Absolutely healthy, more beautiful than I had imagined, and in short - PERFECT! I want/need to record her arrival so feel free to scroll thru the pics if birth stories aren't your cup-o-tea.
The OB at the office I had been seeing the last few appts. was strongly encouraging me to schedule a day to be induced. I really detest that word...it makes me feel like they're telling me that my body can't go into labor on it's own - which obviously it hasn't these past 2 pregnancies but I haven't gotten the chance to really let it! They were concerned with her measuring small, which she pretty much had been the entire pregnancy. Last ultrasound on Aug. 7th said she was measuring about 6lbs. 4oz. and at 39 week gestation, that was in the 10th percentile which makes them nervous apparently. I realize I'm not a small girl by any means...but who decided that someone my size is required to have a 9lb. baby?! I was not worried - but the dr. was. She said given my medical history (my miscarriages, Cannon, etc.) it would be dangerous to postpone this little girl's arrival.
On Aug. 9th, I let the dr. check my cervix after 4 weeks of refusing. Dilated to a 3, ZERO effacement. She stripped my membranes (which did not hurt, have always heard it does) and told me she'd have the office call me later that day to let me know what time to be at the hospital the next day.
I told Rod to head to the gym the next morning, like he always does and that I'd get settled into the hospital on my own b/c I knew this baby would not be coming while he was away. Carrie refused to let me go by myself, so she joined me at 7AM at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center. I'm sure we looked like quite the "pair" strolling up to my L&D room together. HA!
I had agreed to try the Cervidil first - if those did not work I was going to let them break my water and we'd go from there. We did the first round at 9AM and my nurse Deanna said I was a 3 and 50%. Good, that meant I was atleast somewhat effaced! You have to lay flat on your back for the first hour b/c of gravity and that was needless to say, ANNOYING! I never do well sitting still in general. I was having pretty regular contractions almost immediately so I was hopeful that I would only have to do one round of the gel. Around 10AM I was allowed to get up and walk around the floor, I felt like the contractions were tolerable but I could tell they were decreasing in intensity. Crap, round 2 was in my near future.
Around 11:30AM I got my 2nd round. OW. Deanna made sure to, as she so sweetly put it, "SHMEAR" that stuff real good. She informed me I was 4 and 70% (which is exactly what I was walking into the hospital with Cannon). Another hour flat on my back and again, contractions were regular and getting stronger. I had asked for a laboring tub but had not gotten it just yet b/c they were waiting to see if the gel would work. I walked the halls after my hour was up and had to stop quite frequently to hang onto Rod. I got back into my room and labored over a medicine ball for awhile until my nurse informed me that she had to monitor the baby b/c it had been awhile and she needed to check to make sure she was doing ok. I asked if I could atleast sit on the ball instead of in bed and she agreed to let me do that. I felt my body go into transition. I had asked for a wet rag b/c I was getting super overheated and while it felt great during the hot moments, it ended up soaking my hospital gown and then I was freezing! Deanna said my position was not allowing her to get a good read on the baby so I had to lay flat on my back and had to get hooked up to fluids to get oxygen to the baby. I asked her to check me b/c I knew transition was almost over and the end was in sight. She said, "You're a good 5." I about cried...infact, I think I did cry a little. There was NO WAY I was only at a 5 after all of that! I was flat on my back, not allowed to labor in the tub b/c I was hooked up to an IV and having to be monitored for atleast an hour b/c of the previous non-readings. My mom was there and asked for some warm blankets b/c she saw how bad I was shivering. She worked on my feet and Rod was right by my side as well, obviously as irritated as I was that I couldn't labor the way I wanted to. I got my warm blankets and my contractions at that point were literally on top of eachother. I told Rod if I had to stay this way for much longer that I had to get an epidural b/c I wasn't going to last, especially if I had only progressed to a 5 in the last few hours! Deanna came in and let her know I was requesting some pain relief, I cried and told her I didn't want one but I wasn't going to last. She grabbed my hand and told me that crying was not going to help, that I was totally capable, but that she would get me one if it's what I needed. I told her it was and about 10 mins later she brought in what I can only assume was a prep table for the epidural. Still having constant, hard contractions...I was in my mind enough to tell Rod to make sure she checked me again before I got the epidural.
At about 3:15PM she took me off the monitor b/c baby was doing great, checked my progress and said, "Oh girl, you're at an 8, you have GOT this!" Changing positions from sitting on the ball, having my mom work on my feet and getting those warm blankets were what I attributed to the faster progression. I had Rod help me into the bathroom and we planned to fill up the tub now that I was FREE from wires. As I went to sit down I instantly felt the urge to push. Uh oh. I shouted to Deanna that I had to push and she yelled back at me NOT to do so. I HATE when they tell you that! HA!
I could hear her running out of the room trying to page the doctor to get into our room ASAP! Rod helped me back to the bed where I sat on my hands and knees trying to keep myself from pushing. The next voice I heard was the doctor telling me to go ahead and flip over to my back after I was doing with my contraction. I will spare you some of her less than professional words she shared while in our room for at the most 7 mins total...good thing I only needed her there to catch my baby. I flipped over, put my feet in the stirrups just long enough to brace myself, pulled my legs back, pushed once and there she was! 6lbs 9oz and 18.5in long at 3:47PM. I held her while Rod cut the cord and the doc stitched me up. Kara had literally just walked into the room and got to see her arrival, (mom had walked out about 20 mins prior to take a break from watching me be in pain.) What a difference it was to actually enjoy that special moment with this brand new miracle instead of having them whisked away and left to wonder what could be transpiring while you're in a completely different wing of the hospital. Made me appreciate it that much more.
Getting ready to leave the hospital!
Snuggles with Daddy
My furrowed brow baby
I have been meaning to update for quite some time now, needless to say I am preoccupied soaking up every single second with her. We are in love all over again.
