So as everyone knows our last little girl has finally arrived and boy did she come with a bang. Let me see where to start? I think it was Monday night that we has some false labor. I had ad K download a contraction timer on his new phone and we were timing the contractions, but I didn't feel like they were getting any stronger or that it was the real deal.
So Wednesday morning I decide that I am going to go to the grocery because my next OB appointment was Thursday at 11:15 and I knew I would get to it that day. It was drizzly and wet and we headed out to stock up on food. During our trip I was dragging and plain beat I had some contractions but just felt tired and achy. So we got home and I made the kids and myself some lunch. I put the kids to bed and was texting with my mom about my OB appointment and whether I should plan to get induced on my due date or wait to go over or what. We ended out conversation quickly because I was so tired and my feet hurt and I wanted to get a nap while the kids were napping. So she told me she would pray that my labor starts soon so I wouldn't have to decide. I am laying there and start feeling crampy and contractions lower. I think to myself...hmm I bet this is labor starting. K was working and text me after about hour that he was done and was going to get an allergy shot and then check on something and then be home, or he asked if he should come straight home. I told him get his shot but then text me after he was done because I think I am in labor. So he heads home shortly and we start timing my contractions the kids wake up and the contractions are not anything that I can't handle. However I asked him to call his mom at 4:45 to see if she had her car because she takes the bus to work and I was thinking K should go pick her up sooner than later. So he gets a hold of her and goes and gets her and I start picking up and making the kids dinner and staying busy because they were going to be about an hour there and back.
K gets back with his mom and we start getting the rest of our hospital gear together. I already had my bag packed (for a little while actually) and just needed to throw some last minute things in and pack K's snacks and what nots.
His mom put Aaron down to bed early at 730pm because he was cranky and we headed off to the hospital around 8ish. We got checked in and headed upstairs to Labor and Delivery where I changed and she checked me. Sure enough I was about 5 centimeters and still about 70% effaced. So K and I started hanging out and going through the contractions. Now some of you may know already that I really wanted to try for a natural labor, this was going to be our last child and I figured if I was going to be able to do it, it would have to be on this one. The contractions started getting hard at around 10pm and I was thinking I couldn't do this and to tell the truth I wasn't making it look easy like some women do. (Poor K) We had the nurse check me again at about 10:30ish and I was now at 7 centimeters. Hmm, could I really go another 3 hours at this? I think K was thinking, could he really take another 3 hours of me???
We asked the nurse how long it would take to get the epidural and she had to have the IV in for about 15-20 minutes before the epidural. So after a minute K went and told her to go ahead and get the IV so we could do the epidural. I was sitting in the rocking chair laboring with K in front of me and the nurse on my right next to the monitor working across me on my IV. I think I had to really good contractions and then after that was over I said, "I have to pee."
I had read that if your going without pain meds you should urinate frequently to take any extra pressure off your bladder to help dilate your faster or something like that. I didn't even have to go a lot, I just figured I should go after this contraction so I stood up and we walked into the bathroom right behind me.
I sat down peed for literally half a second and then felt another contraction coming on. I grabbed the bathroom handrail and then leaned back and felt the contraction build up, maybe for like 10 seconds, then my water broke and that was a huge relief. Except then the next thing I know, I am screaming as this huge pain comes and I am pushing the baby's head out. (I can't see that of course) but with that push her whole head comes out and the nurse yells for me to stop pushing that we don't want to have a baby in the toilet.
Which of course I didn't, but I yelled back, "I can't NOT push!" and then another contraction came and out the rest of her came. She DID NOT land in the toilet, the nurse caught her and she set her on some warm towels because she had pulled the emergency cord and about 5 other nurses came running in.
And then I was in complete relief...it was great. I got to hold her and she was perfect and wonderful and then K cut the cord, and the nurses took her over and started checking her out. Then I started getting the shakes and we moved me to the bed and I had to wait for the on call doctor to arrived to finish delivering the placenta. (That was a pain.) However I didn't tear at all and she was 8 pounds 8 ounces and 20 inches. She is perfect and truly another gift from God. I got my wish to have a unmedicated birth and the funny thing was the doc asked me, "Did I feel like I had to have a bowel movement?" But I didn't because I think if I did I would have thought I was nearing time to push and then wouldn't have wanted the epidural. I think the fact that I was on the toilet was just happenstance. Plus I kept imagining myself on the bed pushing and what that would feel like and I imagined I would have more control. I didn't feel like I had control of when she came. It just happened.
Anyway that is how our last child, our second daughter made her way into this world and now I have had a unnmedicated birth and know what that feels like and I can say I have done it. Maybe not grace under pressure but I did it. And bless K's heart he still loves me! :)
We came home from the hospital last night around 930pm and then K had to take his mom back home and then come back. Last night was a little bit harder with Sarah than when we were in the hospital but my milk has come in now and I am hoping she will continue her awesome sleep patterns she had in the hospital.
This morning we had an appointment to have her bilirubin levels checked to see if she needs to be under lights, like Aaron had too. I thought for sure after the doc saw her that her levels would say yes, but he called and wants to see what her levels are tomorrow. So that was a pleasant surprise, and since my milk came in sometime this morning I think we are flushing that right out of her.
Grace and Aaron are doing so well with her as well. Aaron is so soft and he just gazes at her and Grace too is in awe and wants to hold her. Always when she is crying of course but still loves being a big sister.
Hopefully I can get some more pictures uploaded tomorrow.
This is Sarah Elizabeth coming home from the hospital.
Night!
