So, I wanted to welcome you a little further into my life by sharing N's birth story! I'll try not to draw it out too much! My eyes are already welling with tears just thinking about the day she was born. N is so special, and I truly feel the day she was born I found a new definition to living!
I was originally due June 18th, 2012. The last day of April, maybe the first of May, I was sitting at work and was feeling a lot of contractions. I was 34 weeks along. I started timing them, and they were every 3-5 minutes. My coworker T noticed something was up. She asked if I was okay, and I broke into tears telling her I thought I might be in labor. She went into my bosses office and they said to call my OB. I remember it being the lunch break at the office, so I expected them to tell me to wait and call back later. One of the nurses told me to rush there, and go straight to their office. I called my husband telling him I was heading to the hospital (which is where our dr is) and he rushed down to meet me. I walked into the office and was immediately brought back to a room. L met me in the room. I was checked. 3 cm, 90% effaced. She said she was going to get me on the stress test machine to watch my contractions and we would figure things out from there. My water hadn't broken, but based off a test, she said it was leaking a little bit. I start texting a few close friends and family for prayers. The dr came in and said she was going to try to stop labor. They wanted N to grow more, and I hadn't gained a lot of weight, so they wanted us both to pack on some pounds. My dr gave me a shot and left me on the monitor. She said my contractions were originally very strong, and they were starting to calm down but she couldn't stop them. She said "I may see you tonight, maybe tomorrow, hopefully not until you are 37 weeks." She sent me home on bed rest for a few days.
Fast forward a week. I was home and it started again. My husband rushed me back to the hospital. Thank God we only live about 6 minutes away! This time, same thing. They tried to stop labor again giving me double doses of the meds. The medicine made me shake like crazy. I felt like I had a million Red Bulls and I was going to fly away at any point! This time, my doctor wasn't taking any chances. She put me on crazy strict bedrest. I was allowed to get up to use the rest room. Other wise, no cooking, cleaning, no stairs, nothing. I laid around watching movies and dreaming of when N would come. If you know me, you know how hard this is for me. I love working. I hated not being there. I hated not being able to do anything around the house or cook. But, I would do anything for my daughter, so I did as I was told... nothing.
As time went on we were shocked N hadn't come yet. My dr then told me that when your labor is stopped so many times, you likely won't go into labor until 40-41 weeks. I figured that would be okay. Well, at my 38 week appointment, the dr looked me over and saw my body just wasn't growing anymore. My hips were bruised, my ribs were bruised, and my body was just done. She said for my health, and N's she was inducing me Monday.
Photo on the left is almost 33 weeks. Photo on the right is about 2 weeks before N was born!
Okay, I thought, Monday. June 11th. Wait... June 11th? I instantly turned to L, worried. June 11th was my Daddy's 50th birthday. I didn't know if he would want to share his birthday. I called him and he was excited to share his birthday! Phew. Crisis averted. My best friend flew in the next day (after the dr appt) from New York. It was June 6th. We were in the middle of the craziest storm. There was layers of hail outside, and the wind was so bad, she was scared I would go into labor from the pressure changes. She ended up stuck in Salt Lake City for a few days, but made it by the 9th!
Anyway, the day before N was born, we were upstairs when I just lost it. I sat in N's gorgeous nursery. I bawled at the thought of labor, and something happening to my daughter or myself. S held me tight (she's the best, best friend.) Soon after we were laughing and smiling at the thought of N coming the next day!
Okay, sorry, this seems long already. I'll speed it up!
The next morning, we checked into the hospital at 6:30 am. A sweet nurse met us downstairs and brought us to our labor and delivery room. I had my IV's and everything all placed and was resting in bed by 7:15. L went down to the cafeteria to get breakfast around 7:45. My OB popped her head in at 8. I was 2 cm. It's normal, I guess, for meds to bring you down on dilation. She could sense I was nervous. She said she would be in around 1 to break my water, as pitocin was already flowing. I asked her if she would break it right now, thinking she would say no. She asked if I was serious. I told her I was, and she said she would definitely do it! When my husband came back at 8:10, I was alone in the room hanging out. He asked how I was feeling. I told him "great, oh, my water broke." He was shocked. He went to throw away his burrito. I told him not to, nothing would happen for a while. My dr said I would likely give birth around 2-3 am the next day.
