Madeleine Teresa - 12 days early

The time has come! Madeleine Teresa arrived this morning at 8:16 am via vaginal delivery in 3 pushes!

Long story:

I had my 38 week appointment yesterday (Wednesday) morning.At the appointment I had made some progress! I went from 1.5cm to 3cm and from 50% effeaced to 75%. I came home, ate lunch and relaxed before going to get my hair done at 1. I got home from the salon at around 3 and noticed that I had started contracting. Around 4 I started tracking and they were about 1-3 minutes in length, 3-4 minutes apart. At around 5 I had MIL pick up DS and DH and I headed to our hospital to be checked, since my water hadn't broken. I had no signs that labor was coming. No cramping, no bloody discharge, and my water didn't break. But my dr had told me that if I noticed ANY sign of labor to head up since my first labor was less then 6 hours from start to finish. I got to the hospital at 5:30 and my contractions were showing to be 1-4 minutes apart and lasting about 40-80 seconds. The dr. had me walk for two hours (6pm-8pm) stating that if I progressed after the walk he would admit me because I would be in active labor, otherwise I would go home and wait it out.

DH and I took a VERY long walk around the hospital and when we came back to get checked I was 5.5cm and 75% effaced. I was admitted, and received the epidural as we were expecting it to go fast anytime. I was not in "pain" but was a little uncomfortable. However, I was still able to do homework and talk on the phone through the contractions and this was without the epidural. The epidural was placed, and I was checked again at 11:30. I was 6cm but still 75%. The dr came in and told us that we would let my body labor through the night and if I still hadn't effaced anymore by morning he would break my water and administer pitocin.

At 6:45 this morning, the dr ordered pitocin and we played the waiting game. The new nurse (nurse after shift change) did not like the amount of epidural I had received, as I was numb from my chest down and unable to move period! She turned the epidural off stating that she would turn it back on once the numbness decreased to my hips. At about 7:30 I was checked and found that I was fully dilated but baby was still high and my water still had not broke. At that moment he broke my water and I immedatley started to feel pressure. At 8 I rang my nurse and asked if she could turn the epidural back on, as the pressure was constant and brining tears to my eyes. She came running in, tested me again and found that I still had a LARGE amount of epidural in my system (as I was still numb from the chest down) and confirmed that what I was feeling was the baby decending down the birth canal! It was time to push!! I started pushing at 8:07, and Madeleine was born at 8:16 after three pushes!

She weighed 7lbs and is 18.5 inches! (almost identical measurements to DS, he was 7lbs 3oz and 19.5 inches)

It took about 2.5 hours after she was born for me to regain full feeling in the lower half of my body but other then that I feel/felt great! I even managed to survive without any tearing!

Little one is nursing great, and DS loves his sister. He has already seen her and gave her hugs and kisses! We will be getting discharged tomorrow, and we are excited to get home to start our life as a family of four! Picture to follow once I figure out how!!

Thank you girls for your support the last 9 months! Congrats and goodluck to each of you! Here's to the next step in our journey!