December 2, 2011

Sorry I haven't been keeping you updated lately but I have been a little busy...being a mommy! I've had lots of people ask me about the birth story and I want to try and remember every detail so this is going to be a LONG post. Beware....

On Thursday, December 1st I was supposed to have my weekly check-up with Dr. S. We were supposed to talk about inducing. After my grandmother and I went to lunch the doctor's office called me and said that Dr. S had an emergency surgery and they would need to reschedule my appointment until the next week. I told them no and that I needed to be seen that day. I was then told that the only other doctor in the office that day was Dr. P and he was overbooked. I said I don't care I have to see someone. So the nurse called me back and said come right in and they will try and fit me into his schedule. I waited an hour and was finally seen. Dr. P said I was still 2 cm dilated and fully effaced. I was having contractions 2-3 minutes apart as well. He said for me to plan on going on over to the hospital after the appointment. (Let me remind you that I have been that way for weeks! So I knew that in an hour there was a VERY slim chance I would be dilated more.) I asked him if that meant I was having the baby or would I be sent home again. He said it was really up to the doctor on call. I told him I refused to go up to the hospital again unless I was having a baby. So he called Dr. G (who was on call) to tell him what he would do. He still couldn't promise me I wouldn't get sent home.

So I was trying to take my time. Will went back to work to get a few last minute things done and I went home to pack the last minute things. It still hadn't hit me yet that this was it. At 5:00pm we were in the triage room of the hospital. The nurse (I actually had before and she remembered me) and Dr. G came in to talk to us about what was going on. While they were in there Annie Knox's heart rate dropped from 152 to 89. I could tell they were trying to hide it but we could tell they were a little concerned. Dr. G said he wanted to monitor her heart rate for the next hour and he would come back in and see us. After an hour Dr. G and the nurse came in and gave us 3 options. I could walk around the hospital to see if I would make any changes, stay in the triage room and get monitored or be admitted to the hospital and they may have to induce me. Will and I talked about it for a little while and decided to get admitted. Since everything including my contractions had been the same for weeks we knew that walking around probably wasn't going to change anything.

At 7:00pm we were admitted to the hospital. Dr. G said since I wasn't very far along this could be a very long labor. That it would probably be Friday night at the earliest to when she would be here. They also warned me it could be days and I may have to get a C-section. The plan was to start pitocin at midnight. So we called our family and friends but let them know that it would be a long labor and not to rush up to the hospital. Alex, Ellis, Bo and Will's parents, Jimmy and Nancy came up around 8:00. At 9:45 a nurse ran into to check on me. She wasn't the nurse that had been with me and she asked if I had been checked. I told her that Dr. G was going to wait until midnight to check me again. She asked everyone to leave the room. My nurse ran in at this time saying she saw the monitor. Not a good thing for me to hear. Then the next thing I knew I had an oxygen mask on. Dr. G came in and they told me her heart rate dropped again but it only happened that one time before so they weren't too concerned.

Once everyone left my parents and sister, Ginny, came. They stayed until midnight and then we told everyone to go home. We thought we might as well try and get as much sleep as possible. I also wanted everyone to be well rested for the next day. At midnight I received pitocin and by 1am I was dying for the epidural. They checked me at 2:30am at I was 4 cm dilated then at 6:30 am I was 6-7cm dilated/fully effaced and Dr. G broke my water. He said at the rate I was going to call my family and tell them to come up around 10ish and that she should be here by noon. At 7:10am I was 8cm and the nurse said to call my family and tell them to come now. Everyone rushed up and got to my Labor and Delivery room around the same time. The nurse came in to check me again and said it was time to start pushing. Everyone ran back in real quick to get their stuff and it was finally time!

At 9:00am I started pushing and at 9:40am she was here!! All 8lbs 2oz and 20 3/4 inches. It was the most amazing thing I had ever been through. I am not going to lie...it was painful. Even with the epidural but I swear you forgot all about it once you are holding your baby. When they went to clean her off she started crying and we could hear our families outside the door start cheering. It was so special!

After everyone was cleaned up Will and I had an hour just to ourselves with her. It was such a special hour together. We then had everyone come in at one time to visit her. I could relive that moment over and over again.

We are so in love with our little girl. She looks just like her daddy. She definitely has him wrapped around her finger. Will was so amazing through everything. He stayed right by my side the entire time. I am so blessed with such a wonderful husband and precious little girl.

Picture post to follow!