Being a birth story photographer myself, I knew that with this pregnancy I had to prioritize finding the right fit for the intimate experience! During our first son’s birth, a dear friend photographed for us while during our second born, we braved it ourselves. Although, we got some beautiful photos, I really missed the shots where Isaac was being supportive during labor.

With this birth story, another friend of ours photographed the experience for us! Honestly, I wasn’t entirely sure she was going to make it because she had to work her 9 to 5 day job, but baby Lily held out just long enough for our friend to capture some key moments for Isaac and I.

Thanks Thérèse for capturing this birth photography for us! Lots of love 💖

Learning to Expect the Unexpected

Y’all. Let me tell you. I was unprepared for the difference this birth was going to bring. It was quite a day and night difference if you ask me! I’m not entirely sure how Isaac feels about it, but one thing is for sure-won’t be choosing an elective induction in the future (if I can convince Isaac to have one more in the first place).

If you haven’t read the other two stories, Isaac and I opted for a full natural experience. Spontaneous labor, no medications, shower/tub, etc. You know, the whole package. It’s my way of meeting Isaac halfway, since he’s still not entirely comfortable with the idea of a home birth…. maybe next time!

Anyways, this time was no different. I wanted a very low-intervention birth with just my midwives and Isaac. Lily, had other plans.

James was three days “overdue.” Thomas was three days “early.” So naturally, Lily being the third, I expected she would come a little early and I would have no issues just popping her out! That was not the case. From the very beginning, I never expected to go for the full 40 weeks. This was baby number three for us with uncomplicated pregnancies in the past and fairly “easy” births. Don’t believe me? Catch up and read James’ and Thomas’ experiences.

If I have learned anything this time around, it really is to expect the unexpected in birth and pregnancy. So next time around, I just won’t have any expectations!

Lily Margaret Marie

8lb 3oz | 19 inches | 8:09pm on 08/09

Lily’s Hesitation to Join the Grassel Family

Where to start…. this birth story has a happy ending but it is a whirlwind of a ride! Fasten your seat belts and get ready for the latest birth story in the Grassel family.

I’m not entirely sure if Lily was just super comfortable or if she was scared of her wild brothers, but by 39 weeks and a few days, I was getting a little nervous that she was not making her arrival. Normally, I would not have been concerned at all, but being the silly goose that I am, I was so confident she would come early that I booked a full 8-hour photo/video wedding day only three weeks after my due date. That being said, during my OB check-up with the midwife, it was stated that I was still only dilated one cm.

I knew I only had a short time post-partum from the due date until I started back at work with weddings, so I wanted to make sure we were able to fully enjoy the time we had with our fresh baby.

So….. we scheduled an induction.

Thankfully, I have some amazing friends who have experienced inductions before that walked me through options alongside what my medical providers were sharing. So I held hope that we could kick natural labor off without breaking my water.

Birth Photography – The First Induction

I’m sure the heading gives it away, yeah, long-story short: The induction failed. The best part about an induction when you have kids already, is you can make a solid plan for their care when you are at the hospital rather than scrambling at the last minute.

With James and Thomas secured, we were called at 5:30am to come in for the induction at the hospital. We set up the room and took a few birth photography shots right away to show the scene.

Quaint and quiet was the theme for this induction. Around 7am, we stopped for a quick light breakfast before arriving to meet my team. A plan with the nurse and midwife was made and we started the first dose of cytotec at 8am.

Cytotec is supposed to help ripen your cervix. The idea is that it helps kickstart your body so that it will take over and get labor going.

While we were waiting around for things to happen, Isaac and I decided to take this time and use it to our advantage. Summer is always a little wild, and we hadn’t really had any opportunities of late to go on any dates. Intentionally, we packed a few games to bring along and we cracked open Catan!

Honestly, not picture perfect, but it was super cute and we really just enjoyed the time together.

Around 10am, not much had started happening, so my nurse came and walked me through the hospital’s policy on nipple stimulation. She helped me set up a pumping station and cut holes through the belly bands they use for a make-shift pumping bra. This nurse was a rockstar. Seriously, for someone who wanted a low-intervention birth, she really made me feel completely comfortable and heard. She never really questioned my requests and just did her best to help me feel at ease. I can’t say enough good things about her!

Moving along, the pumping definitely made some contractions. Unfortunately, they weren’t very strong, so when we checked my dilation at noon, I was still only at 3cm. I also noticed a few decels in the baby’s heartbeat from time-to-time with the pumping which made me a little uncomfortable.

