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Welcome to Birth, Baby!, your go-to podcast hosted by Ciarra Morgan and Samantha Kelly, seasoned birth doulas and childbirth educators from Austin, Texas. Join us as we navigate the intricate journey of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care, offering invaluable insights and expert advice. Through candid interviews, personal anecdotes, and evidence-backed content, we aim to empower families with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions. Whether you're seeking guidance on prenatal care, birth planning, or navigating the early days with your newborn, we've got you covered. Tune in to Birth, Baby! and embark on your parenthood journey with confidence.
The information provided on this podcast is for general information purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Always seek the advice of your qualified health provider with any questions you may have.
Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast.
Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk.
Hula Share is a free event happening in the Austin area on Saturday, October 21st from 1130 to 230 at the Pflugerville Public Library.
Come out and meet local doulas, check out their booths, and learn more about a variety of topics surrounding pregnancy.
The first 50 people through the door will get a free swag bag.
Be sure to register at the link in the show notes so we know you're coming.
See you there.
Welcome, this is Birth, Baby.
Your hosts are Ciarra Morgan and Samantha Kelly.
Ciarra is a birth doula, hypnobirthing educator, and pediatric sleep consultant.
Samantha is a birth doula, childbirth educator, and lactation counselor.
Join us as we guide you through your options for your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey.
Today, we're talking with Ashley and Chase about their birth story.
This family used us for birth classes and birth doula services, and we cannot wait for them to share their story with you.
It's also always so special when people come on that had been our clients.
So thank you so much for being here today, y'all.
And we're excited, both of you are here.
Thank you, we're excited.
So to start off, can you tell us just a little bit about you and your family?
So Chase and I have been married for almost seven years.
So it'll be seven years in November.
And we got pregnant in November.
Yeah, I guess it was, I found out November 1st of 2021.
And so we, he was born Rain.
He's our baby.
He's almost 14 months.
He was born July 4th, actually.
So we are a family of three.
We had our animals before Rain, and that was our like first babies.
We still have our cat, but unfortunately our dog, Lincoln, passed away.
I guess it was in May, early May.
He was 14, but he got to meet Rain and have time with Rain before he passed away.
So that was good.
And I did y'all's birth class at your house, and Lincoln was so cute and so sweet.
He had like these sweet little eyes and he would just walk around.
I think he was mostly blind.
He watched us do our birth classes.
Yes, he was mostly blind.
Yes, he got old.
Well, that's so sweet.
So tell us a little bit about your journey to getting pregnant and what the early days of pregnancy were like for you.
Okay, so we got married 2016.
We dated for about three years, almost four years before we got married.
So actually this last February, was it a decade?
We realized it would have been a decade since we've been together.
So 2016, we got married.
We still weren't ready for kids yet.
We wanted to have a few years of being married and enjoying that.
So we didn't decide to start trying until the beginning of 2020.
Actually, we started trying, or just when the pandemic, before we even knew it was going to be a pandemic, just kind of when people were like, oh, well, we need to be careful about this and everything.
That's a great pandemic activity.
You were stuck in the house anyway.
Try to have a baby now.
You want to fill the time somehow, right, Chase?
Absolutely.
No, like she's talking about, we were together.
So Ashley and I, we went, we did college, and right out of college, we started working.
And so once we got married, we talked about it and we wanted to wait and like just be together.
Also too, because Ashley and I were long distance for a few years.
She lived in Toronto and I was in Austin.
And so once we got married, we were like, now let's just, let's be together and just kind of do our thing and hang out, travel if we want and just, but really hone our relationship.
And we both always wanted to be parents and I'm glad that we waited.
But now that Rain has come, like, I don't know, I feel like I kept saying after he was born that I walked through a portal and like it just, it's a different world and he's, he's so special to us obviously, but getting there was a journey.
And I think that, and I'm sure Ashley was about to touch on this, but I cut her off.
But we had a difficult time getting pregnant and we couldn't figure out why.
And it was a struggle for Ashley because, and I don't mean to speak for you, but it was like she kept talking about, I'm a woman and my job as a woman is to bear children.
And one of the many jobs of a woman, but she's like, why can my body not do this?
And we couldn't figure out if it was me, if it was her, if it was a combination.
And we went through, I did some testing to find out if it was me.
Things came back fairly normal on my end and ran some tests, spoke to some doctors about her.
And we found out that she had a septum that was blocking the process from happening.
And emotionally, I think it was difficult for her, but we sat down and we talked and we were like, we have three options.
We either continue living the life that we've been living, which is great.
We are successful when we get pregnant, which is great.
Or we adopt, which is also a great option.
And I told Ashley, I was like, there's not a losing option in this scenario.
We're going to win no matter what.
So anyways, we ended up going to a doctor and he removed Ashley's septum and also widened.
What did he do?
We found this out after the fact.
He told me after learning about, I don't know if you guys have ever dealt with specialists, but a lot of times specialists, doctors and whatnot, they tend to be, I don't know what a good word it is, but like extra.
So he's like the best fertility doctor or is one of the best fertility doctors in Austin.
And so he is very good at what he does, but he just, his bedside manners were just terrible.
But anyways, he had told me after, when I did my follow up appointment that he had like, he kept telling me every time I go for an appointment that my uterus was very small.
And I was like, okay, yes, I know you've told me that several times.
Is this a problem?
And he's like, no, it's not a problem.
It's just, it's better if you have more room.
And I was like, okay.
Well, he ended up like, widening my uterus during that procedure as well.
And I was just like, what?
Yeah, apparently he could like, You didn't consent to the widening of your uterus.
I did not.
And like, obviously that could have been a big issue, but I think because I knew that he knew what he was doing and that I was like, you know what?
I'm not going to say anything now.
If you can get me pregnant, then you know what?
Fine.
And of course I did.
So I was like, okay, that's fine.
Like, you know, you knew what he was doing.
But yeah, he was, it was, I was like, you did what?
The doula in me is like dying to know what that looks like.
Like, I'm going to have to go like Google this because I've never heard of that.
That's so interesting.
Yeah.
Well, I will say, I will say what he told me.
He said, when I said he made my uterus larger, he said, I shaved down the sides of your uterus to make it larger.
And I was like, what?
Yeah, we were shocked.
And then like Ashley was saying, it's not a problem if we are successful, but also that's weird.
And then he goes, yeah, but you guys won't be back in here.
You're going to get pregnant here pretty soon.
Just like speaking to his arrogance and like, sure enough.
Oh my gosh.
He was right.
