Thread: January 2009 ~ Arrivals, Stats, and Birth Stories

Introducing:
Piper Ansley
January 18, 2009 1:41am
8 lbs, 7 oz
21 inches

Piper’s due date came and went and, needless to say, I was becoming very impatient! I had not felt so much as a twinge, let alone any contractions to suggest that her arrival was imminent. Finally, on the third day, I woke up at 4am with what I knew had to be a contraction. It was painful! The contractions continued very sporadically throughout the rest of the early morning with no real regularity, but enough to make me think that “this could be the day!”

At 4:00pm the contractions started becoming more regular and more intense. We started timing them and they were about 8 minutes apart. I figured things were getting serious, so I put together the rest of my hospital bag. By 6:45, the contractions were 4-5 minutes apart and we knew the time had come. Off we went to the hospital with my parents driving in the car behind us.

By the time I got into my hospital gown the contractions were coming fast and strong. Though I had been committed to having a natural birth and taken 12 weeks of childbirth classes to prepare myself, I completely melted down. I told Conor, “I can’t do this. I need an epidural. This is the worst, most horrific pain I have ever felt and I need the epidural!!” He suggested that I try a few different positions first before we went that route so I begrudgingly just went along with it. I stood and leaned on him and swayed through the next few contractions and then sat and leaned my head on his stomach (he stood in front of me) between the contractions. After a while, I laid down on my side and went into what I can only call “survival mode.” For the next 2-3 hours, I remained in one position with my eyes closed and did not say another word other than heavily panting through the contractions. Conor thought I was asleep! I assure you I was not; just very focused on trying to get through it.

Finally, I got to the point where I knew I needed to push. The nurse kept telling me not to because I still had a lip of cervix left, but pushing isn’t so much a “want” as it is a “must.” I involuntarily pushed a bunch through the next few contractions anyway. Eventually, I was fully dilated to 10 cm. and the doctor arrived so I was allowed to push. That was intense, to say the very least! I was in such a zone and had no awareness of time. I pushed for about 50 minutes, but I thought it was only about 10! Conor helped me through by giving me updates on how close we were getting. FINALLY, at 1:41am (about 6 ½ hours after arriving at the hospital) and with a mighty push, Piper’s head came out, followed by the rest of her body about 5 seconds after that. She started crying immediately! They put her on my belly and she looked like a little grape, all purple and squirmy. After giving her a little oxygen she quickly turned bright pink. She weighed 8 lbs, 7 ozs and was 21 inches long.

Unfortunately, I tore to within a hair of my rectum. It was pretty bad. It took the doctor a while to stitch me up and I was shaking uncontrollably throughout the whole time. We stayed in the hospital for about a day and a half and everyone there was fantastic. As excited as I was to go home, it was actually a little sad to leave! I enjoyed being in our cozy little room and getting anything we needed at the push of a button! Never mind the fact that Piper stayed in the nursery at night and was only brought in for feedings.

We’re home now and I’m recovering pretty well. Piper is healthy and cute as can be! I’m falling more in love with her every minute. Last night (our first night home) was pretty rough with very little sleep, but we’ll just have to work on that. Breastfeeding is going pretty well. My milk has just come in but my nipples are incredibly sore. Piper nurses like a champ but I fear I’m not latching her correctly since my nipples are so raw. Fortunately, my parents are here so they’ve been cooking, cleaning, and helping out with Piper whenever needed. It’s been a huge relief for me to have them here!
The whole birth experience was pretty incredible and I’m still in total awe over Piper and her perfect tiny body. I expect these next few weeks to be pretty difficult as Conor and I adjust to having a tiny baby, but I know we’ll get through it!

On Jan 15th, my DH and I went to check in to the hospital for a scheduled c/s at 5 am. I got all settled and they started my IV drip. I met lots of hospital staff. The doctor, anesthesiologist, charge nurses, RNs, nurses aides, and the doctors assistant. They were all sweet.

They walked me to the OR and I got up on the table, the started the meds, gave me a spinal, then started the cath, got me all strapped in and ready to go. My husband came in shortly after and the surgery began.

