Our doctor was for sure that she would be making her appearance before then because I was dilated to a 3 and 70% effaced. But the days kept passing and I unfortunately felt amazing and had no change. Both of our families were in town waiting impatiently to meet this little girl but we had one problem, no baby. The day of induction crept towards us.
Thursday arrived and I was due at the hospital at 10am. We woke up early, picked up the house and headed to Denny's for a breakfast feast with Lance's Mom and Dad. I was trying to keep my mind off of what was to come. That morning was completely filled mixed emotions. I was ecstatic to meet my little girl but I was terrified for the labor process
We arrived at the hospital and Lance and I headed in while his parents parked the car. We checked in and within minuets we were escorted back and I was immediately given a gown to change into. When we came out our amazing nurse Brittney had everything ready to start the IV of pitocin. Things were happening really fast.
I was hooked up to the pitocin for about 30 min and I began having contrations. They were painless. The only way I could tell I was having one was on the monitor hooked up to my stomach. The nurses kept turning it up but I still couldn't feel anything. After about 3 hours of it turned up to a 10 and me only dilating to a 4 and having no pain just a little pressure, the nurses came in and asked me if I wanted to break my water to speed things up. We talked about it for a bit and they offered me the epidural first but we couldn't make up our minds. I was so scared!
We finally decided to break my water, see if the contractions got worse then get the epidural when I needed it. I didn't want the epidural slowing things down.
Breaking my water was painless and it wasn't even 10 min until I felt my first contraction pain. I would describe them as extremely uncomfortable, almost like a severe menstrual cramps that slowly got worse, peaked then went away. I could breathe and move through them. I decided to go ahead and get the epidural right away. I could have gone longer without it but I decided if I was already planning on getting it, I might as well get it right then and enjoy the rest of the experience.
3 min later they were asking everyone to leave the room so they could give it to me. I got so scared and I did not want Lance to leave. That was the hardest part of the whole labor experience. The epidural didn't hurt, but the fact that Lance had to leave me when I was so scared was the hardest.
Lance finally was allowed back into the room and seeing him walk in made me break down in tears. It was the only time during labor that I actually cried. I was so relieved.
After a while of breathing through some intense contractions the epidural finally took effect. I worked everywhere except the spot where I broke my pelvis 6 years ago. Because I was so tall the epidural took a little longer to get through my body. The pressure and pain on my hip was so intense, Lance was able to put counter pressure on my back that helped relieve some of the pain. That pain only lasted a few minuets and then I was numb.
They decided to check me again after I was fully numb only about 30 min after the epidural. I was at a 10 and ready to start pushing, the pain I was feeling in my hip was the baby making her way down into the birth canal.
Because my doctor had yet to arrive I had to resist pushing for a little while. Once she got there they immediately set up and I pushed for about 20 min and our little princess was born.
Haylee Marie Brown was born August 02, 2012 at 6:03 pm. Being 9 days late we got a little adorable chunk. She weighed 8lbs 5oz and was 20 inches long.
She had a little bit of fluid in her lungs when she was born but they suctioned them out and she started crying. She was perfect in every way!
I had an amazing and really easy labor experience. Labor only lasted about 7 hours and was for the most part painless. There is nothing in the world that can compare to seeing your child for the first time. That immediate love you have for the baby is unbelievable.
Being a mom is the best!! :) |
Obsessed with this little one! |
Ready to go home! :) |
Wow you are so lucky! The whole experience sounds like a dream! (I'm sure it still hurt...but seriously that sounds pretty uncomplicated.) :)
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congrats heather! what a little cutie you guys have! chubby babies are THE BEST :)
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