The moment I knew I was pregnant, I had a bit of anxiety looking forward to when it would be time to deliver this little baby. Looking back to when my second daughter, Ella, was born, and how confusing and fast her labor and delivery was (she came so fast she was delivered at home by Talon! Read that here.), I was paranoid that something similar would happen this time around.
I spoke quite a bit with my doctor about it and joked that when I was close to my due date, that I would be camping out at the Labor and Delivery area, just to be safe. Little did she know, I was half joking.
At midnight, on Friday, November 6th, I began to have some contractions. They were different than the Braxton Hicks I had felt all throughout my pregnancy, not painful, but uncomfortable enough to make me take notice. Around 4:00am, I began to track them on an app on my phone. They were coming every 10 minutes. I got out of bed (I hadn’t been sleeping at all that night), and finished packing my hospital bag, took a shower, and got ready. At 6:00am, I woke Talon up and explained to him all that was going on. He got up, showered, and we woke my parents up to let them know we were leaving, so they could watch the girls for us. Talon was scheduled to work that day, so, we wanted to get in early enough to check and see what all was going on, so, he would have time to make it back for work, or call to say he wasn’t going in.
We arrived at the triage center at the University of Utah Hospital around 8:00am, I explained that I was “38 and 4 days along”, and told them that even though I knew I wasn’t in active labor, I go pretty fast. Once they heard Ella’s very brief birth story, they quickly got me back to a room and did some tests, ultrasound and checked me.
1 centimeter dilated and 80% effaced.
They sent me walking for 2 hours. We walked all around the hospital, back and forth, through every hall, every flight of stairs and even outdoors where it was lightly snowing. (We even snuck up by the helicopter pad to check out the beautiful birds waiting to go rescue some people) I was SO tired. I kept telling Talon that we should just head home because I just wanted to sleep.
We went back, they checked me, and nothing had changed. Bummer. They sent me home with instructions on when to come back. One nurse was optimistic and told me, “I am certain he will come today or tomorrow”, with a smile on her face. Another nurse told me, “I get off at 7pm tonight, I don’t work tomorrow, and am back on Sunday. Don’t come back until Sunday!” I already loved everyone there and didn’t want to leave!
Talon had decided to go to work that day, since we were released in time (10:30am) for him to get there. As the day went on, I had asked if he could come home two hours earlier just to help put the girls to bed, so that I could rest.
Thankfully, my sister in-law (Missy) took both Emery and Ella all day, so that I could take a nap. That was a gift!
The rest of the day, the contractions were all over the place. Some harder than others. Then, for 3 hours, NOTHING. Not ONE contraction. As you can imagine, discouragement set in. Missy had come over to spend time with me and so did my good friend, Lindsey.
We laughed, and talked for a few hours, which was so helpful, since just before that is when the contractions had stopped. They kept my spirits up!
Midnight rolled around, and those contractions started back up! I guessed it was going to be another night of zero sleep. These contractions came about every hour or so, sometimes, every twenty-five minutes, but they were INTENSE. Shooting me straight up in my bed, they were so intense. Sometime in the night, I got up and showered, just in case.
At 4:00am, I woke Talon up, apologized for waking him up, then explained what all was going on. He also worked this day, and I felt bad for messing his sleep up, again! He was excited, got up, and showered, then we both laid down on the couch to wait it out a little bit longer---just in case. I was able to sleep here and there, but, was still getting those contractions. My paranoia set in, and I kept thinking about how things were similar to Ella’s labor, and I just wanted to get to the hospital as quickly as possible. Around 7:00am, we got up, got things ready, and I woke my Mom up to let her know, we were yet again going to the hospital.
This ride to the hospital, was less than lovely. Those contractions were coming and they were painful! Not very fun when you’re strapped in a seatbelt! Luckily, they waited every ten minutes or so to grace me with their presence. (We stopped and picked up some breakfast on our way, to make sure to have some energy to what could be, a very long day.)
At midnight, on Friday, November 6th, I began to have some contractions. They were different than the Braxton Hicks I had felt all throughout my pregnancy, not painful, but uncomfortable enough to make me take notice. Around 4:00am, I began to track them on an app on my phone. They were coming every 10 minutes. I got out of bed (I hadn’t been sleeping at all that night), and finished packing my hospital bag, took a shower, and got ready. At 6:00am, I woke Talon up and explained to him all that was going on. He got up, showered, and we woke my parents up to let them know we were leaving, so they could watch the girls for us. Talon was scheduled to work that day, so, we wanted to get in early enough to check and see what all was going on, so, he would have time to make it back for work, or call to say he wasn’t going in.