At one point I felt kind of sick to my stomach, but I didn't vomit.. proud moment for me.

I felt a lot of pressure and tugging and then the sweet sound of my baby crying. I also heard, "IT'S A GIRL". YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was shocked that she only weighed 6 pounds 8 oz.... she was tiny... My husband got to hold her for a long time while they completed the surgery.. the doctor said that it was a good thing that I opted for a c/s because the placenta had fused to my uterine wall and it took over an hour to get it out.. then they did the tubal. All in all, it took about 2-2.5 hours.

They sent me back to recovery where I was informed that I had lost a lot of blood in the OR and my hemoglobins were only 6.5... I was in for a 3 night stay if not more.

My hemoglobins never did increase, but they kept me under close watch.

My daughter is perfect.

Shania Joy (4boysn1grl)
Born Jan 15, 2009 @ 39 weeks exactly (EDD Jan 22, 2009) 8:29 am
Weight: 6 lbs 8 oz
Length: 19.5 inches
apgars: 8 & 9

Wow, ladies, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to post, but things have FINALLY started to settle down a bit. We are getting into a routine so I know when I can grab a chance to post.....and here it is. I'm going for it......

It all started out on Sunday, Nov. 30, well, actually that whole Thanksgiving weekend, things were a little stressful in my household. Without going into details, me and the DH were at eachothers throats and he left early on Sunday to go back to Indiana (for those who don't know....my DH works 8 hours away in Indiana and comes home on the weekends). I was completely stressed out and spent all day Sunday on the couch trying to calm down. The whole night I had real bad menstral-like cramps. They were so bad that I even looked up on the internet about menstral cramps this late in the pregnancy. Everything I read said that it's a sign of preterm labor, but I was on the progesterone shot, so why should I worry (yea, right). I went to bed around 11PM because I had to work at 7AM the next morning....

At 4:15AM I woke up to a wet, warm feeling between my legs. I was like "OMG, I"m peeing my pants", so I got up. On the way to the bathroom, it gushed out of me, but I still was thinking I was peeing. I sat on the toilet and tried to feel which hole it was coming out of (I know, TMI), and I confirmed what I thought...it was my water. I immediately called my mother to tell her that my water had broke and I needed to get to the hospital (when my water broke with my son, I had him in 1 hour and 16 minutes). I went and woke up my son so he could help me get some things together. He woke right up and helped me...God love him. Water was pouring out of me. I couldn't believe how much was coming out. I was crying "It's too early for this", but my son soon calmed me down. I called off work (ha) and then called L & D and told them I was 34 weeks and my water broke and I'm on my way. I called my DH, and even though he had left me mad on Sunday, he told me that he loved me and he was leaving to come home ASAP. My mother showed up about 20 minutes later. I had one contraction, which wasn't that bad, waiting on her, but on the way to the hospital, I started having contractions more frequently, but not really painful.

I arrived at the hospital around 5:15 AM. Water was still coming out in gushes. The nurse confirmed by just looking at all the fluid that my membranes had ruptured. They hooked me up to the monitors and found Evie's heart rate. It was perfect. That was a relief for me because she hadn't moved this whole time. The nurse then went to check me......I WAS 5CM. I was like HOLY CRAP. I had really only 2-4 major contractions. The nurses were scrambling around, especially when I told them of my history. The hooked me up to some fluid and put a foley in (ew !!). They said that emptying my bladder would help slow the contractions. The contractions started to get a little stronger and at 6:15AM they checked me again. I was 6-7 cm. They asked me if I wanted an epidural and I said yes. I decided that I wanted to enjoy the birth and being in pain would not do it for me. The anesthesiologist came in around 6:45 and it took about a 1/2 hour to get the epidural in. It was the worst part of this whole birth, but well worth it. The nurse checked me again around 7:30 and I was 8-9. Now I was pain free and just waiting for my body to do what it needed to do.