By noon, my OB asked if I wanted an epidural. I wasn't in crazy pain, but was a little uncomfortable. She said I could likely handle it if I wanted to. I told her I felt like I should get an epidural. Something in my head kept telling me to. Once that was over, we just relaxed. My whole plan had always been to have a quiet room, lights dim, and lots of peace and quiet. I didn't want visitiors while I was laboring. I just wanted to be with my husband as we spent our last few hours alone! I had game shows on, and was playing along when the nurse came in at 2 pm. She asked if I wanted to be checked, I said that would be fine! I felt great, and we were enjoying the day. I told her I was hoping to be at 4. When she checked me she said "Holy smokes, you are already at 9 and 3/4. Just waiting for a lip to go. I'll be back at 2:30 to make sure you are at ten, and we will give you time to naturally start to get things moved down. You'll be pushing by 3!" My husband was eating pizza his parents brought up to the waiting room for him. I was thankful he didn't go to the cafeteria! My heart fluttered with excitement and nerves. It was almost time to meet our baby!
At three, it was time to push. The nurse said "let's do a test push and see how quickly you will get her out." As I pushed, she told me to stop, she was getting my dr. My dr came in, sat right down and said in the next contraction N would be out, maybe two. I looked at L, smiled and pushed as hard as I could. Well, I saw something shift on my drs face. She seemed concerned. She exchanged looks with the nurse, and the nurse instantly went to the heart rate monitor, and didnt let it go until N was delivered. After about 20 minutes, I asked if everything was okay? My dr said it was, and N would be out soon. After an hour, I asked again. Same answer. Around 5 pm, I started feeling a shooting pain up my spine. N was kicking a block of nerves. It hurt so bad. I believe at this point, I told my dr if she got N out on the next push I'd buy her a car. Haha. This is also when I told N "Princess, this is the only time in life I will tell you to go down to the white light." haha. I was in pain. And, I had the worst headache of my life. Then, all contractions just stopped. My dr told the nurse to stay on N's heart rate. She ran and got me tylenol and juice. She said this is a rare moment she will break rules of no drinking or tylenol. This is the point I knew something was wrong. With the pain, and the fear I started crying in between pushing. Yes, we were pushing with no contractions. I told my dr when I wanted to push, and she let me. I had been doing it the whole time in delivery so she let me keep it going. I love her for that. She later said I was right on with all contractions and knowing when to push. Any way, we kept moving forward, and my contractions started again, finally! After a few contractions, I asked "What is wrong? Why won't she come out?" My dr started to talk and I broke down and sobbed. N came right out. She laughed saying that was all it took was a good cry.
My princess weighed 7 lbs 5 oz and was 19 3/4 inches long. She had a huge head, which caused me to tear pretty bad. She started breast feeding right away. After I got stitched up, it was shift change. My husband helped the nurses bathe N as I watched from my bed. They delivered dinner, so I ate as they did that.
Here is N and I! She is about an hour old here.
Then, we snuggled a ton, and spent about an hour alone before introducing her to family and friends.
Here is N. She is 18 hours old in this!
N is the best little girl ever. Just sharing this has me in tears. I can't stop thinking about L and I bawling when she was born. We noticed right away that she had my lips and nose, and Daddy's big head and cheeks. She has my hands and long fingers and Daddy's legs and feet. She is absolutely perfect.
First family photo. 18 hours old.
N will be 10 months old next week. She is now 19 lbs 12 oz. and 27.5 inches long! We are SO blessed!
Hope you all enjoyed learning about my daughters arrival! Feel free to comment with your birth stories! See you all Saturday!
Love,
Kailly
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