Labor Day weekend, 2019, we were enjoying exploring Georgetown and Leander Tx after moving 3 weeks prior from NC. We spent a lot of time in the water outside. I had a light contraction in the morning on Labor Day, and nothing throughout the daytime activities. 

 

Around 5pm on 9/2/19, I had more contractions. When I monitored them around 7pm, they were 18 to 40 minutes apart. I wasn’t concerned. I then went to the bathroom and noticed a little blood.

 

After calling my mom, and then the nurse line, we went to St David’s Georgetown to get checked out just in case. I was disappointed and felt guilty because it was 10pm and I might miss work the next day.

 

When we got to the hospital a nice Nurse, Nikki, checked us in. When they checked to see if I was dilated, they immediately said I had no cervix left and was fully dilated. They were immediately concerned. They did not have a NICU for my baby. I was so scared. Nikki prayed with us. They started me on medications to stop the contractions. They called the maternal fetal transport team who eventually arrived. Ty was the NICU nurse with me in the ambulance. She was so supportive. So were the other nurses but I don’t remember their names. 

 

We finally made it to St David’s Main and continued to be monitored. They decided to do an epidural to stop any urges to push. The epidural barely worked but I was happy to not feel the need to get my babies out. 

 

And then, we waited. We waited and waited. Grammy arrived on Wednesday to be there for us. We were so scared and the nurses and doctors were so surprised that I hadn’t given birth. It wasn’t until Wednesday that I felt something moving into the birth canal. I was so scared because they kept telling me I might just have the baby and not know it. But, we did find out that Audrey was head down and I would maybe not need a c-section. The doctor wanted me to do a test push. I told the doctor I felt like if I pushed, both babies would come out so they prepped me for delivery in the OR in case surgery was needed last second.

 

Dad and I were so scared. We left the room around 1:25pm. Once I was ready, I pushed twice and Willa came out. She was in her bag until the last second. Willa Faye Marshall was born at 12:49pm on 9/4/19. Immediately after Willa, the doctor said Audrey’s head had started to descend and that we would need to push her out too. She was till in her sack also. I pushed maybe 3 times. She stayed in her sack also until the last second. Audrey Lynn Marshall was born on 9/4/19 at 12:58pm. The moment she was born, we cried. And then we heard her cry. The fainest cry, but my baby was crying and I was so relieved.

 

They then took Audrey to NICU and dad went with. Grammy got to go to NICU to see her too.

 

I was then brought back to labor and delivery and I cried. Grammy came and she cried with me. What a blessing and the scariest thing that has ever happened to us at the same time. 

 

The nurse came in and said she was with Willa and that she didn’t think we would want to see her. It was a few weeks since she passed and didn’t feel she represented what she was as she was growing. She wasn’t even sure she’d be able to get us a footprint. We got one though <3. Audrey was in NICU and doing great. I was a momma of 3 now, and we were parents of 4.