At around 8:10AM, I started to feel like I had to POOP (sorry). The nurse checked me and I was 10CM and completely efaced. She called in the doctor, pulled in the sterile table and informed me that I could start to push. My mother was next to me, my father was behind me (with a camera and he was given instructions to stay BEHIND me) and my husband was about 25 miles north of Cincinnatti. I started to push at 8:25. At first I wasn't pushing right, but then I found the right place. I could feel the doctor touching down there, but NO pain whatsoever. After pushing maybe 7-8 times, Evie was born at 8:41AM on December 1, 2008.

Evie let out a cry, so I knew she was OK. The nursery nurse had her and was doing their thing, checking her while the doctor was sewing me up and cleaning up. The nursery nurse said that I could give her a quick kiss because she was weezing a bit and she wanted to get her over to the nursery. I kissed her and Evie was gone.

After I was all sewed up and all the excitement was over, I was left alone with my mother and father, oh and my son came over. Not too much later, the pediatrician came in and I knew something was wrong. He said that Evie just can't breathe on her own and that they had to tube her. He also asked if I preferred Morgantown (WVU) or Children's hospital in Pittsburgh, because they have to life flight her. I WENT NUMB.....

I chose to have her life flighted to Pittsburgh, it was closer. My DH finally made it to the hospital around noon and we both went in to see Evie before she went on her helicopter ride. All the crap that we had put eachother through went out the door....we vowed to make a new beginning. It was a very emotional moment that I'll never forget. The first time we both laid eyes on our daughter, we started over. We both meant it and things have been wonderful in that area since that moment. My DH then left me to drive to Pittsburgh to be with our daughter.

My doctor came in around 2 in the afternoon and said that when I felt like it (???) I could be discharged to go see my daugher. THere was NOTHING keeping me from getting to her, so I left the hospital around 2:30, six hours after giving birth. My mother and I went to our house, packed a bag of things for me and Evie and off to Pittsburgh we went (about and hour away).

My SIL updated you all with the details of the HELL WEEK, but it had a happy ending. Evie is home and as perfect as can be. The 9 days in the NICU changed me and my DH. THere were so many sick babies, they are all in our hearts along with their parents. What an awful, yet needed place. THe people that work there are angels. I think of them everyday........

So, our new lives have begun. I'm breastfeeding...woohoo. I was really scared of it, but with the help of some great lactation nurses, I'm doing it and it's been wonderful. I encourage EVERYONE to try it. I'll post my BF story on another posting.

Thank you ALL so much for all your prayers and thoughts...I felt them. I'm looking forward to being more active on this board since we have our routine going.

John Robert “Jack” S
Born: January 14, 2009 at 5:26 AM
Weight: 6 lbs 15 oz
Height: 20 inches

I got up on Tuesday January 13, got showered and ready to go to the hospital for the induction, we were supposed to be there at 8:00 but were running late and Mark insisted that I eat a big breakfast, he made me eggs and toast with OJ and milk, little did I know that was the last thing I would eat in over 24 hours!

We arrived at the hospital at 10:00 am and got hooked up to all the monitors, much to my surprise I was contracting, but they weren’t strong enough so they started the pitocin. Wow did I feel them now.

I labored through them for an hour and the nurse checked me again, no progress, still 1 and a half. She turned the pit up and I labored another hour – no change, and another, no change. Finally around 2 I had made it to a 3 and from there on out about 1 cm every 2 – 3 hours. It was awful.

Around 4 pm I requested the epi and it was so painful going in I wanted to die. After the epi started to work the baby decided to lay on my sacral nerves which the epi doesn’t cover, so I was numb, but was also having horrible back labor. My Mom and Mark talked me through it, I do remember crying a lot for those 2 hours of labor. Finally the baby moved and I got some rest.

When I woke up it was about 10 pm, and the baby’s heart rate dropped so they had me lay on my right side and turned the epi down and the pit off. Everytime I contracted his little bum would go into my ribs and make me feel like I couldn’t breathe. It was horrible and they gave me some stadol to take the edge off because I was getting a little panicky. His heart rate finally went back up and he seemed to be doing well.