I just have to say, like y'all doing the work of being together and working on your relationship and all of that, it's huge probably to, you know, you had those issues come up and the fertility things and all of that.
And I would guess that that really helped y'all get through that together because if you hadn't had that firm foundation, it would have been a heck of a lot harder to get through those things.
And I love that insight that you had, Chase, like no matter what you guys couldn't lose, you had three really great options.
And I know as the person that's having the fertility issue, it's probably hard to hear that because they're like, no, like I have to be pregnant.
That's the thing we're supposed to do.
But I think that's a really great insight from a partner to be like, okay, and it's okay.
And that probably took a lot of stress off her and helped her get pregnant as well because she was like, okay, I'm not being so much as it being expected of me.
So tell us about your pregnancy and how that went for y'all.
Okay, so I'll go back just a little bit.
So I was saying that we had started trying to get pregnant in early 2020.
And my guy knows she's awesome.
I love her so much.
And she had asked me at my last yearly appointment, were we thinking about having kids?
And we had talked about it.
And I said, yeah, we definitely want to have kids.
We're just not there yet.
And so when I did go in to tell her, okay, I want to start trying, and I was on the pill, so birth control.
And I had been on it since I was a teenager, because I used to have really bad periods.
And so I'd initially gone on it for that and then just stayed on it.
And so she was like, okay, well, you just stop taking it.
And I was like, great.
And she's like, well, if you're not pregnant by six months, then come back and see me.
Usually, I think it's a year, but I think because of my age at the time.
So I was, when I went to her, I was 33, almost 34.
And so she said, I kind of just like to do it at the six month mark because you are older and we don't want to like waste time.
You know, if there is something wrong, we'd like to figure it out earlier than you just, you know, trying and there's nothing's going to happen anyways.
And I was like, yeah, I like that.
So I had gone back to her at the six month mark because nothing was happening.
And I was very regular like cycles and everything.
So I knew that didn't, I didn't think that was the issue.
And so she was like, okay, well, let's just do some initial tests.
And so we had done the initial tests and everything kept coming back.
Normal, normal, normal.
Chase had mentioned, she said, well, let's get Chase checked out.
His was normal.
And so she said, okay, well, maybe it's just a little bit more difficult for you guys, maybe because your age, there's lots of different reasons.
So we just kind of, we would take one step at a time.
She did the initial, then she went up, you know, one like step.
And I forget what it was called that she had sent me for.
I'd have to look it up.
But basically, maybe you guys know, where I had to go to an ARA imaging center, and they basically ballooned my uterus, and they put dye for my tubes, basically to see if there was any blockage in there, which was honestly more uncomfortable and painful than Birth.
And I was like, after I went through that, I told Chase, I was like, I never want to do that again.
That was horrible.
It was so uncomfortable, and it was painful, and I didn't like it.
We hear that a lot.
We hear that a lot about any sort of fertility treatments.
We've had people with IVF say their IVF was so awful, and then they're like, oh, labor was so much easier.
Yeah, it was terrible.
And I had cramping for 24 hours after it.
It was just not good.
But there was like two benefits of it.
The benefit number one was to see if my tubes were, if there was any blockage.
And then also they say like for three or four months, it actually increases your fertility because it kind of flushes you out.
And so makes it easier for passage of the egg and everything.
So we've done that.
Well, you know, and here I am thinking, okay, great.
Maybe now nothing.
And so I'm reaching the year mark and I went back to my guy and I was like, it's been a year.
What do we do now?
And she was like, I've exhausted everything that I know.
She's like, I think it's time that you go see a fertility specialist.
And so she did some recommendations and I looked into my insurance and who they would cover and everything.
And we found our fertility doctor and went to see him.
And the first appointment we went to, both Chase and I went, because the nurses had told us, it's good for you both to come because he's going to ask you a lot of questions.
And obviously it has to do with Chase as well.
And so we went and we went through all the questioning and basically answering all the questions we've already been answering for the last year.
And so he was like, all right, well, okay.
I think I got a good picture.
He's like, you know, let me, let's go.
I'd like to do a quick ultrasound just to see what I see.
And I was like, okay, here we go again, another ultrasound.
And we go in there and Chase was there.
And within like a minute of him doing, he's like, oh, you have a septum.
And I was like, a what?
He's like, you have a uterus septum.
And I was like, okay, well, I don't understand what is that?
And he was like, then he explained the whole, like, this is what I'm going to say is like a very, you know, dumbed down version of like, he went-
Good, because people listening to this aren't scientific usually.
So that'll be good.
We all need the dumbed down version.
Yeah.
Well, he added like, cause you did medical first, I was like, I still don't understand.
And he said, okay, he's like, so when you're forming in the uterus when you're a baby, females, your uterus starts off as two halves.
And by the time that you're born, they fuse together and become one.
And in five to seven percent of females, that does not happen.
It doesn't it doesn't form fully.
And so sometimes there's a septum like in your nose, like your nose is two parts.
But back further up, it, you know.
And so he said that the septum part, like which is just cartilage, it doesn't have any blood supply or vessels in there.
Anything is just in like.
So it's like a heart shaped almost.
And so there's different degrees of how bad you're like, how long your septum is.
Mine, from what I understand, wasn't the worst he'd seen, but still it could hamper getting pregnant.
Because if even if we were getting a fertilized egg, when it tried to implant, if it implanted on the septum, there was no blood supply for it to survive.
And so then it would die.
And so that's why we weren't having any...
Obviously, we can't be 100% sure, but that could have been one of the main reasons why we couldn't get pregnant.
And so he's telling us this, and so I've got a million questions, but my main thing is I kept thinking, well, can we fix this?
And I think it was Chase that was just like, just stopped me.
He's like, OK, but can we fix this?
And he was just like, yeah, no problem.
Well, yeah, I can do surgery.
I'll just take it out.
Like, no problem.
That's where that ego and that straightforwardness comes in really helpful.
He's like, of course I can.
Absolutely.
Yeah, he's like, no big deal.
Like, it's a day procedure.
I could do it in like an hour.
We're just like, OK.
So he basically, he just told us, you know, you have to wait for a certain time in your cycle for you to do it.
So we were able to schedule for the next cycle.
And I went in for a day surgery.
It was like, you go in, you get put under.
He removed the septum.
And as we said before, he made my uterus larger at the same time to make it more, you know, more of a, what did he say?
It was a more optimal, I think, or something like that for me.
Maybe hospitable or something.
Yes, something like that.
Like if I had more room and I was like, okay.
So anyways, I don't know.
