocin on me, since I wasn’t progressing to quickly. But we kept saying no and the Dr. was willing to be patient. After being checked, things started to pick up a little bit again. Slowly, but surely.

I tried to bounce on the ball, but that made the contractions I was having slow down all the more.

It was right around 1pm when I decided to walk around the halls because the pacing in our room was not doing much. So I looped around several times and the contractions slowly started increasing in occurrence and in intensity. Chris walked with me some as well, but at one point he was behind me and I didn’t know and I had stopped to get through the contractions. I then noticed he was behind me and I told him things are getting more painful and he told me he could tell. 

They continued to increase. At one point right outside our room, I had two hard contractions back to back, so I figured I better make my way back into the room. It was now probably closer to 1:30pm. I had a few more in the room and then an urge to push came. Chris told the nurse outside the door. She came in and checked me and it was go time. The nurse asked the Dr to come and he came running. At this point I had my legs together while laying on the bed, trying to get through the contractions, but I had an urge to push and Chris saw my face and so he grabbed my leg to open it so baby could come out. The Dr was in the room quickly finishing getting his delivery clothes on, but didn’t quite make it when with one push, all of little Avonlea came out on the bed. Dad was the first to touch her.

What was neat is there was a NDSU nursing student with the nurse I had and this was the first birth she saw. She left at 2:00pm and Avonlea Michelle was born at 1:49pm. We did skin to skin right away and it was very nice and sweet. I enjoyed that as I hadn’t been able to with the last two. 

She weighed 5lb 15oz and was 19inches long.

Chris went and got the kids to meet their new baby sister! It was so good to see them and watch them meet her and love on her!

First night was rough, but it always it with as much as they come in and bother you. 

After getting things put together in the morning, after a bath for me, we went home with our sweet little Avonlea.

We are so thankful to God for how he provided. The neighbors and church family who was able to step in and help during our time of need due to her early arrival was beautiful. The body of Christ is a beautiful thing.