Here I am three hours before going into labor:
After living here for about three months, I decided that at 41 weeks and 2 days pregnant, at 11 o'clock at night, it was a good time to finally put up everything I've been meaning to in the living room. Matt had to take pictures because of how funny I looked up on the couch :)
And the finished product because I know you are all dying to see it!
After this, we went to bed. I woke up to waddle to the bathroom at 1:30 AM. Fell asleep, then at 2 AM woke up with painful contractions. I tried to sleep through them for as long as possible but they were getting worse and about 5 min. apart. So I got out of bed and started getting ready. Putting make-up on is hard while having contractions! :) I was surprised Matt didn't wake up because of all the noise I was making during the pain. I yelled to him a couple of times but he kept on sleeping, so I went over and shook him. Here is how it went:
Me: "Babe! Wake up!"
Matt: "Huh?"
Me: "We have to go!"
Matt: "Where?"
Me: "The hospital!"
Matt: "Why?"
Me (pointing to baby in belly): "I'm in labor!"
Matt then stumbles out of bed and wakes up while in the bathroom...he does not remember that conversation at all!
I called my midwife and she asked if I wanted to labor at home, I said nope! We are on our way to the hospital. I wanted pain relief ASAP! The song Viva la Vida by Coldplay came on the radio during a contraction and I was pounding on the car door to the beat of the bass drum. Matt found that amusing and imitates me every time we hear that song now.
We got checked in and I said I wanted the epidural so they called the anesthesiologist. I was throwing up during the contractions they were so painful! Once that wonderful man showed up with the needle, I was SO happy! I can't believe that people go through labor without anesthesia. It is truly beyond me!
My nurse, Claudia, was INCREDIBLE! She bent over backwards to make sure that my family and I were comfortable. She was such a sweet, calming, funny, perfect person to have around. Love that woman.
Here I am, happy, after the epidural holding up the awesome Jell-O I was allowed to eat. I HATED the finger heart rate monitor! It was always in the way and beeping because I was messing with it. A nurse on the second day told me I could put it on my toe, and my problems were solved :)
I continued to labor and had dilated to 4 cm. My mom, Matt, and I were able to get some sleep which was nice. At this point, Ada's heartbeat was dropping a little during contractions. The next course of action was to put me on Pitocin to try and move things along. So while on that, my epidural wore off on the left side. My right leg felt like it weighed 300 lbs. - while my left I could move. I was feeling painful Pitocin-induced contractions on my left side and it was AWFUL! My husband had disappeared at this point as well, so I was not a happy camper. I said, "Where is the man with the needle, and where is my husband?!" So my mom went out to find them both. Another anesthesiologist came and fixed the epidural so I couldn't feel anything again. It was wonderful.
At one point, it felt like we had every nurse from the station in our room! Ada's heart rate had dropped really low during a contraction and they all came rushing in. They then took off the external belly heart rate monitors and put an internal one in that is more accurate.
My contractions began to double up on one another which they said was odd. When Helen, my midwife, checked me again, I was only at 6 cm. I had been in labor for 14 hours.
I knew that I had done everything physically possible to have this baby naturally. For her health and mine, it was c-section time. I was okay with this even though it was not my original plan. At this point, I was just ready to meet my daughter!
Matt was more nervous than I was:
I was just excited!
I was amazed at how quickly things went. I could feel them tugging on me, but was completely numb. When they pulled her out and saw how big she was, they said, "No way was she going to come out the other way!" Helen kept telling me how beautiful she was and how much hair she had while holding my hand. Matt was watching everything, he's a curious boy like that. Dr. Kromhout was showing him all of my insides and he was fascinated by it!
I was not prepared for how hearing Ada's cry would affect me. I immediately burst into tears hearing that precious baby girl cry out and take her first breaths in this world.
I love this picture of her right after being born. Her little bottom lip she sticks out is so cute!
When they put her on my chest and let me hold her, she grabbed onto my finger.
She stopped crying when she heard my voice. She recognized that voice she'd heard for so long!
Our first family picture
The surgery went well with no complications.
One nurse said, "Oh my goodness, your stomach already looks better than mine, and we just pulled a baby out of it." That one made me laugh! Gotta love humor while you're laying on an operating table!
I was only in the recovery room for a short while. They put Ada on me skin to skin and let me breastfeed right away, it was wonderful. She even peed on me! Haha
Here she is meeting my mom:
And Matt's mom:
Meeting Uncle Sean
Daddy & Nurse Judy giving Ada her first bath (which I'm sad I missed out on):
After meeting the family in the other room and getting her bath, they FINALLY all came into my room. It felt like forever because I hate being alone. It was really only a few minutes though. And they handed me my precious baby girl again. I still can't believe that we made something so beautiful.
I looked over at Matt later that night and said, "She is the most perfect thing we have ever done." She is so innocent and pure. I still get emotional when I think about this life that we have been entrusted with!
Giving birth was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. The bond that I have with this child is so strong, and it was there immediately. I would do anything for her!
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