I was only under for like a couple hours.
And then when I was like good to go, I got to go home and recover.
And then he told us.
So then I went to the follow up three weeks later, and he did an ultrasound, said everything was healing the way that it should.
And then he says, okay, well, now go.
And if you're not pregnant in three months, then come back.
And I said, okay.
So that was April of 2022, no, 21, sorry.
And I guess it was in September we were not pregnant.
And so again, it was late.
You know, when you're not trying to get pregnant and every month you're getting your period and you're like, not again.
I don't know any woman that's like when they're not trying to get pregnant that wants the period and they're out.
But when you are, it's like a totally different experience.
You're just like, please don't come, please don't come.
And every month, especially as the time kept going, and it's just like every month, I would just lose it.
Because I would just be like, it was such a feeling of defeat.
Like, why won't this work?
I just, you know, all these years that, you know, and I obviously done all the research and I've been to all these specialists and all this.
And, you know, I know all about the cycles and, you know, your highest fertility window and I'm tracking.
And I even was like doing like, like temperature and, you know, for ovulation and all this.
And I'm going, I know way too much about how you get pregnant.
And I'm like, which brings up another point that they, when you're in like middle school and high school, whenever they do, you know, sex ed, they make it out.
Like it's like so easy.
And I'm just like, Hey, I need to go back to those classes.
Like, okay, let me tell you.
I need both sides told.
Yeah.
I remember thinking that when I, when I was trying to get pregnant with my son, cause we also tried for about a year with him.
And I at that time was working in a youth ministry.
And I had a couple of kids that got pregnant, you know, just on accident teenagers.
And I remembered being so annoyed about it.
I was like, they can just get pregnant.
Like when they like think about it, but here I am trying forever and I can't get pregnant.
And I actually should be pregnant.
And I was so annoyed about it.
I've had that conversation with a few people over the years.
I'm like, yes, it could be easy, but also if you are trying, it is not.
It's really not.
I mean, maybe you should, yeah, it would be nice to normalize with kind of a younger generation that yes, be careful.
Cause you could get pregnant very easily, but also some people do struggle with fertility.
And, you know, knowing that so that it's not like you're shocked later on in life when you're trying to get pregnant.
Not a bad idea.
I think it's also important to like age plays, you know, maybe at 17, 18, it is very easy, but as you get into your mid thirties, your body has changed.
And I mean, we have evolved quite a bit, but I don't know, maybe some things are lacking in evolution.
And I don't know.
You're right.
That's why they call it a geriatric pregnancy, which is rude.
Anyone who's ever said that, rude.
It's so rude.
Oh, you don't even, when they get my discharge papers from after I gave birth and I went home, I was looking through all this because they give you like, like a book full of stuff.
And I was just like going through it.
And then there was my discharge paper.
I wish I kept the photo because I sent it to Chase, but the discharge paper said something about geriatric, like pregnancy, but it was like even worse.
It was like, what did it say, Chase?
And I like texted it.
It was like advanced maternal age and geriatric and I don't know.
I was just like, okay, they really need to come up with a better name.
Dig that knife in a little deeper.
So after all of that, what, you know, when did you end up getting pregnant and what were the, what was pregnancy like for you?
We ended up getting pregnant.
I was working away and I would come home on the weekends.
I was working up in the Dallas Fort Worth area and I would travel home on the weekends.
I had a, I was supposed to work, I think it was on a Saturday and I wasn't going to be able to make it home.
But then we were also trying to get pregnant while I was working away and trying to time it right.
And I had a surprise day off and immediately got in the car and I drove home.
And we had a weekend together and it was nice.
But that surprise day off is what led to our son.
And we were successful that time.
And after all the waiting, it took one surprise day off, me driving 200 miles home.
I love that.
It was awesome because shortly thereafter, my job took me up to Montana.
And then it was just like, okay, we're going to have to wait till the job ends.
But I was unloading some equipment, and it was October or November.
It was November.
November in Montana, there was snow everywhere.
I was freezing.
My phone's ringing.
And I have to excuse myself from work because it's Ashley.
And I'm like, it's weird.
Why is she calling me right now?
And I walked over, and she was just in tears, screaming that we were pregnant.
And I traced it back, and it was that surprise day off.
That's awesome.
Chills.
I really wanted to say that before Ashley.
She can go into more detail, but it was just so neat to me that that was the time.
The more spontaneous time, the one that was relaxed, the one that wasn't over planned.
Right.
Exactly.
That's so great.
I love it.
So actually I have to, we do need to go back a little bit because Chase, that is what happened, but it wasn't as spontaneous.
The spontaneousness was the fact that he had a surprise day off.
But I was saying that, so that fertility doctor had told us, come back in three months if you're not pregnant.
And I wasn't.
And it was in September that I made an appointment.
And I was like, okay.
So I'm going into this appointment super annoyed and just like, okay, what is going on?
You said that's going to fix it and everything.
So I went back and he was like, all right, well, maybe you just need a little bit of help.
Let's just do a round of COVID.
And I was just like, okay, that's fine.
And I had friends tell me about COVID, and sometimes it takes up to three cycles.
Or I guess my fertility doctor had said, I'm not going to do it more than three cycles because he says that he didn't find much success after the three-month mark.
If it was going to work, it would work in the first three months, and then we could go to the second.
I guess it was another drug, but this one is the one he wanted to start with.
And so that's, again, all time with your cycle, and you've got to take for the first five days of your cycle, and then you have to come back in at the 14-day mark because they want to check to see if you're ready to ovulate and all that.
And so I did.
And when I had gone back in, he was like, oh, I don't know if this has worked.
He's like, if your eggs aren't at the point where I think they're going to, like, where you're going to ovulate.
And I was just like, oh, man.
And he's like, but you know what?
Come back in three days.
Maybe you're just, you know, everybody's different and maybe you ovulate a little bit later.
And I was like, okay.
So I like left there and I was like super like bummed.
And I just was like, I remember calling Chase and telling him and he's like, you know, it's okay.
Like, you know, we're going to figure this out.
And trying to give me a pep talk.
And I just remember like getting off the phone and I'm just like, I just started praying.
I just was praying so hard.
I was like, please God, like, just help me here.
Just like make it so that I can ovulate.
Like, give me a chance.
And I remember going back in the three day mark and it was a Sunday.
So it was like they, I guess, I didn't realize the fertility and it makes sense because your cycle doesn't like stop because it's a weekend.
So they always have on call doctors.
So my doctor wasn't on call.