They turned the pit back on. Well from laying on my right side the epi had gone to that side and the left side was feeling everything. So I had to lay on the other side in order to even things out. It was now about 1am and Mark decided to take a nap. I was still having issues with the uneven epi, so the doc gave me some more stadol and it took the edge off until the epi evened out.

At about 2:30 the baby’s heart rate dropped again, but after I laid on my right side again, it jumped back up, the doc checked me again and I was finally a 9.

Around 3am I felt the urge to push, and we started, I was having a hard time getting him to come down. The nurse was helping me and my mom and Mark were holding my legs. I pushed and pushed and pushed some more.

Finally I had brought him down far enough to call the doctor. Everyone kept telling me about his dark hair, but I was so exhausted that I didn’t much care, I just wanted him out!

His head was positioned sideways, not sunny side up, but not the correct position either. I continued to push and push, they were trying to lube his head with soap, but it wasn’t working and my doctor numbed me and started the 1st episiotomy, then the 2nd, then the 3rd, at this point I was ready to give up, I still don't know how many stiches, but I know there are A LOT and they are inside and out.

Mark was wonderful in motivating me. The doctor called for the vacuum, by this point the pain was absolutely excruciating. He hooked the vacuum up to his head and started with my next contraction, and it broke suction, I distinctly remember my doc saying that he needed my help and I got a burst of energy from somewhere and decided his head was coming out the next push, so he hooked it up again and with my next push his head was out, then the next contraction he was born.

He started screaming immediately, it was the most amazing feeling ever. They took him to weigh him and I remember asking if that was all he weighed, because I thought it was a lot more that 6lbs 15oz, Mark got a kick out of that! LOL

The doctor sewed me up (that took an hour) and I got to hold my son for the first time, what an amazing feeling.

Charles Miguel
Born/DUE: January 5th 2009 @ 6:30 AM
7lbs, 1oz
21 inches

Sunday at 3:40pm I started having contraction, DH wanted to time those and I introduced him to contraction master, he loved it...
I cooked dinner even when DH thought it was better idea to go out because my contraction, at 8pm wanted to go sleep but contractions were closer and longer and DH was very upsed suggested that I should call the Dr long time ago... I decided to call my Dr at 9:30pm and she was me to go ahead to the hospital to check me.
We arrived at the hospital at 10:22pm and I was 2cm,75%. They asked me to walk for 1 hour to see if I have some progress... At 11:45pm I was 4cm,80% and they admitted me, prepared a jacuzzi tub, and checked me at 3 am, Monday, I was 7cm,90% and my water broke.
At 5:15 am, they asked me one more time if I wanted an epidural... it was the third time I think... I wanted to push and I was 9-10cm,100%... they told me to wait, but 15 minutes after that I could wait more and they wanted me to started pushing, baby was very low, they could see the head but couldn't take him out. They started to change my position, and wondering why the baby's heart rate kept dipping low...
At 6:00 am medical staff told me and DH that I should get some medication like epidural "that it will help to get baby out" . At 6:12 DH, concerned about me and baby, persuaded me to get an epidural, a minute or two later I agreed to get it. But, they stared talking faster and taking me to the surgery room, on not more de 30 seconds I was sleeping (general anesthesia). Around 16 people, medical staff, was in the room, DH got ready to join me but he wasn't allow to be there (DH told me more people were arrived and leaving the room, and everyone said "everything will be okay..." )
LO born at 6:30am, he was wrapped in the umbilical cord and holding on to it. He was healthy, passed all the test.

I wanted to be released Tuesday, but by hospital rules it wasn't possible until at least wednesday. My Ob Dr signed to release me Wednesday or Thursday. Wednesday, Pediatrician was concerned about development of jaundice (It because we have different type of blood) and admitted to the hospital, so I decided be in the hospital as long as my LO was there. Thursday I was released and got the change to be in a room close to in NICU, I went home for three hours today since Sunday, DH and I had been in the hospital all the time. Friday 9th, we took LO with us to our home, we were so happy, until pediatrician called me to let me know that we needed to go back next day and it was the possibility LO be admitted again, but everything goes well and LO got stable.
We were so frustrated with all, even DH burst into tears ones. It made us to get MIL a ticket to join us at least for a week (MIL arrived Friday 9th to Colorado from Florida).

