Birth Story

 November 30, 2014

 We had our baby! I can’t believe it’s been 3 weeks since Emma came into our lives. She’s beautiful and perfect. Our lives have changed forever. Really. Our lives revolve completely around her! But we wouldn’t change it for anything.

So before it got too late in the game I wanted to write down Emma’s birth story and be able to remember all the details and emotions of everything.

So on Thursday November 6^th at 10 PM I finally started feeling some painful contractions. I was almost a week overdue already so I was getting really antsy. I was scheduled for an induction that Monday the 10^th, so when I felt contractions on my own, I was just a little excited! They weren’t super painful and I could sleep through them. I was timing them but they were still really far apart, maybe 20 minutes. The next morning I got worried because I started bleeding. I called a nurse and they said we should go into the hospital and get it checked out. So I called Josh home from school and we went in.  They monitored my contractions and baby’s heartbeat, but I had maybe one contraction that whole hour, which was really frustrating. So they sent me home. Josh and I went out to the Malt shop for lunch after to sulk. All the while, my contractions were actually getting worse. So I just watched them all afternoon and sat in pain on the couch. They kept getting longer and closer together. Josh came home from campus around 7 and he helped me time them and breathe through them. Around 10 PM I threw up everything because of the pain. The contractions were strong and fast. At 11 PM we went to the hospital, and parked but then the contractions paused. I was so frustrated! We went to the grocery store so I could walk around and Josh could get some caffeine ( we had a feeling it would be a long night). Then we went home and tried to go to sleep. As soon as I laid down, I felt one really strong contraction and my water broke, all over our bed! I couldn’t believe it! Josh, half asleep already, literally didn’t believe it poor guy. He was exhausted from school and dealing with me. But I knew for sure. And I was so happy to have a reason to go to the hospital! My water breaking was like a dream and an answer to my prayers. I was in a lot of pain and the contractions were 3-5 minutes apart, longer than a minute.

Epidural? Check:)

The hospital checked me in right away because it was obvious my water broke. I was leaking everywhere. They checked my cervix and I was only dilated to a 2! That was sad and frustrating, but since my water broke they could give me an epidural. It was the most amazing thing of my life. I couldn’t feel any pain. Just pressure. This was at 1 AM.  I was monitored all night and checked to see how far along I was. I only dilated a cm every 2 hour or so. I tried to sleep but I was so excited it was hard to. They were worried about giving me Pitocin because every time I had a contraction, Emma’s heartrate dropped. But they gave me a very low dose and at around 11 AM, I was finally to a 10. I went from a 6 to a 10 within 2 hours. It was a great surprise! They had me pushing for 2 hours. 

Emma little body stressed so the doctor had to try to vacuum her out! It popped off 3 times and he finally had to use forceps to get her out. I felt so bad for her! When Emma finally came out it was the most beautiful moment of my life. Her eyes were wide open looking over at me and Josh. Then she gave out a big cry. Josh and I looked at each other and were both crying. It was such a special moment. Emma had to be taken to the NICU for a couple hours because she was grunting. She had a little fluid she needed to cough up. And she was so white! It scared us. Josh went with her and she held his hand, but I was by myself most of that time.

She's here!!!

Finally after the doctor finished up with me, the nurses wheeled me down to see her and Josh in the NICU. Josh made sure to take pictures for me to take with me to my room since it would be a couple more hours before I would see her.  When she was finally brought to me it was amazing to be able to hold her. Her head was bruised because of the forceps, but she was beautiful. She weighed 6 lbs. 12 oz. and was 20 inches long. Tiny for an overdue baby, but she’s perfect. 

Poor Josh was really tired...

She is so perfect

The next day her head already looked better.  One of my favorite memories from the hospital was in the middle of the night. Josh was asleep on the makeshift couch/bed and I had let the nurses take Emma to the nursery because I was exhausted. When they brought her to me to nurse during the night, there she was, this perfect little person swaddled up, with big eyes looking into my soul. Sucking on her binky and staring at me I felt so many emotions. I felt so much love for this little baby of mine and knew I would never be the same. I also felt apprehensive and thought,” I don’t know how to take care of a baby! I thought I did, but do I?” But her little face made me have confidence that I could do anything.