DISCLAIMER: This is the birth story. Yes I'm posting it on the internet, but don't feel like you have to read it if it weirds you out. It is mainly for me, so I can remember - and in case Alice is curious someday. I will post some pictures at the end if you want to skip down to the bottom. I will post more pictures on a different post as well. :)
It was a normal Thursday night spent with family for a birthday party. Everyone asking when I was going to have the baby and making jokes about how I didn't look like I was due in only a few days. Robert and I decided to stay up late and watch a movie - which means that I was still awake when I felt the first contraction around midnight. I tried to relax and get some sleep while the contractions were light but was unsuccessful. Around 2:00 I got up and took a relaxing bath and then went straight to the shower so I could wash my hair. This whole time contractions were pretty constant at about 5 minutes apart some feeling stronger than others. About 4:00 I knew it was getting close to time to go, Robert asked if he should call someone to come over to watch the kids. I told him to wait until I got ready (I wanted to dry and straighten my hair) This took longer than usual because I had to stop frequently to breath through some really strong contractions. Around 5:00 I told Robert he needed to call someone NOW and that I was for sure getting an epidural. Sometime in that hour the contractions had started coming really close together and very very painful. Robert's mom brought his younger sister Hannah over and we were at the hospital a little after 5:30. We go straight to the lady who checks you in only to be told to wait in the lobby while she finishes her phone call. At this point I want to cry and in fact I think I probably did...She calls us back and spends precious minutes when I could be getting my epidural asking question after question. Luckily Robert could answer most of them for me as I'm still focusing on getting through each contraction. We get in to triage only to be berated with more questions. I interrupt the nurse telling her I want an epidural - she tells me they will get to that after the questions and after they make sure that I am ready to be checked in. I then tell her (very calmly of course) that I think I need to start pushing. This seems to be the key phrase because things finally start happening. She checks my cervix, tells me I'm dilated to an 8, calls a few more nurses in to help, get me hooked up to an IV of penicillin (because I tested positive for Group B Strep) and rush me to the delivery room. Oh and my water breaks sometime in the rush too. I keep asking for an epidural when one of the nurses finally says, "honey I think it's too late for that, you just need to push this baby out". I don't want to move over to the delivery bed, I didn't want to move at all. With some
demanding encouragement from the nurse I was able to get all situated where I was supposed to be. My dr. was out of town and the on call dr. couldn't get there in time. They are able to grab a dr. who is about to go do a scheduled c-section on someone. The contraction comes and I push - I feel like it's how they always show it on tv - lots of screaming (why do the women on tv never get epidurals?) I'm' pretty sure the contraction has ended but they keep telling my to push so I do. Then after what I'm sure was only a couple of minutes (although it seemed longer) my beautiful Alice was born at 6:07 am Friday, August 1st, 2014. She weighed 7lbs 8 oz and was 21 inches long.
They handed her to me right away and though I was very tired, and very relieved to be done, I loved her right away. The nurses took her away too quickly to check her but luckily Robert was there to pester them to giving her back as soon as possible so I could nurse. Robert's mom had followed us to the hospital so she was able to come in not long after Alice was born. The rest of the story is pretty normal, we did have to stay in the hospital for 48 hours to make sure that Alice didn't get the Group B Strep from me, but it was nice having that time together with her and I loved all the visits. I especially loved when Lucy and Edwin were able to come meet their sister for the first time! Lucy is so cute with her, and has continued to be a loving big sister ever since.
After her first bath
Robert took a turn in the bed...really threw the nurses off whenever they came in :)
Meeting for the first time
Edwin wasn't super interested - he would rather play
But he liked her too
Me and the girls
Lucy and Alice
Beautiful Girl!
Family of 5
Ready to go home!
And although she will probably never see this - a special shout out to my awesome sister in law Hannah! She watched our kids the whole time we were in the hospital. Hannah you rock!