So I just saw another doctor that was just checking.
And anyways, he checked and he's like, oh, wow.
He's like, yeah, you're going to ovulate the next 18 hours.
And I was like, what?
I was like, how do you know 18 hours?
He's like, I've been doing this a long time.
He's like, so you've got 18 hours.
So yeah, just go home.
And I was like, my husband's not home.
And he's like, oh, well, that's a problem.
I was like, you think?
So all those prayers about ovulation and then Chase also gets a day off?
Yes.
So that's the thing.
Right?
I was like, well, he's not home.
And I was like, again, I'm like going, okay.
I'm like, because he's like up in Fort Worth area.
And I was like, three hours.
All right.
So if I leave now, okay, I want to take the day off tomorrow.
I'll just go.
I know he has to work.
I know.
I'm like, I'm like, I'm going to him, like get out of my way.
And then he like, I like call him after the appointment.
And I like tell him, like, you know, I'm making all these plans.
And then he's like, no, like, you don't have to.
Like, I'm, I'm going to get in the car right now.
He's like, I don't have to go in.
And I was like, what?
He's like, yeah.
And like, he came home on that Monday.
And like within that 18 hours.
And like Chase said, it was like that, that was it.
There's a baby.
That's so cool.
It's giving me, it's giving me friends flashbacks of like Monica and Chandler trying to get pregnant when Chandler was living in like, or is it Tulsa?
That's what I'm feeling.
Oh yeah.
At that point, Chase, were you just a piece of beat?
You're like, I'm just being used at this point.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Like this is not sexy anymore.
We just talked outside to have a baby.
I love it.
So before we kind of get into the birth, because I know the birth after that real long trying to get pregnant phase, the birth was definitely not long.
But before we get into that, was there anything about your pregnancy that you want to share?
Actually, my pregnancy was I don't have anything to compare to obviously, but I like it was it went so well.
Like I loved being pregnant.
I felt good.
The first trimester even like I know a lot of other women struggle through first trimester with morning sickness and other things.
And I didn't have any.
The only hiccup I would say that I can really report on was in February of 2022.
So that would have made me about 20 weeks.
It was 19 weeks.
I remember because they wouldn't send me up to the maternity.
They made me stay emergency because apparently you have to be 20 weeks or more to go up to the maternity.
And so I was in emergency.
And the reason I had gone is I was getting like extreme like cramping.
And it felt like what I used to have when I was a teenager, like the cramping for periods then, but it was like different, but it was like very painful.
And I was like, what is going on?
And it scared me.
So Chase was like, he was away working.
He's like, I think you should just go to the ER just to check.
And so like I had my neighbor drive me.
We found out that it was, oh my goodness, what is it called?
Like Braxton Hicks.
No, it wasn't Braxton Hicks.
It's when your uterus has grown and it's stretching your ligament.
Oh, round ligament.
Round ligament pain.
That can be a stinker.
I do vaguely remember you telling us.
Yeah, I do too.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And you didn't tell us when you went.
You told us, I think, the next day, didn't you?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, well, I had asked you guys, like, a couple, because I had kind of started having it, and I didn't tell you I was going to the emergency.
I texted you, and it was, like, a Friday.
I remember that.
And I was just, like, asking you, and you were like, and I was like, do you think I should go to the emergency?
And you're just like, if you have to question that, then yes, you should go.
But then I never told you I was going.
It was the next day.
I was like, yeah, I went to the emergency.
You're like, oh, okay.
No, you always like didn't want to bother us because you were just trying to be respectful.
But I was like, you hired us to do this.
This is exactly what we're here for.
She texted me.
I was at work and I was working in Austin, actually a few blocks from the hospital, but she texted me.
She was like, I'm at the hospital now.
I'm having these pains.
And so like for the rest of the day, I was just not focused on work.
I didn't think it was anything super serious.
I knew that she was in pain, but I supported her going to the hospital to get it checked out.
There's no point in risking anything.
But as soon as I finished work that day, I threw the equipment in the car.
I think I said goodbye to one person and just went to the hospital.
I ended up going to the wrong part of the hospital, the cardiac place.
And I was like, how do I get here?
And they're like, it's about four blocks that way.
And then you take a left.
And I was like, oh my goodness.
And when I finally got there, they had just taken the monitor out to check his heartbeat.
And I was like, can you guys bring it back in?
Because I had not heard his heartbeat at that point.
And they were like, no, you kind of missed the opportunity.
And so they were like, but you guys are good to go.
You're dismissed.
Nothing's wrong.
And so we left.
And, you know, I think, Ashley, I think the pain went away within a day or two.
But, yeah, you know, well, yeah, they're like, go ahead.
No, no, you go ahead.
I was just going to say I was like, as soon as they checked Rain and I knew that he was okay, then like, I think that had a lot.
Because like, I think when you're stressed out, that makes things feel worse.
And so as soon as I knew he was okay, then I was like, totally okay with the pain.
Because I was like, well, if it's not affecting him, and it's nothing to do with his well-being, then like, whatever, it's pain.
I can deal with it.
And like, I remember I asked them.
I was like, they're like, they're like, well, they're like, do you want a Tylenol?
And I was like, no, it's fine.
And they're like, well, we're going to give you some IV.
Like, just because sometimes it could be from dehydration, like can contribute to it.
So they like put me on an IV.
And so we did that.
And then it was like after midnight, by the time I got discharged and they like sent me home.
And then it was like, yeah, like Chase said, I think it was only like it kind of dissipated.
And it came back a few days later, pretty bad.
But then after that, it was done.
It was like, I never had any pain again.
And our neighbor is the one that, because I was working, our neighbor is the one that took her to the hospital.
And we found out like four weeks later, five weeks later, that she was pregnant.
And she was pregnant at the time that Ashley had to go to the hospital.
And we're like, you must have been so stressed and worried in your own mind.
And she was like, yeah, a little bit.
Empathy, yeah, for sure.
Really great.
You know, one of the things that I remember a lot about you guys through your pregnancy is, and I think when you hired us, Ashley, I think you were pretty convinced like you wanted to have an epidural.
And you're like, I have a lot of kind of anxiety around everything that's going to be with the labor.
And I just want like the safety of an epidural, of the feeling of not having to feel.
And remember, I came to do your prenatal meet, or I think it was your prenatal meeting or something, and you had totally flipped the script.
You're like, no, I've been reading about it.
And I just think that my body can do this.
And I just I just want to do it on my own.
And I was like shocked because you had just completely done a 180.