The birth of our LO was not quite what we were expecting, but he is doing well. DH is calling him "Crash" , because all the Nursery floor identifies us as "the crash patient" (LO has been very popular).

isabella raelynn born january 15, 2009 at 8:26pm by c-section. 8lbs, 8oz, 21 in long. her apgars were 8&9

it was a scheduled c-section due to her being breech for the 22nd. i went to the dr on the 13th and my blood pressure was 166/92. the dr decided to move things up til the 15th. we were scheduled for 7pm.

well of course its the coldest day of the year, -5 when we left to go to the hospital at 1pm our time. the hospital is in indiana, theyre an hour ahead. our car would start but we made it about a block before it started spitting and sputtering so we went back home. had to call my parents for a ride. we are in admitting when it came across the tv about the plane going down in the hudson. so we get to our room and they come poke me and get me strapped in. we were on the monitor for about an hour and all looked good. my parents, grandma, his parents, sister and one of his friends and girlfriend plus us all piled into this little drs office size room for almost 3 hrs.

my dr didnt show up til 7:45, anest not til 8. it took him 4 tries to get the epi in, omg thats a wierd one. i didnt like that feeling at all. it made me shake like a leaf and instead of my blood pressure going down it shot up. she came out just a screaming at 8:26 pm. the dr held her up but not up far enough over the screen to be able to see. then they took her to check her out and they gave me something that i fell asleep on when they sewed me up. they had him stand up while they were sewing me up and he saw my "innards" and hes a baby when it comes to stuff like that. he couldnt watch them put my iv in. the look on his face(what i could see of it) was great. then i passed out. it was after midnight before i first saw her.

shes got a full head of brownish blonde hair. i think she looks like when i was a baby but she has her dads ears, nose and toes. i thought i had monkey feet but his toes are really long and so are hers. her face is a little bruised across her brow. her sugar was great. the dr was suprise since they considered me a "poorly treated diabetic". were not breastfeeding. we tried but my boob is bigger than her head. i would be afraid of it too. she wasnt tolerating the formula very well at first but now shes eating like a champ. so happy to have things over with, even with a c-section im in less pain than i was. sleep would be nice though

Ryan Matthew (LadySenna)
Born @ 40w 1d (EDD 1/9/09) 1/10/09, 10.58am
Weight: 7lbs 12oz, Length: 20.25"

Well, this is going to be very long. Firstly, it actually begins with my doctor's appt on the previous day, and secondly, because of the problems after Liam's birth, I remember very little of Liam's birth, so it was doubly important to me to remember every detail of Ryan's birth.

I had my 40wk appt on Friday, January 9th, my EDD. Apart from feeling the general aches & pains of pregnancy, all was well, so I just figured I was going to have to wait it out. I'd been having contractions for a couple of weeks, at least, but they never became sustained. When my dr checked, I was about 2.5cm dilated ~ just a small progression from the previous week.

I was surprised, then, when my dr asked me if I wanted to be induced, especially as I wasn't even really overdue. I will say, that she never pressured me, and let me make the ultimate decision, bu after the problems I'd had with Liam's delivery, I knew she wanted to deliver me herself, rather than one of the other doctors in the practice, and after the weekend, she wasn't going to be around for another 3-4 days.

I was initially reluctant to agree ~ I was concerned that being induced would increase my chances of a c-section, if they broke my water & I failed to progress. I also knew tha twith pitocin, I would be unlikely to deal with the contractions without an epidural, and it was after the epidural that my delivery with Liam started to go downhill. We discussed my concerns, and my doctor told me, my chances of ending with a c-section were only about 1% higher than with a natural birth, as I was already dilated and having contractions, conditions were "favourable" and we would just be "helping things along."