We arrived at the triage center at the University of Utah Hospital around 8:00am, I explained that I was “38 and 4 days along”, and told them that even though I knew I wasn’t in active labor, I go pretty fast. Once they heard Ella’s very brief birth story, they quickly got me back to a room and did some tests, ultrasound and checked me.
1 centimeter dilated and 80% effaced.
They sent me walking for 2 hours. We walked all around the hospital, back and forth, through every hall, every flight of stairs and even outdoors where it was lightly snowing. (We even snuck up by the helicopter pad to check out the beautiful birds waiting to go rescue some people) I was SO tired. I kept telling Talon that we should just head home because I just wanted to sleep.
We went back, they checked me, and nothing had changed. Bummer. They sent me home with instructions on when to come back. One nurse was optimistic and told me, “I am certain he will come today or tomorrow”, with a smile on her face. Another nurse told me, “I get off at 7pm tonight, I don’t work tomorrow, and am back on Sunday. Don’t come back until Sunday!” I already loved everyone there and didn’t want to leave!
Talon had decided to go to work that day, since we were released in time (10:30am) for him to get there. As the day went on, I had asked if he could come home two hours earlier just to help put the girls to bed, so that I could rest.
Thankfully, my sister in-law (Missy) took both Emery and Ella all day, so that I could take a nap. That was a gift!
We laughed, and talked for a few hours, which was so helpful, since just before that is when the contractions had stopped. They kept my spirits up!
Midnight rolled around, and those contractions started back up! I guessed it was going to be another night of zero sleep. These contractions came about every hour or so, sometimes, every twenty-five minutes, but they were INTENSE. Shooting me straight up in my bed, they were so intense. Sometime in the night, I got up and showered, just in case.
At 4:00am, I woke Talon up, apologized for waking him up, then explained what all was going on. He also worked this day, and I felt bad for messing his sleep up, again! He was excited, got up, and showered, then we both laid down on the couch to wait it out a little bit longer---just in case. I was able to sleep here and there, but, was still getting those contractions. My paranoia set in, and I kept thinking about how things were similar to Ella’s labor, and I just wanted to get to the hospital as quickly as possible. Around 7:00am, we got up, got things ready, and I woke my Mom up to let her know, we were yet again going to the hospital.
This ride to the hospital, was less than lovely. Those contractions were coming and they were painful! Not very fun when you’re strapped in a seatbelt! Luckily, they waited every ten minutes or so to grace me with their presence. (We stopped and picked up some breakfast on our way, to make sure to have some energy to what could be, a very long day.)
We arrived at the hospital around the same time as the day before, 9:00am. Of course, the staff was different this day, and so, I showed up, said, “Hi, I’m 38 and 5 days pregnant, I was here yesterday, contractions are uncomfortable and coming every 10 minutes, this is my third baby, my last baby came so fast, she was delivered at home-by my husband…” One of the nurses interrupted and said, “Let’s get you back right now.” They don’t mess around!
I was immediately checked, I was now dilated to 3 centimeters, and 90% effaced. They asked where I was the day before, and I told them. Since I had progressed, they strapped me up to monitors and were going to come check me again an hour later. Boy, is it painful having contractions laying down! I almost lost my mind. Contractions were now coming every 9 minutes, which is a bit discouraging. An hour later, the nurse came back in and checked me, “You’ve progressed just a little bit.” OUCH! She did something that was so painful, I wanted to cry. She said, “Yeah, I just did something to help speed you along. I’m going to send you walking, since that’s more comfortable for you (I’m SO glad they pay attention over there!) come back in an hour and we will check you.” (Unbeknownst to me, one of the doctors on call in the labor and delivery room had told my nurse not to let me leave. So, this nurse stripped my membranes at that last checking. And, it worked! )
During the one hour of walking around, the contractions came every 4.5 minutes, they were so painful, I would stop in my tracks, pull Talon over to me, turn him around, and wrap my arms up over his shoulders, drop my hips and breathe. It also helped to focus on relaxing that belly, and I would do my very best to just go in my own little world and focus for that minute to minute and a half as the contractions revved on. I couldn’t worry about all of the passer-byers as I was contracting. I joked to Talon, “we better not walk too far down these halls on the wrong floor, I might not make it back in time!”
Up to the triage we went, and the nurse checked me, once again. “5 centimeters and paper thin”, that’s all she said and she rushed out of the room. I looked over at Talon, tears welling up in our eyes, I exclaimed, “we get to stay!” He said, “Babe, we could be holding our little boy in one hour!” I laughed and said, “Um, it will probably be longer than that!”