So we ended up doing a private birth class at your house to kind of teach you guys some of those skills to do that.
And I was so impressed with the flip within your mind.
Do you remember that?
The flip had been, I think, I don't know if it was necessarily that I wanted an epidural.
I was just really nervous.
And like, I kind of wanted to be all hooked up and everything because I was just my anxiety was high thinking about, you know, birth.
Because so I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety when I was in my early 20s.
And I went on a medication.
And I had been on medication for since I was 20, 21.
And I actually, when we decided that we wanted to try to start getting pregnant in January of 2020, I actually weaned myself off of it because I did not want to be on this anxiety medication.
I wanted to have nothing that would ever affect my baby in any way.
And so I was like, I'm going to wean myself off.
And I had already prepared myself.
Throughout the years, I've always seen a therapist and done classes and just learned different coping skills.
And so I was like, I can do this on my own without medication.
And started really doing a lot of yoga, meditation and working out.
And so I was able to come off the medication and still feel good and have my anxiety at a minimum.
But then, like I said, I started doing research and like started learning about postpartum depression and anxiety.
And that's really what I was nervous of.
I was like, I just I can't, especially when I have a baby, like I hear like horror stories of women that just they just hits them and it's just really difficult.
And I was like, I need to do everything I possibly can to try to prevent it.
And I remember, you know, doing the research.
And that's why I found out that, you know, the less you interfere with the birthing process, the more likely it is that you won't suffer from it.
And so I was like, you know what?
Anything I can do, I'm going to do.
And so that kind of...
I'm so sorry.
You're right.
You're right.
I totally missed that in my brain.
I forgot that it was that.
It wasn't the pain you were worried about.
It was kind of like the safety aspect you were worried about.
And especially with having tried so long to conceive, that's very common for parents to feel that way.
So you ended up deciding that a hospital birth was still where you wanted to be, but that you wanted the least amount of intervention in the hospital.
Yes.
And that's when you actually told me about hit no birthing.
And I was just like, oh, what is this?
And I remember I had talked to you about it without Chase, because I remember telling Chase about it.
And he's like, you want to do what?
Typical response because it sounds weird.
Yeah.
I don't know.
Chase could probably speak to that when I told them what I wanted to do, because he was kind of like, okay, I guess if this is what you want to do.
Well, I remember actually we were driving somewhere, going on a trip, and we had a call with you, Ciarra, about the services you all provide and hit no birthing.
And I remember I said, no disrespect to you, but what do you do?
I mean, I can roll my wife over.
I remember this so well.
And I mean, typical, I guess it's a typical guy response.
I mean, I don't know.
Can't hold my wife over and get her water.
You make me laugh so hard.
That's so funny.
And I didn't mean it in a disrespectful way.
I know.
And I just remember you were like, why don't you take her class?
Like it's such a sit down.
And we'll take our class and you can learn what I do.
And I'm glad that I did because again, when Ashley did approach me about hypnobirthing, my response to her was like, okay, granola head, like we're going to do this hypnobirthing.
But I'm totally, I actually, I think it's important to say that I have recommended hypnobirthing to three friends.
We had a spare book and I gave a book to a friend and he and his wife, I actually don't think they ended up doing hypnobirthing, but it wasn't too far off of, they utilize a lot of the practices of hypnobirthing and it was a successful birth.
And I bet having another man that came to them like saying that was made a difference, seeing that other people are open to it, because a lot of people talk about the pain meds they want to use and things like that, and they talk about like kind of negative stories, but you guys having a positive story to share and a way to achieve that, I'm sure made a difference.
I think so.
I think that, I understand it may not be for everyone.
It was the right choice for us for sure.
And I'm glad that we went down that route.
It's just very much in line of the lifestyle that Ashley and I live by.
We try to keep stress to a minimum in our home, and Ashley's always been, well, since I've known her, always been very in tune with yoga.
And I always kind of described to people that hypnobirthing, when they asked me what it is, I'm like, imagine like if yoga were a birthing practice, that's what hypnobirthing is.
And it just is very much about your breath and your body.
And the thing that whenever I'm telling people about it, and just how powerful your mind can be, the example I use is from the class, from your class about the lemon on the cutting block in the kitchen.
And I always tell people, I'm going to shorten this down, I'm going to dumb it down, but you'll understand the point of it.
And I kind of run them through, I think your example was a three, four, five minute example about the lemon in the kitchen.
But I do the Cliff Notes version, 15 seconds, and their mouth still salivates.
I salivated just by you talking about it.
And that and the example of the cat in the barn, that I think it was the woman who founded the practice when she was a little girl that she experienced.
Those two examples stuck with me, and I think that it's important for people to explore that.
If that's something they want to go down, a road they want to go down.
Yeah.
So when you were in labor, Ashley, was it anything like you thought it was going to be?
So something I probably should have told you guys before we found this out later.
You're like, yeah, that's something you should have told me.
So I actually was born really quickly.
So my mom had me from her first contraction to me being born was an hour and a half.
And so I was really quick, and I didn't realize that was an important thing to tell you guys.
But so like, you know, when we did the hypnobirthing classes with you guys, with Ciarra, it was, you know, and you had made it clear that everybody different, but you had said that statistically, first births do take longer because your body has not given birth before.
So it takes a little bit longer to kind of kick in and to the process to happen.
And so, you know, we had we had had all of the like our birth plan was, you know, what we were going to do when I started to go into labor.
And usually you have a lot of time.
And, you know, part of hypnobirthing is getting in that zone.
And, you know, we had our music and my birthing ball and all that stuff.
And so like so rain due date was July 11th.
Obviously, we know that's just an estimate.
And so this was on July 3rd was a Sunday.
And our friends had asked us if they could take us out for dinner as a kind of like, you know, because they knew that once we gave birth, like we're not going to be available, you know, as easily for a long time.
And so they're like, you know, let's go out for a dinner and we'll just, you know, celebrate and all that.
So we had gone out for dinner.
And then after dinner, we had gone over to a bar and, you know, Chase is really celebrating.
I'm having mocktails, obviously.
And at one point I was like getting really tired.
And it was like nine o'clock.
I was like, Chase, I'm really tired.
He's like, okay, just one more, one more.
And I was like, okay.
And so he ended up having just like one more beer.
And then we went home.
And it was like, I don't know, midnight.
And our dog had come and woke me up and was like acting really weird.
And I was like, Lincoln, I was like, go back to bed.
It's not time.
Because usually he would wake up early and like want his breakfast.
And I looked at the clock.
I'm like, it's midnight.
Like go to bed.