She did voice concern that the baby was already big (estimated over 8lbs), and as I am quite small-framed (overweight, but still small-framed), that if he got much bigger, I would have a greater chance of ending with a c-section. This, coupled with some more "convenience" reasons (I had already used one week of my FMLA, and didn't want to lose much more, without having the baby; my parents had just arrived in town and were only here for 2 weeks), I agreed, with a little bit of fear & reluctance, to the induction.

To my surprise, it was scheduled for 4am the next morning, Saturday, January 10th. I wasn't expecting it to be that soon. I didn't sleep much that night ~ I dozed off & on, on the sofa, then got up around 2.30am to get showered & changed. DH & I arrived at the hospital around 3.45am. By the time I was checked in and all the paperwork done, it was 4.30am, when the nurse hooked up the IV & switched on the pitocin. I was told it would take about an hour to take effect, and sure enough, the contractions started at 5.30am. I had progressed to 3cm by this point...

For the next couple of hours, the contractions progressed steadily. To start with, they were close together (about 3mins apart) but were short & light. As they gradually increased the pitocin, they got further apart & stronger, and I felt that the labour should have been progressing, but when the nurse checked me again at 7.30am, I was only 4cm dilated & 80% effaced. I started to worry that I had made the wrong decision, and that my labour was not going to progress. The pitocin was increased again, and the nurse, on the instructions of my doctor, broke my water.

Then the contractions increased in strength & duration, to be much stronger & more intense than I ever remember them being with Liam. At 8.45am, I asked to be given the epidural, even though I was still only 5cm dilated & 90% effaced. I had hoped to wait until I was at least 6-7cm, but I could feel myself starting to fight against the contractions, rather than working with them. The anesthesiologist arrived at 9.15am, and the epidural was in place by 9.30am.

It was a far better experience than with Liam, when I lost all feeling & movement in my lefts, and could no longer feel any contractions or pressure. This time, I still had movement in my legs, and I could still feel the contractions, the epidural just took the edge off of them, so I could go back to working with them again.

By 10.30am, just an hour later, I was complete. It took my doctor a few minutes to get back from her rounds, and I started pushing around 10.40am. I only pushed a few times, and Ryan was born at 10.58am. This time, there was no excessive bleeiding, no threat of a c-section and no episiotomy ~ I did get a small second degree tear. From this point forward with Liam, I remember nothing, I was in mild shock because of the blood loss. This time, I watched the placenta come out, chatted to my doctor while she stitched me up and saw them clean up & weigh Ryan etc. etc.

He weighed 7lbs 12oz, 20.25 inches long - so nowhere near as big a expected (Liam was exactly the same weight, just nearly 2 inches shorter). His agpars were 8 & 9 (I don't know what Liam's were), and when they gave him back to me around 11.15am, he took to the breast immediately and nursed for about 20mins (Liam did not nurse straight after the birth). This turned out to be far more important than we realised, as Ryan tested positive for Coombs disease (I am O+, Ryan is A+ blood type, so my antibodies started to attack his blood in utero). This can cause very extreme jaundice ~ breastfeeding is one of the best antedotes for jaundice, and Ryan didn't even develop slight jaundice, possibly because he nursed so soon after he was born.

Our last hurdle was the echocardiogram, to check that his VSD had completely closed. That was performed on the following day, and no sign could be found, so Ryan was released with a clean bill of health. By his one week appt, he was already back to his original birth weight, and our pedi was amazed at how well he was doing, considering the Coombs diagnosis ~ so well, in fact, she isn't even worried about checking his weight again at two weeks!! He is doing an amazing job ~ eats like a champ, and seems to be working out his days & nights.

Here are a few photos, I have inclused a couple of Liam at the same age for comparison ~ they could be twins.

Thanks for reading.