He gently placed his hands on my head, and gave me a priesthood blessing that all would go smoothly and quickly, and that all would be well with our baby boy. We were both in tears. What a humbling, sweet, and spiritual moment for the two of us, to know that it was time. Time to welcome this little guy in the world.
It was just before noon at this time, and they rushed me over in a wheelchair to the Labor and Delivery unit. It seemed like an eternity on the ride over! I was a bit sad, to be leaving all of those amazing nurses in the triage, but, didn’t sit on that very long! I was anxious to hold my baby boy, and experience giving birth again---yes, I actually do love it!
They strapped me up to a mobile fetal monitor, so that I could walk around the room, since that was more comfortable for me. But, those contractions were so intense and coming so close together, I just couldn’t get the strength to get out of bed! My head nurse, Pam was incredible! Pam! I will never forget her, and I wish I could have taken her home with me. She stood by my side, and was the sweetest ever. (Fun fact! She was the same nurse that was with my sister in-law, Missy, when she was there delivering her youngest baby, two and a half years ago. We learned this after looking through my birth photos!)
Twenty or so minutes in my bed, I had felt like my bag of water was leaking, and I told Pam. She grabbed a doctor to come check me, and the doctor told me, “You’re at a 7!” “Okay, I can do this! I’m in the home stretch!” I thought to myself.
What seemed like minutes later, my birth photographer, Brooke, showed up. She is the biggest sweetheart around! I’ll get to her more, in a minute. In the same moment, Pam told me that all of the doctors had rushed to a patient who was needing an emergency C-section. There weren’t any doctors around. Pam looked at Talon and said, “So, you might be the one delivering him after all!”
I continued to labor, laying there, thinking to myself during a very intense contraction, “I’m really not sure how much longer I can handle these!” In that very moment, I felt my baby’s head shift and slide down, then he slid again, and I hollered at Pam, “He’s coming! He’s coming!! I’m so sorry, but, I have to push! He’s coming! I can’t help it!” Next thing I know, as I’m pushing, a new lady came in and was introduced to me as the midwife that happened to be walking by my door. I heard Pam say, “the cord is wrapped around his neck-just once” A few more pushes and he was out! It seemed like the longest delivery! Even though it was merely minutes! I think I pushed for like two or three minutes. He was crying and had some fluid in his throat, so, Pam kept telling him, “come on buddy, keep crying”. He was right there, right at my face, I began to just kiss his sweet face and he immediately stopped crying, closed his eyes softly, and embraced that moment. My heart may have skipped a beat. This new, baby boy, meeting his mommy for the very first time. My heart was so full! I will never forget that split second in time, I will hold it in my heart and mind for the eternities.
Bridger Ollie Potter
Born 1300 hours. November 7th, 2015. Weighing in at 8.4, measuring 21 inches long.
Time pretty much stood still over these next few minutes. I could hardly believe it was all over. He was here. Bridger. The one that made his presence known to me months before that it was his time to come. My first little boy. My new little love. The instantaneous feeling of needing to care for him and make sure that he is protected and cared for, dependent on me on all things.
I was and am so grateful that Bridger happened to be born in a hospital, naturally and with a doctor to deliver him. I absolutely love the experience of being pregnant, and yes, I love experiencing the labor and delivery of a baby. It is something I could do time and time again because it is such a miraculous experience.
**How Bridger’s name came to be**
Two months before Bridger’s due date, I was on a walk with the girls, I said to Emery, “Gosh, Em! I just don’t know what we should name this little baby boy!” As we approached our house on our way back, Emery looked up at me and said, “Mom! I know what my baby brother’s name is!” I looked at her, smiled, and thought to myself, “She’s probably going to say, ‘rainbow-sprinkles-sunshine’ or close to it” Guys- she’s a 4 year old girly-girl, of course she was going to say something cute and silly like that. Her response? “Bridger. His name is Bridger!!”
I was shocked. Then a memory fled back to my mind. I was 17, at one of my very good friends house in Round Rock, Texas. Her last name was Bridger, and I remember saying to her, “Dude! Your last name is so cool, when you get married one day, you can use your maiden name as your boy’s first name!”
Bridger! Yes! I love the name Bridger. I told Talon about it and he loved the name, thought it was cool and unique. We especially love it because it’s the name that Emery, his bigger sister came up with. Bonus points? It wasn’t “rainbow-sprinkles-sunshine”.
His middle name, Ollie, is one that we love because growing up, Talon’s favorite thing to do was skateboarding. He loved trying and perfecting all kinds of tricks, and the “ollie” is one of the first tricks to master, so you can move on to others from there. It’s the perfect little middle name for our boy.
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