Your Birth Story

November 1st, 2013
We had a normal doctor appointment. When they checked my blood pressure it was slightly high. So they checked again a little bit later and it had lowered, but still a little bit elevated. The doctor wanted to see me back Monday to check BP again.

November 4th-5th 2013
I am so nervous and anxious because the doctor told me that if my BP was still high I would more than likely be induced. Of course this isn't going to lower my BP knowing that, so I expected it would still be high. Anddddddd, it was. So she wants us to go to Triage at the hospital to be monitored for a couple hours and get blood work. At this point I am freaking out and KNOW that nothing is going to stop it at this point!  We get to Triage around 4pm and long story short, my BP continuously stayed high and the blood-work came back that I had elevated protein. This is indicative of Pre-eclampsia although I have not had any other symptoms of pre-e and haven't had one complication this whole pregnancy. She told me she was going to admit me but first she had to start my IV. UGH. Everyone who knows me knows this was what I was most worried about (little did I know how bad contractions actually were going to be, ha ha) and unfortunately she blew my vein the first time so she had to do it again and thankfully she got it.  OW. I hate IV's.

So they move me up to the 6th floor and get me settled in, put me on the monitors, start some fluids. A resident comes in and inserts my cervadil (this softens the cervix so when pitocin is given it is effective) and let me tell you that was not fun. I had some contractions all night with that and eventually they just got worse and worse. The resident came back in and checked me and I was then at 3cm and the nurse said I was able to get an epidural if I wanted. Of course I had to because the pain was so unbearable I seriously thought I was going to die. I could hardly breathe through it and nothing I tried to do was effectively easing the pain.  The cRNA comes in and gives me the epidural (yea, that also was not a fun experience!) and it didn't kick in RIGHT away, it takes a little while, but when it did, I could still feel everything in the left side (ugh, I just wanted a break from pain!) We had them come back in and give me bigger doses, move me on my left side; which eased it for a little while then the pain would return, ect.  Then one of the residents comes in later and says they want to break my water. Great! This is going to increase the pain of contractions and then we're gonna get the pitocin started which is gonna be worse! I was bracing myself. He checks me and says "Uh, you're already complete. I don't even feel a bag?"  WHEW! I am ready to push! Are you kidding me! 3cm-10cm in only an hour or two!? For a first time mom?! How'd I get so lucky! Hah. So the placed some internal monitors on the baby's head so they could accurately measure contractions, and they gave me an amnioinfusion (this adds fluids so the baby doesn't stress out) and told me to try and sleep so I could 'labor down' and have baby's head come down further before we start pushing.

About an hour or two later, we decide to push and poor Brandon he was holding one leg while this male paramedic student was holding the other! I was hoping no one felt awkward because at that point I sure didn't!  Once the doctor got there we really didn't push for very long, I can't remember how many contractions we pushed through, but when she crowned she easily came right out! The doctor was surprised because she was so incredibly little compared to what had been estimated in all our ultrasounds.  She was expected to be 7.5lbs and was 4lbs 14oz! She is healthy though! I didn't even tear or rip - just needed a couple internal stitches and then we were on our way!

Honestly I am so surprised at how fast and smooth it went after it all started. I expected to labor for at least 24 hours before anything big happened. I can't believe I got so lucky with the way everything turned out at each step of the process.

Baby girl,
 You are the biggest blessing in the world. I can't believe I haven't written to you since August. You are sleeping peacefully next to me as I type this, and I just look at you and smile because you are so precious.  When I was pushing I kept asking daddy "Is she out yet" and finally when you were, he looked at me and started crying. You were here! The doctor placed you on my chest and I was so overwhelmed I didn't know what to think! They immediately took you away because you were so tiny (4lbs 14oz!) and then they started to stitch me up and clean me up. 

We still can't believe WE created YOU. You are so so so perfect and everyday is so amazing because you are alive.

Love,
    Mommy.