Ryan:



Some family photos:



Liam as a newborn:

Elizabeth Marie (HeaterAS)
Born (EDD 1/28/09) 1/24/09, 3:02 PM
Weight: 8 lbs Length: 19"


Hey everyone! Just a quick update while I'm all by my lonesome. Elizabeth is being checked out by the pedi (standard, nothing wrong) and Colin and Noah are on thier way up here.
It was awesome. I didn't want to be induced. Not really, I mean I was getting impatient...but I remember the hell that was being induced with Noah. When my blood pressure was high again and they found I had really high protein in my urine...I knew that was it. With as far along as I was, my dr wouldn't want to take chances. So off to the hospital I went (with instructions to not go home, or to the store, or to pass go, or collect $200 ) and I was kind of upset. But my dr went with a slow induction, advising me it would take a couple of days, but would be worth the outcome (since we had discussed my HARD LONG induction with Noah and that I did NOT want that again). So he gave me cytotec (sp?) the first day and night and just softened up my cervix. Finally the next morning I was fully effaced and contracting well and he decided to break my water bag and see what happened. Well my contraction pattern wasn't totally ideal, so he added some pit. I was fine though. I had started having some intense pain around 4am and although I could handle it, I knew I had a long road to go so I opted for the epi. Well this epi was fantastic. The whole day I was laboring Saturday, I was in the most fantastic mood and could even move everything fine...but no pain. Nothing like with Noah. Finally I started feeling some pressure, but they were concerned because she just wasn't dropping down (I had MASSIVE amounts of amniotic fluid...MASSIVE. So she was just floating, but the fluid was putting a ton of pressure on my cervix. Dr was surprised afterwards my water hadn't spontaneously broken on it's own) so I was able to try different positions. I had the tiniest bit of cervix left and with one good push the dr was able to move it out of the way and in that one push Elizabeth moved down, turned and got into position. Immediately I felt PAIN and needed to push. I wanted to try the squatting bar but it was way too intense at that moment (I guess after NOT feeling pain for so long it was just a shock). So I got back down on the bed. I was in sooo much pain and told the nurse that I was NOT going to push for 2 hours again. She said, no your not. Colin was fantastic and sooooo supportive. He was my rock. The whole time I was pushing, the nurse was running around between contractions doing last minute things, I guess she knew how fast it would go. I told her...I want this baby out in 10 minutes. She said, you can do it! This shocked me because I'd only pushed like 3 times, LOL. So I pushed about another 5 minutes and she started calling everyone to come in. Dr came in and in 2 more contractions she was here! 22 minutes of pushing from start to finish! I immediately saw she had dark hair...and that she was a SHE! I got so emotional. That didn't happen with Noah. I think I was just soooo tired with him that I was over it. But this time everything went so perfectly that I was able to fully enjoy the moment. Colin cried too.
Well I have a 2nd degree tear and I somehow got a hematoma? Anyways, everything feels fine. I'm taking pain meds when they offer it (didn't do that with Noah, tried to be a trooper!). BFing is going well. She basically marathon nursed all morning. Last night I had them bring her to me on demand and I SLEPT. It was nice.
So many things went right. Just tiny things, but they made the biggest difference. The booger and Colin will be here soon so I'm going to wrap this up but two really amazing things happened that gave me so much confidence and really helped me maintain a positive attitude (even now, the PPD had already started with Noah at this point).
1. Our SLR camera had been broken for weeks. Only worked without the flash. Well it did this once before and magically started working at Noah's birthday party, so I told Colin just to try it a few hours before she was born. It worked!!!!!
2. My nurse for all day Saturday (well all my nurses were awesome) was named Tracy. That's my older sister's name. One of the people that Elizabeth is named after (Tracy passed away in 1995 right after my mom. Both of thier Catholic confirmation names was after Saint Elizabeth). It just seemed like a sign that things would go well and I had some angels looking out for me. She was AMAZING. The most amazing nurse ever. She was pregnant herself, but with her 4th child.

Here are some pics...no family pic yet, there just hasn't been a chance and Noah is super hyperactive everytime he comes into the hospital room. Noah hasn't paid her too much attention but he knows who she is. Oddly enough when we asked "do you know who this is?" he said...quite clearly...Elizabeth (well clear for a 22 month old), but we call her Lizzie more often than Elizabeth so we thought maybe it was a fluke. But sure enough I just showed him a picture on the camera and asked who and he once again said Elizabeth!