And so he would not leave me alone.
And I was like, maybe I should go outside.
So like put him outside.
No, he doesn't want that.
And so I was like, okay, I'll just lie on the couch with them.
So I didn't want to wake Chase up.
So I lie down on the couch, fall asleep with the dog.
And then at like three in the morning, I woke up and I was having cramps, cramping.
And it was like Brexton Higgins.
And I had had that for like a few weeks before, like off and on.
And then, but it would just like dissipate and go away.
And so I just thought, okay, so I like do like every other night, getting up to go pee like every, you know, hour.
And so like, I got up and went to the bathroom, and then I went back to lie down.
And it's like not going away.
And I was like, okay, I'll just get up and walk around.
Maybe that'll help and it'll go away.
And I start walking around, and well, that's not working.
And like, I feel like it's getting worse.
And so then I finally, I'm like, I think I might be in labor.
And so like, I went in and I like woke up Chase, and I was like, hey, and he's like, what's up?
And I was like, I think I'm in labor.
And he was just like, oh, he's like, really?
And I was like, yeah.
It's three in the morning.
Yeah, it's three in the morning.
And you know, we ended up staying out later than we had planned.
And he's like, okay, well, because one of the things that we had learned in birthing class and him no birthing is that like, if you can, especially in the middle of the night, like if you can sleep through some of it, like it's better because you want to like be as well rested as you can.
And so like, that's what Chase is suggesting.
He's like, well, just lie down.
You like go try to go back to sleep.
And then when you when when you wake up, we'll, you know, start our like our whole plan and like, you know, put our music on and we'll, you know, we'll maybe we'll bake some cookies, you know, we'll just, you know, all this.
And I said, so he like turns hindsight, it's hilarious.
Yeah, he like turns over and he's like going to go back to sleep and I was like, no, like, I'm not going back to sleep.
I'm like, like, Chase, I'm in labor and like, like active labor.
And he's like, Ashley, I know you're really excited.
And I'm just like, and he's like, OK, well, let's time them.
And I said, perfect.
And so like he got up and got the app and he like, we do a couple of waves and he's timing them.
And then when he's done, he like looks at, he's like, are you sure you're telling me when one wave ends and the next one begins?
And I like looked at it.
I was like, yes, I think I know when I have pain and then don't have pain and then have pain again.
And he was like, huh, well, this is saying that you're two minutes apart.
And I was like, OK.
So he's like, he's still like not believing it.
And so like my parents are in town, they're in like the spare bedroom.
And so like he goes in and like wakes up my mom and he's like, Liz.
And he like shows her the app and he's like, I don't know if this is working.
And like he and she looks at her, she's like two minutes and she's like, and Chase is like, yeah, but I think I think and my mom's like, OK, let me go do it.
And so like she comes in and I'm in my bedroom.
And so then my mom like starts doing it with me and does the timing.
And it again comes out to two minutes apart and she's like, Ashley, I think you need to get dressed and Chase, I think you need to go get the car now.
And Chase was like, OK.
So like, again, I don't know if Chase is like really because again, he's been told all this time that we have all this time.
So he's kind of like, I don't know.
Chase told me that my dad at one point even like Chase was like, hadn't gotten snacks together because like, what's another thing they told us?
Like bring snacks.
And so he's trying to like get snacks in the pantry.
Well, she's all excited.
So I start packing the bag and I get the ball and slowly like packing the car.
And then I'm like, well, what snacks are going to sound good over the next day or two?
So I go into the pantry and I'm just kind of looking around in the pantry and her dad comes and he's from Newfoundland.
And so he has kind of a funny accent and he's like, hey buddy, you got to go.
And I was like, oh really?
And he's like, yeah, get out of here.
You have to leave.
So we get in the car and while we're driving, I'm still telling Ashley to communicate to me and trying to time her waves.
And Ashley looks at me and she goes, I think we're past that point now.
You can set the phone down and just drive the car.
And I said, OK, so I set the phone down and then we get to the hospital.
I remember when y'all went into labor, I think maybe I had had a baby like the day before or for some reason, I was awake when you texted to say you were on your way to the hospital.
But you sounded so like so chill.
And I was like, oh, like, OK, maybe they're just going in a little bit a little bit earlier.
And I remember kind of chatting a little bit.
And Ciarra was the one that was on call.
So she got to be there with y'all.
But I remember her like texting me and being like, yeah, I think things are like just going really fast.
I was like, whoa, well, that's pretty cool.
Like, not mad about that.
But yeah, like, so what happened when you got to the hospital?
The triage nurse was so rude.
And I remember telling me about that.
Asking us about our birth plan after birth.
And we were like, I think we're just going to have a baby today.
And we'll worry about the rest of the stuff later.
And then she started criticizing you guys.
And she's like, where's your doula?
And we're like, probably at home.
It's 3.30 in the morning.
And she was like, well, you should get them here.
And I was like, well, we've texted them.
And they want us to find out how far along we are, how dilated Ashley is.
And she was like, well, I don't know what you're paying them for.
And I was like, well, I mean, if they have time, it's 3 in the morning.
We need to be respectful of that too.
And y'all were so chill.
We have some benchmarks typically of when we come join you.
And part of that is when are you asking for us?
You weren't asking for us.
Y'all were living the life.
Well, yeah.
And then they checked on Ashley finally.
And the lady was, well, you were 8 centimeters, I think, upon arrival.
And then, Ciarra, you were like, oh, boy.
And got there as soon as possible.
No.
So like, well, the thing was is that Chase had texted Ciarra when we were on, like just before we left the house and said, like, what do we do?
And she's like, well, why don't you, before I like get in the car and come out, like just get to the hospital, get checked at triage.
And because she's also not thinking that I'm eight centimeters because that's like very abnormal for a pregnancy, even second pregnancies, I don't think usually go that fast.
And so she was like, yeah, just let me know and then we'll make a decision.
And so we're like, yeah, no problem again.
Like, and it was it was really funny because my mom had asked me when she was like, timing my like after she's like, well, Ashley, like, how, like, how intense are your contractions?
And I was like, well, they hurt.
And she's like, well, that doesn't help.
I actually have like, and we've now proven it even more.
Like, we knew, like, we thought that I had a pretty high tolerance for pain before, like, I've broken my ankle and even during that, like, Chase was like, I don't know how you're doing this.
And I'm just like, I don't know.
Like, so I have a high tolerance for pain.
And so like when my mom asked, she's like, Ashley, that's not helping.
And I was like, well, I don't know what you want me to say.
