September 20th, 2020
Our birth story begins when I was 33 weeks pregnant with Winter and decided to switch OBs. At my previous practice, whoever is on call will deliver your baby, which did not sit well with me. I knew I needed to make a change, and I am so happy I did! Two days before my due date, I had my 39-week OBGYN appointment. With no sign of her coming soon, my doctor told me that she would induce me if I went one week past my due date. She joked that I should eat at a particular restaurant, where women went into labor after eating their famous eggplant parmigiana.
Earlier in the week, my Mom flew in from Connecticut. We finished up the nursery, cooked, laughed, and enjoyed some much-needed mother/daughter time before baby girl arrived. That Sunday, September 20th, I turned 40 weeks pregnant, and it was her due date. Around 2:30 am, I woke up to what I thought was mild cramping. As they persisted, I woke up my Mom and Kurt and let them know that I was having contractions. At the time, I didn’t believe I was in labor and thought they might be Braxton hicks contractions. My Mom suggested that I get ready to go to the hospital just in case. After taking a shower, I began to time the contractions, and since they didn’t seem that intense, I tried to get some sleep.
At 7 am, I called my doctor and told her all the details: yes, I had a bloody show, no, my water hadn’t broken, yes, contractions were gradually getting longer and closer together. She advised me to go to the hospital to have my cervix checked. But since she didn’t think I was in active labor, she felt that I would be sent home. As I finished getting ready, I expected to feel nervous and stressed but instead felt a sense of peace. Thirteen years together, three years of trying to have a baby, two failed pregnancies, every negative pregnancy test, every tear, and the last nine months of carrying her led us to that morning. I was confident that I was strong enough for this.
We took our time and wanted to enjoy one last, early morning together before our lives would forever change. I craved yogurt parfait on our way to the hospital, and Kurt patiently drove to three different fast-food restaurants to find it. Along the way, I timed my contractions as they progressively got stronger and stronger.
As we pulled up to the hospital, we held each other and took a moment to be just us before becoming parents. We knew it would be chaos the moment we walked through those doors. We snapped some last-minute photos of us before we became Mom and Dad, and as soon as I stepped onto the hospital sidewalk, the contractions started to get real.
Once admitted, the nurses walked me through the plan for the day and gave me my IV. They were absolute angels and made us feel at ease. At that point, I had dilated to 10 centimeters and was ready to push! Our doctor and nurses could not believe how calm I was while in active labor. The only thing that made me nervous was that I might not be able to get an epidural in time, but the nurses scrambled to make it happen. The nurse instructed me to take a deep breath, hold it, and push while she counted to 10 throughout every contraction. Kurt and the nurse held my knees back each time and counted with every push. I just closed my eyes and concentrated on my breathing. It all happened so fast and was a blur. Although the epidural helped with the cramps, I still felt the extreme pressure of each contraction.
11:37 am 
Bringing my own fan was a lifesaver! 
12:43 pm 
My husband was my rock and encouraged me throughout the entire time. In all of the years we had spent together, those were our most intimate and emotional moments together. Nine contractions and 27 minutes later, our daughter arrived, and our hearts changed forever. As tears streamed down our faces, Kurt cut the cord. The nurse placed her on my chest, and it was pure magic. I couldn’t believe that I was finally holding our baby. The one that I had carried for nine months and grew inside of me. She had ten fingers and ten toes, a full head of hair, and big, blue eyes. She was perfect—more than perfect, and we couldn’t be more in love with our sweet girl. As they stitched me back up, the world slipped away, and it was just the three of us. Nothing else mattered; my whole world was right here. I had just become a mother and had never felt so complete in my life. Seeing my husband hold her, change her diaper, and rock her to sleep – I had never loved him more than I did right at that moment.
Within a couple of hours, they wheeled me into our recovery room as I held this perfect baby that I just brought into the world. The rest of the day, we had our doctor and nurses check in on us. We tried to take in each moment as it came, listened intently, and learned all about this new little person. We were in our happy little bubble, focusing on each other and the life we created together. Winter had made us a family. It’s easily my proudest accomplishment. I’ve never felt so strong in my entire life.
Sunday morning was a whirlwind but instantly, the most beautiful day of our lives. Welcome to the world, Winter Sofia Simbron. You’re here, and you’re perfect!
September 20th, 2020
12:39 pm
7lbs 13oz
19.75 inches
9/21/20 – On our way home!