Introducing Maci Gayle (Blondie1982)
Born: January 20, 2009 at 2:49am (EDD: January 28 )
Weight: 6 lbs 7 ounces 20 inches

Saturday, January 18th I lost my mucus plug. I thought I had lost it whole but I had a little bit of discharge with it for hours. Saturday night, It started to get watery but still didn't look like my water had broken. When I woke up Sunday morning, I was very wet, enough to change my under ware but when I stood up I didn't lose anymore so I put it off as discharge. During the night, it started to pick up some and I started soaking through pads. I called the Dr. office Monday morning and they worked me in at 10:00 am. The Dr. took a sample and said it was negative and it didn't fern on the slide but she sent me to get an ultrasound to make sure the baby fluid levels were good. Fluid levels were excellent, estimated weight was 7 lbs 3 ounces and she was still a girl. They sent me back to my Dr. and since my blood pressure was a little high,(it's been low this whole pregnancy) and we still didn't know what I was leaking she sent me to L&D to be observed.
They put me on a choux pad and flipped it to the blue side so they could take a sample. I knew I wasn't peeing on myself and the nurse reassured me that it was probably discharge. After siting on the pad for an hour I got up and it was flooded. She tested it and it turned blue. My water indeed had broken. The labor processes was started. They served me dinner and gave me Penicillin for infection and Cytotec rectally because of my water being broken. The Dr. ordered pitocin at 7 am January 20. The nurse didn't have my contraction monitor on my stomach correctly so I was contracting but at the nurses station it showed nothing. Around 10:00pm on January 19th, I asked my mom to ask the nurse for pain medicine. The nurse came in and did an internal and was shocked that I had gone from 1 1/2 cm 70% effaced to 5 1/2 cm and 100% effaced. She ran out and called my doctor and ordered my epideral. I stayed at 5 1/2 for an hour and then I started feeling much pressure so they did an internal again and I was 8 1/2 cm. I was extremely comfortable but it just felt like something was hanging out of me. An hour later I was at 10 cm and ready to push. My mom, grandmother, sister, cousin, friend and father was in the birth suite. I didn't really care who saw, I had lost all my modesty at this point and I was just ready to get my baby girl out. I pushed for 45 minutes and then the Dr. came in. I pushed twice for her and Maci was born screaming her lungs out at 2:49. They layed her on my chest and I was just in shock. It happened so fast. I was smiling but a little delirious because I was running 102 degree fever from my water breaking so long ago. They cleaned her up and gave her a mow hawk. She scored 9 and 9 on her Apgar. I am amazed at how easy it was to deliver her. I did have a 2nd degree tear but just controlled pain with Motrin. Maci had temperature problems and had to be put in the warmer twice because of the water being broken. I got released on Thursday but the Dr. watched Maci and was considering putting her in the NICU for 3 days to take antibiotics but we kept her temp up and she was released on Friday. I actually got to carry her out in the car seat out of the hospital. All the nurses were trying to stop me but since I was discharged the day earlier, they couldn't do anything about it. Maci is the best thing that has ever happen to me. The hospital staff and my Dr. was awesome. All the nurses kept coming in and looking under her cap at her hair. When we left the hospital, she weighed the same. She's thriving on breast milk and I have quit supplementing her milk. She's a great nurser and I am pumping to stimulate the milk. I never knew this is what it's like to be a mom. It's heaven!

Jesse Ryan was born on Jan 19th at 4:59am. 7 Pounds 13 ounces 21 inches long.
Labor was 6 hours almost and I got an epi at 10 centimeters!!!! I wanted it at 5 but the doc did not get there for a couple of hours. Then they had to suction him out after 3 tries of pushing because he was face up and his heart rate would drop a whole lot with contractions and pushing.
I only have a 3 deg tear... but at least he is doing well and is healthy.