But you don't know how to quantify that, right?
Like, I mean, it's because it's not, it's not the worst pain of your life.
We were just talking about this earlier.
It's like with labor, a lot of times we're told, like, it's the worst pain of your life.
And so you're expecting that.
But then when it's not, because it's really not, I mean, it can be very intense and everybody handles it and experiences it differently.
But if you're expecting that, and then it's not that, you're like, well, maybe it's just not as bad yet.
I don't know.
And so like, my mom was just like, okay, let's go ahead, Chase.
Oh, no, no, no.
Here, go for it.
I'm going to interrupt.
It's my turn.
I'm interrupting because this is a Birth podcast.
And guess what I have to go do?
I've got to go.
We just got a call that a mama is in labor and finally needs my physical support.
So Samantha is going to take over all the way here.
And I'm sad because, well, I was there.
I already know the story very well.
Samantha is the one who wasn't there.
I know.
I'm excited to hear it from the other side because Ciarra talks about this one all the time.
But give that mama all our love.
And Chase, don't forget to tell how we teamed up and you didn't have to do what they told her to do.
At the hospital.
Oh, I'm not going to let him out of that.
And you told the doctor what for.
All right.
Much love to y'all.
Thank you.
So I got, so Chase told you about the triage was like terrible.
And she'll, she like, Chase had been, when she said I was eight centimeters, he like texted Ciarra was like, she's eight centimeters and Ciarra was like, oh my God, okay, I'm on my way.
And she had like a 45 minute drive.
And so she like, I don't, I don't know if she said or not, but I don't know.
Cause like when you're-
Oh, she booked it.
She booked it.
I'm sure she did.
All I know is that when you're in labor, your concept of time is like just weird.
Like I didn't, like I felt like, like a minute was, sometimes I felt like it was an hour and then another minute would feel like 30 seconds.
Like it was, it was just very different.
But then she checked me like after, cause then they were trying to put the monitor on me to monitor Rain to make sure he was okay.
And this is in triage.
And I was like, kept moving.
And this is just going back to how terrible this triage nurse was.
I think she was a midwife, which also blew my mind.
But she was just like, you have to stop moving cause I can't get this on you.
And I just like stopped and I'm like, okay, I'm trying, but I'm also in pain.
So anyways, she then checked me after she did the monitoring, you know, Rain was okay.
She checked me again and she's like, you're transitioning.
And I was like, I'm what?
Cause I couldn't remember what that meant.
And she's like, you're going to get ready to push.
And I was like, and literally she said that.
And then that's when I had my first urge where my body, like I had no control.
And so it just pushed.
And so then she started yelling at me to, well, not here.
Don't push here.
And I'm like, I'm not pushing.
What do you expect from me?
And so then like reeled me down, like she's yelling to get the labor.
But this was 4th of July at this point.
Like it gets, it's in the morning.
And so they're like not fully staffed.
And so it's taking them longer to do stuff.
And so like that's why getting into the...
And two, they also didn't think like until she said 8cm, they were taking their time.
And then when she said 8cm, they were trying to get a birthing room ready, a labor room.
And so then anyways, they like rushed me down there.
And like, then they're like, okay, can you get on from this bed to this bed, you know, with some help?
And I said, yeah, I think so.
And as I'm transitioning into the, into the bed that I'm supposed to give birth in, my water broke.
And I just like in that moment, and of course now they have to change everything.
And so that's like, anyways, I just remember like getting in like the bed and like just starting to do everything.
And then that's when Ciarra like arrived.
And she's like, I'm here, I'm here.
And we're like, okay, good.
Thank God.
I remember from that morning, and you guys kept talking about like how calm we were.
I think it was more just ignorance on our part.
Because like when we showed up to the hospital, I was like, Ashley, let's go in, we'll get you settled.
And then I'll come out and I'll get our bag and this ball that you want to have and all that stuff and our birth plan.
Everything like we had laminated our birth plan.
We were prepared.
So then we go in and we get her settled and then things are just moving very rapidly.
And when they transitioned actually from triage to that, the birthing room, I was like, I asked the nurse, I was like, is this a good time for me to go and get the bag and our birth plan and all that stuff?
And she was like, no, not right now.
I was like, okay, I'll have time later.
And then the water broke and they handed me the bedding that they had changed.
And I was like, what do you want me to do with this?
And they were like, I don't know.
We're understaffed.
It's 4th of July, just hold it.
And I was like, okay, so I'm holding it.
And I look at them, I'm like, I remember I just set it in a corner and I go, is this a good time for me to go get my bag?
And they were like, there's no bag, man.
Let the bag go.
You're not getting a bag today.
And I was like, okay.
So then, yeah, Ciarra came, and I did not have a digital version of our birth plan on my phone.
Luckily, she did, because I didn't remember everything.
And, you know, as things are rapidly progressing, and they have doctors that are tag teaming going, I think they had four births going on that morning, and they had two doctors.
And nurses are just coming in and out.
They couldn't find some medication to give Ashley that we did agree on.
And then it was a disaster.
I remember also it was freezing in that room, like uncomfortably cold.
And anyways, we ended up having one doctor come in and she helped guide Ashley through the birth and found out that Ashley was...
They were like, so when we asked you to push, use these muscles.
And the doctor actually pointed and touched the muscles that Ashley needed to use.
And it just...
Like perineum.
Yeah, she was using the wrong muscles when she was pushing.
Well, also too, I was practicing hypnobirthing.
And so I definitely...
And I don't...
It's hard because I can't seem...
I was in my zone.
And I think that during hypnobirthing, when you're learning about it, you're learning the proper birth breathing.
And you think you're doing it right until you actually are giving birth.
And I found out that I was not doing it correctly.
But soon as she put pressure on my perineum, and I realized...
And then I had it.
So I was pushing, but it wasn't being effective.
It was like...
It just...
I was exerting energy, and nothing was happening.
And so as soon as I figured out, okay, then I could do my breath where it needed to go and everything.
And so I was very much in a zone.
And so that's why Chase had to really speak up.
And Ciarra was there, obviously, to help with that.
But yeah...
Ciarra talks about this.
If any of you listening have ever taken a class with Ciarra or ever had a prenatal with Ciarra, you have probably heard this story about Chase and how he handled this whole conversation.
Because he handled it.
I've heard it so many times.
I feel like I was there.
He handled it with so much grace.
I think it was a new provider coming in who wanted to give Ashley pitocin prophylactically after the delivery.
And so she came in kind of saying that they wanted this to happen.
