We are thrilled to announce the birth of our daughter, Brynn Kathryn Moody. She was born at 1am on Thursday, June 4, 2015 weighing 7 lbs 6 oz and measuring 20 inches in length. Brynn’s middle name is for my mom, Kathryn Renee. All of us are excited to finally have Baby Sister in our arms!

Brynn’s birth was the most “exciting” of the three births. At my doctor appointment last Wednesday, my fluid was measuring low, the placenta was starting to calcify, and I was dilated to almost 4cm. On top of all that my OB was headed out of town Thursday afternoon. All of those factors made it clear that I should be induced–for which I was thankful! I was very ready to deliver.

I tried to get in touch with Stephen and finally called his main office number to tell a very flustered Daddy that his baby girl was going to meet him soon. We dropped the boys off at a friend’s house and headed to the hospital.

Dr. Oland broke my water and said he could feel the baby’s head. Although I wasn’t in pain, I was given an epidural since we expected a fast delivery. After laboring for a while, Dr. Oland discovered that Brynn had shifted with her head on my left side and her bum on my right. He said it was very strange that the baby would move during labor–especially without any fluid. He wanted to try an external turn to avoid a c-section.

He pushed Brynn’s head down and her bum up, and then had me hold her in place! I wasn’t strong enough, so Stephen helped. Brynn wanted to turn back, so Dr. Oland said he was going to do a MacGyver move. He placed rolled up towels vertically on the left and right side of my belly, and then put an elastic abdominal band around it all to hold Brynn in place.

I was given pitocin to help Brynn move further down into the birth canal. She didn’t like me laying on my back, so I had to stay on my side. When the baby’s heartbeat dropped during contractions, the nurses would come flip me over to my other side. I also wore an oxygen mask to help the baby.

After hours of flipping from side to side, we were in the middle of another flip when another nurse came in and said, “We need to flip over as fast as humanly possible.” I’m not sure what happened, but the baby must have been in distress. That nurse checked me and said I was ready to deliver! Dr. Oland arrived just then and pushing began. I pushed for about 15 minutes, and then Brynn was born at 1am on the dot!

They put her on my belly and then told me she had been born sunny side up (face up). Dr. Oland said when babies are born face up, it’s like delivering a baby a whole pound heavier than they actually are. Also, I later learned that women with sunny side up babies usually have to push for hours. I’m so thankful God allowed me to avoid a c-section and to push for only a few minutes.

Happy birthday, Brynn Kathryn. You are very loved.