With this information, the medical team and I decided to forgo any more pumping and try another round of cytotec. Finally, I thought I started to notice more progress. Contractions were becoming a little more consistent and I was relieved that something was happening.

Then my hopes were dashed.

We did a cervix check and I only progressed one additional centimeter. I went from 1-4cm in eight hours. Not a very good sign. I really didn’t want to start on pitocin just yet, so we gave my body another chance.

Isaac and I were constantly walking around the halls, doing several different exercises and labor prep stretches, but nothing was happening. I tried to take a bath to emotionally relax and see if that had halted any progress, but by 6pm, I was still only at 4cm.

I was also stressed because my midwives were not on rotation for on-call over the weekend, so I knew it was a possibility I would go in with a provider who I’ve never met before. In full disclosure, I was in tears. I can’t even really express what was going on in my mind, but I was just so disappointed.

Round Two – Birth Photography at the Second Induction

After having my 41 week appointment in the office at my OB’s, I was shocked that it had already been a week with no spontaneous labor. I was still trying all of the things at home and really hoping that my (very tired) body would just get it’s ducks in a row already!

The appointment was also pretty shocking in itself. Not only had I not gone into labor on my own during the week since the first attempt, but I LITERALLY DID NOT PROGRESS AT ALL. I was still at only a few centimeters, 70 percent effaced, but I did have a “bulging bag.” I don’t know about you, but that always sounds funny to me. I had one with Thomas, and it eventually slowly leaked without me knowing.

In the office, my midwife and I decided to do a membrane sweep and had scheduled an induction for 4pm. Since Isaac and I were already in Rapid and held hope that the sweep would get things moving, we just made another date out of the experience and stayed in town.

Sadly, when we arrived at the hospital at 4pm, they didn’t have a room for us. There were too many mommas already in labor and delivery and since my induction was elective, they sent us home.

We didn’t get the call to come back into the hospital until 3am.

Go-Time.

4AM – admitted

6AM – pitocin was administered. Again, we maxed out on pitocin. And still nothing was happening. I was having the consistent contractions again, but not enough to induce active labor. Which meant one thing: I needed to break my water.

1:19PM – water broken. I dreaded this. This was the absolute opposite of what I wanted. It is invasive, and while it doesn’t hurt when they break it, the intensity after the “cushion” is gone is insane.

Like, I have had two natural births, and this was just insane. The pain was some of the worst I have experienced, and I almost gave into an epidural. Epidurals are something I personally have strong feelings against, and so Isaac helped me to stay on that track. But if I wasn’t already far enough, I might have said yes to it.

6:30PM – 7cm, asked for IV pain medication. The pain meds seemed to have helped for 30 minutes, but when I maxed out of those within the hour that I could have them, it was already too close to baby time to have more.

7:59PM – pushing

8:09PM – she was here. And let me tell you, I couldn’t stop yelling “SHE’s A GIRL!!” We have always wanted a girl, and I was pretty shocked. It was the only thing I could say.

Beyond the Birth Experience

Our birth photography journey doesn’t stop at that, though. It’s fun for Isaac to walk through with the kids capturing the minutes post-partum from foot-printing to weight and height etc. We are so blessed to be able to keep this birth photography and share it with our kids when they inevitably ask about the day they were born.

Not to mention, Thérèse was able to stick around long enough to capture a few moments right away after the birth and to snap some shots of Isaac and Lily. Those were some of the photos I missed most with Thomas’ birth story.

Sooooo… here’s your CTA: Hire a birth photographer. Ask a friend or family member. Just CAPTURE THOSE PRICELESS MOMENTS and milestones. Seriously, I regret trying to do it ourselves with Thomas, but am so thankful that we have something. And I am so grateful for our amazing friends who have been there to capture some birth photography of our other littles.

P.S. Can you count how many times I said there might be a next time? And who thinks I can convince Isaac to have one more?

DO NOT SCROLL PAST IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE BIRTH PHOTOGRAPHY OF A PLACENTA.

Cool. Glad you’re here! Placentas are really wild. Did you know you could donate your placenta? I didn’t know until this birth, so here’s my PSA to anyone who has a hospital birth! Don’t just let it go to waste. Placentas can be repurposed. Dakota Lions Sight + Health at Monument Hospital in Rapid City has a program that shares your placenta with up to 20-40 people. Check out the link because it has all the extra information. I am so glad that Lily’s home is able to be used for something better!

I wanted to encapsulate my placenta when I had James, but Isaac vetoed that. This is the next best option! Although, since I had low iron, it definitely would have been beneficial to encapsulate, but there’s always next time….

THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING. Don’t scroll down if you don’t want to see a placenta.

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