And y'all had already talked about that prenatally with your provider.
And so there was a lot of back and forth on that.
And then what did you end up saying there, Chase?
Do you remember?
I do.
I just remember that they wanted to give Ashley, what was the medication called?
Pitocin.
Pitocin.
And they wanted to put it on a four hour drip.
And especially now in hindsight, given that the entire birth was three and a half hours, a four hour drip of pitocin, we didn't think that was going to be necessary.
And Ashley, when she was in her right state of mind, not giving birth, she had told me that she did not want to do that.
And they asked her while she's in the middle of birth, like, would you like to do this?
And Ashley just says like, yes, yes, I don't care.
Not listening at all.
Like she's focused, she's practicing hypnobirthing and focused on what she...
And she has a baby literally right there.
You can't have a conversation at that point, unmedicated.
And so, you know, again, I didn't have the birth plan on, and I didn't have the birth plan with me.
And thankfully, Ciarra had already shown, she had shown up at that point.
And I kind of looked at her for advice, and she gave me a very like slight shake of the head.
And I realized that because she did have a digital version of our birth plan.
And that's when I went to the doctor, because we had a moment, and I pulled the doctor aside and I said, you know, I think when Ashley was not in a birthing state of mind, she had told me that she did not want to do that for personal reasons.
And is there another method that we can go about?
Do we have some sort of compromise that we can do?
And the doctor kind of looked at me and was like, yeah, we can do like a microdose of some sort, where we just inject a tiny bit into her, because she is hemorrhaging, but it's not bad.
And I think that will be fine.
And I said, you know, that's a great compromise.
Let's go about it that way, because Ashley didn't want to do pitocin because of her anxiety and what that could...
Because it's true that like, if you do a drip of it, it heightens the risk of postpartum anxieties, as I understand it and I think as we understand it.
So that was our compromise, a small injection of pitocin to stop the hemorrhaging that was happening.
And then we could just move forward.
And I think it worked out well for us.
You know, it did what it needed to do.
And then also, I feel that it helped Ashley later down the road.
Yeah, part of the hypnobirthing and the idea behind it is that, you know, I wanted to be in a hospital for the safety net of the fact that if any complications arose, you know, that I'd have any type of doctor that we needed to help us, you know, in that complication.
But as for giving birth, I don't think that is...
You're not sick when you're giving birth.
It's a natural thing that women, our bodies are made to do.
And, you know, if you...
I think if you tamper with things too much, you really are, you know, you're not allowing your body to do what it is instinctively meant to do.
And so, you know, that's why I chose unmedicated and doing it the most natural way that I could.
You know, and again, we're not...
No judgment to anybody.
Everybody has a different birthing story, and everybody takes, you know, differently.
And that's okay.
This is just the way I had chosen, because I was trying to prevent postpartum depression and anxiety because of my past.
I knew that I was statistically was already at a higher risk of postpartum than other women because of my mental diagnosis before getting pregnant.
And so this was my way of trying to avoid it.
Knowing that...
It's informed consent.
I mean, you knew the risks and the benefits.
You had that conversation with your provider beforehand, and you collectively made a decision with that and kind of moved forward.
So you ended up getting kind of that shot of Pitocin after the delivery.
Do you remember the delivery?
I remember one part.
I don't know.
Just from Ciarra's recollection, I remember you got like a charley horse as you were pushing and she had to like massage that out.
Was that like as you were pushing or like right after or something?
So I had actually he was born and like they had like put put him up on my chest.
I hadn't like we hadn't cut the umbilical cord or anything.
And like, you know, I am like so happy and everything and also exhausted.
And Chase is like, you know, obviously right up where he can see rain and everything.
And then all of a sudden, so Chase is on my left side and Ciarra is on my right and rain's on my chest.
And all of a sudden, and my feet are in those stirrups, and my right leg calf just like seizes up.
It's like the worst Charlie horse ever.
And I'm going, Chase, Chase, ow, ow, Chase.
And he's like, what?
And I was like, wait, I got a Charlie horse and like, help me.
And he's like, what do you want me to do?
I'm like, massage it.
So he comes around and he's massaging it, but he's also really wants to be with rain.
And like, so he's, but he can't really get to him.
And so he like ends up like dropping my leg at one point, like I'm going to see my son, which I don't blame him, but I still have Charlie horse.
Ciarra goes, how can I help you?
What do you usually do in this?
And I was like, I get up and I walk around.
And she was like, okay, well, we can't do that.
So, so she starts like moving my, my ankle like in a walking, in walking motion.
So anyway, she was able to help me relieve it.
But it was like, it was just so funny because like during, apparently again, I, you know, I was in my zone.
Apparently during the whole birth, I was very like controlled and calm and everything.
And then all of a sudden it's because I'd come out of the zone and now all of a sudden I can feel everything.
And I was just like, you know, and she's like, she's like, you just went unmedicated through birth and you're upset because you have a Charlie horse.
And I was like, yeah, it hurt really bad.
She said that you that you told her that the Charlie horse was worse than giving birth, which I can't tell you.
Waking up to that text on Fourth of July morning, it just kind of had me just smiling the whole day long.
I was like, that's how it should be.
Charlie horses should hurt worse than birth.
Like that's fantastic.
I loved it.
It was, it was, it was bad.
But yeah, after, after that, it was like the rest of the time in the hospital was just really smooth.
You know, Rain was born five pounds, seven ounces.
So he was considered low birth weight.
And he was 39 weeks.
So he wasn't premature.
So they were a little bit concerned about, you know, him not losing, you know, they say that statistically babies, before they leave the hospital, lose like 10% of their body weight.
But they did not want him to because he was so small.
And so we, while we were in the hospital, we learned triple feeding.
So that was something we had to learn about where I was breastfeeding with colostrum.
And then we actually got milk from the milk bank in Austin.
And we were giving breast milk that was donated, which was really awesome, just to get it through until my milk came in.
So that was really great.
But yeah, that...
I love it.
Well, I know we're going to get more into your postpartum experience in the next part, but I really loved hearing about your birth from this perspective.
It's just such a cool story.
I'm also just thinking about it here.
I wonder if his low birth weight had anything to do with your uterus being small.
He just didn't have as much space to grow.
So maybe, I don't know, maybe that's part of it.
Also, you're a small person, so that kind of makes sense.
I don't know.
Thank you all so much for coming in on this part, and we'll tune in next week to hear part two all about your postpartum.
I know there's some really exciting stuff there.
Thank you so much for having us.
Yeah.
Talk to you next week.
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