Camden's Birth: As told by Garth

And the story came to pass of the birth of my first born in the wilderness, Camden Craig Wright. It all started (well not all of it, but the labor portion) on the morning of August 20th.  At 4:30am my lovely considerate and nearly 40 week pregnant wife woke me up to inform me that she thought she was having contractions, that they weren't going away laying in bed, so she was getting up to shower, blow dry, and straighten her hair. (All prerequisites for her going into labor.  Originally the goal was to teach me how to braid her hair so she would look cute for delivery, but 26 tests last semester prevented any time for that).
I really did try to go back to sleep, and I think I may have been successful for 20 minutes or so. However, I soon became very anxious, couldn't sleep, couldn't relax, and ultimately had nothing to do so I came out and informed Amy I was going to go for a run. "Really? A run? You're going for a run?" Yes. I was. Let me justify myself by saying I use my phone for music and gps when I run, so should anything happen (ex: her water break) while I was out I would immediately know and be able to return.  I did infact consider the thought that I would have to run back home which would not be as fast as hopping in a car and driving home, however I trusted my legs that if her water broke or she started having intense contractions, my adrenaline would probably carry me home at a record rate anyway.
But as I rounded the last corner on my short run for the morning I got a text saying that her contractions were stopping, not to hurry home, and that she was going back to bed. So after a run that did anything but take my mind off that fact that my wife could be in labor in a matter of minutes or hours, I decided I wasn't going to go into work druing the morning  and hopped right back into bed after my shower.  Ultimately something I'm glad I did, because sleep didn't come again until close to 24 hours later.
To be honest I can't really remember a whole lot of what happened throughout the day. I ended up going into work for about 3 hours from 1 to 4 pm. Then came home and Amy had started having contractions again.  (We can officially call them contractions now because that is definitely what they were, however at the time Amy was constantly second guessing herself that it was only back pain, that her stomach wasn't as tight as she thought it should be, or she wasn't in as much pain as she thought labor was going to be like). From 4:30 to 6:30pm we timed her contractions, watched home videos, and got hospital bags ready to go. (Which included a hair straightener, you know just in case; who wouldn't feel more comfortable knowing they had the ability to straighten their hair just in case they wanted to? Amy will not be happy I included this). Anyways, at 6:30pm her contractions had been between 3 and 5 minutes apart the entire time.  I was anxious to get to the hospital! In our birthing class the previous week the nurse told us that if contractions were ever between 2 and 5 minutes apart for at least an hour we should go to the hospital.
But rather than going we called the nurse on call for our doctor, although the doctor on call didn't actually end up being our doctor.  So Dr. Watson told us that because it was our first pregnancy we shouldn't rush to the hospital, especially because Amy wasn't in a ton of pain, and the longer we could stay home the better. It seemed immediately after I got off the phone Amy had some sort of heat flash, probably stimulated by the fact that she didn't actually think she was in labor and frustrated by the fact really wanted to get out of the house.  So we hopped in the trusty Alero, turned all 4 vents towards her on Max AC and hopped on the highway (The AC is coldest that way.) An hour later she had a root beer float and I had a cheeseburger meal from Dairy Queen and we were back at home to enjoy what we thought would probably be the second installment of the Bourne Trilogy.
Within 10 minutes Amy's contractions were a whole lot worse. (I forgot to mention she continued to have them about 4 minutes apart during our drive, and said they were worse. She attributed that to the fact she was sitting down though so evenutally she just wanted to be out of the car and walking around). No sooner had she mentioned they were worse then any appetite I had to eat was gone. Never thought I would throw away a perfectly good cheesburger.
Back to the car, with all the bags, the entire time Amy hoping no one sees us because she thinks it's a false alarm.  Mind you, every time she would say, "they are slowing down" or "they are going away", she would have another, and most of the time more painful than the last, contraction.  Same story as we're driving to the hospital. We're sitting at the last stop light before Madison Hospital when she utters those fateful words, "They are going away. We shouldn't have come." Yahtzee! Worst contraction yet. We're at the double doors parking in VIP until she gets checked out, and of course not carrying in all of our bags yet because we don't want to look like idiots packing for the Holiday Inn if we're not admitted and don't have a reservation.
So we get there, she gets hooked up.  Our nurse Marie was the bomb dot com. In honesty, we couldn't have done it without her.  She was amazing. So anyone else pregnant in Rexburg, have your baby at night, and request Marie.
But Amy gets hooked up, baby's heartbeat is good, and mountains are flashing across the screen slowly every couple of minutes. Translation: contractions. Most of them Amy wasn't even feeling.  So Marie leaves and says she'll be right back. Ha anytime a doctor or nurse says that you might as well take a 20 minute power nap. Good news is, by the time she gets back Amy has had some big contractions and Marie is optimistic. She asks Amy what she would like to dilated and Amy responds with at least 4 cm so she can be admitted and know that she is actually in labor. (I might add that Amy calmed down a lot once Marie informed her that she was indeed having real contractions). After checking her Marie says, "Amy you are amazing!" I felt like one of Pavlov's dog's, salivating with anticipation at what was next.  "You're a 6!" As in you are 6cm dilated, as in halfway through active labor.  What a rockstar! Amy was seriously the Gene Simmons of labor! (But only would he was actually a rockstar, not when he totally sucked on the Apprentice.)
With that I was out to park the car and bring up our bags, hair straightener and all. Amy had explained to Marie that our goal was to do everything natural without an epidural, pitosin, or anything. Judging by the fact she was already 6cm dilated and was hardly feeling it, we were very optimistic. Because she wasn't hooked up to any IV's or anything, she got the luxury (if any part of labor can be termed as such) of getting in the Jacuzzi. After an hour in the tub she decided to get out  (more or less because she had to be checked on the monitors anyway). So she was hooked up to the monitors for a few minutes, then decided to get up and walk around.  Walking for her helped her deal with the contractions the best. So we roamed the halls, and I did my best to describe our dream house from what we had come up with during one of our very first FHE's together.  We had to walk by a few people in the waiting area of the hall way who all looked at us very awkwardly like "What is she doing out here if she is in labor?" And I think I did a pretty good job at smiling and at least looking Christlike while thinking, "She is superwoman! Imagine having your cervex 6cm apart and a babies head constantly shoving downward and being able to walk around like this!".
But the point is, her contractions were getting worse, and Amy was starting to shake in between each one.  We went back to the room and Marie checked her again. Disappointingly, she was only at 7cm and it had been a few hours since we checked in. Marie did tell us that the shaking was a sign of transition labor however and that she should start dilating faster from here on out.  We tried numerous things, really got focused on breathing together (Hee Hee Hoooooo).
Not long afterwards we decided to go back to the Jacuzzi because Amy's contractions were alleviated a bit in the water, especially in this transition adrenaline shaking labor state. Although it was only about 45 minutes, that stretch in the Jacuzzi was definitely the longest, hardest part of the labor I believe. It was during that time the first signs of doubt came. Amy had reached what seemed to be most she could take, and said that if she was still only 7cm the next time they checked, she needed to get something to help. She was doing wonderfully with the pain, but exhaustion was quickly setting in and I could see every bit of it in her face.  It was heart wrenching knowing there wasn't anything I could do about it!
Eventually Marie came in to check on Camden's heart rate and we explained what we had decided to do if she hadn't progressed. Back to the room we went. Marie first checked Amy and the great news was she was dilated to 9 cm! This brought renewed energy and motivation for Amy which was much needed. Marie helped Amy with some different positions, especially because she seemed to do better standing up to bear the contractions. She stayed standing up but put all of her weight across an exercise ball on the bed which allowed her to completely relax after each contraction and Marie did counter weight on her back while I helped her breathe when the contractions actually came.
After a few minutes Dr. Prince came in and broke Amy's water (which at 9cm still hadn't happened).  It seemed almost instantly (with the help of Dr. Prince) she dilated to a 10 and was time to start pushing!  At this point it was about 2:15am. Marie was very encouraging and pushing seemed to provide a lot of relief for Amy during the contractions. She was aboslutely amazing at delivering the baby from here on out.  It was incredible for me to witness and such a testimony building experience at the miracle of life, the existence of our Father in Heaven, and the perfect way he has provided to bring his spirit children into the world.
It was very clear that our baby boy had a lot of hair early on. The moment I first saw his face is a moment I will cherish forever, although he wasn't exactly full of color at the time. It was beautiful to see the emotion flood through Amy as she held Camden for the first time. To be honest cutting the cord wasn't really a tremendous thing, maybe that's just me. The thing I loved most was just getting to hold him, help him with his first bath, change his first diaper, and of course speak to him in Twi while mom was taking her first shower!
I'll be honest, most of what happened as soon as Camden was here is kind of a blur. I was suddenly exhausted, and I wasn't even the one who had had the baby! All I had done was stand there, breathe a ton, making funny faces whenever Amy was pushing as I was also holding my breath and pushing, and try to encourage her to keep going! (Although I'm not really sure how much help I was throughout the whole process).
All I can say is Amy was aboslutely incredible throughout the entire experience. She overcame everything not only throughout the birth but throughout her entire pregnancy. She is an amazing woman, and one whom I am so blessed to call my wife and now mother of our first son.  She will undoubtedly continue to amaze me everyday and I'm grateful that Camden will be molded and shaped by the most caring person I have ever met.