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Washington Babies
She's here! Birth Story and PsIP!
Ok everyone, I've got the long and short of everything!
Short Story: Water broke at 2:15am, Got to the hospital at 3:45am, first internal was 4, almost 5cm. Around 4:45 still didn't have the IV in, asked about changing my mind about the epidural (I wrote I didn't want one in our birth plan) and getting one. We start to finish the IV, and I comment to the nurse that I am feeling some pressure. Not sure if I just need to have a BM (because I did earlier) or what. She checks me and says "Umm I don't think I feel any cervix!" Doctor comes in and agrees. We start pushing around 5 am, and after 30 minutes of pushing, Laurel Elizabeth Smith arrived at 5:30 a.m. on January 8th! She was 7 pounds, 7 ounces, 20.5 inches long. She has a FULL head of dark hair, and is absolutely perfect!
Ok, now for the long story. Let's start with Wednesday night (1/6). I posted on our board because I was having regularish contractions, lost my mucus plug, etc. I wondered if this meant things were happening or what! After the contractions stopped when I went to bed, I figured it was my body being mean. 
On Thursday, I subbed in the first grade classroom I'd been in all week, and I either was having some contractions or just dealing with wearing uncomfortable pants during the school day. Around 3pm I texted a friend to see if she wanted to meet me for a walk in Woodinville- we met up around 4pm and walked for about a mile. After the walk, we had burgers at Teddy's and I had a delicious milkshake. My friend and her daughter came back to our condo to see the nursery, we chatted for a bit more, and then they went home. DH was over in Bremerton for a funeral all day, so I waited for him to come home. He got home around 10:00. I was having contractions every 11 minutes, so thought nothing of it.
I woke up around 12:30 to go to the bathroom, had some contractions, but nothing special. I was half awake at 2:10 with stronger contractions and then around 2:15 I definitely woke up because I had either just lost control of my bladder or my water had broken! I went to the bathroom and checked out my underwear (yeah, that's right, I was smelling my underwear to see if they smelled like pee!). I didn't want to be that girl that went to the hospital because she peed herself. While I was googling what it might be like when your water breaks, I started having regular contractions. From 2:30 until 3 am I timed them. They were coming about 2-3 minutes apart for about a minute a piece. I also needed to have a BM, but was pretty constipated. I can tell you, trying to poop while having a contraction is no fun! I finally called the Family Maternity Center at Evergreen and told them what was happening. They said, take a shower, get your stuff together, and come on in.
So, I wake up DH, I start to pack the last minute things, while I'm still contracting every 2-3 minutes. These contractions are getting more intense, though! I'm waiting for DH to take a shower first and then I say to myself- he can wait! I hopped in the shower and the shower made my contractions a lot more bearable. I thought to myself "I'll definitely be doing this in the hospital!". DH and I finally leave the house around 3:30ish. The contractions are getting stronger! Speed bumps + contractions = Ugh. We get in to Evergreen, sign forms, etc. I change into my hospital gown, get settled in bed, get ready for our nurse to have everything ready. I had to be doing these contractions on the bed, because the nurse was getting my monitors on, starting the IV (I was GBS + so I needed the 4 hours of penicillin), taking blood for the cord blood donation. I would have preferred to be in the shower or standing, but she had to get things started. The first internal exam, I was 4-5 cm, 90% effaced. The on call doctor (who we've actually seen before when my doctor had a family emergency) comes in and says: "Ok well it's 4:15, so unless you have this baby before 7am, you'll get to have Dr. Keys (my doctor) deliver you! You're doing great, just wanted you to know that I'm here!" While all of this is going on, I'm thinking.... Oh man, I wanted to try to do all natural, but this is *way* more intense than I thought it would be. After one major contraction I tell our nurse that I think I want to get the epidural. She goes to tell the doctor, I focus on my spot on the ceiling and do some short breathing, with DH stroking my forehead. My veins were being uncooperative, so it's taking awhile for the nurse to get draw my blood, get the IV started, etc. I'm getting a little impatient but trying to be patient.
When we first got to the hospital, I had a loose BM which was, like I said, not fun while contracting. So around 5 am I feel like I need to go to the bathroom. My nurse says that we should check me first, make sure it's not time to push, you never know. She is checking me and kind of unbelievably says, "Ummm.... I don't think I'm feeling any cervix. I'm just feeling baby's head.... Let me go get Dr. Russel to check you." Dr. Russell comes in and confirms, I am indeed at 10 cm and we can start pushing when I'm ready! Ummm yeah, I went from 4/5 to 10 in half an hour.... Didn't think that would be happening! At this point, we are past the point of no return with the epi, but I'm feeling good when I push and am able to relax between pushes, so it was all good. DH, our nurse, and Dr. Russell were fabulous, made me feel encouraged and gave me good directions. One thing Dr. Russell told me that helped me was to, even when it was uncomfortable, to try to keep pushing. It helped me to overcome any fear of the pain. I just thought about how each push was bringing me closer to my daughter! I ended up asking to have the mirror there so I could see what I was doing. I know it's not for everyone, but I found it really helpful and a great motivator. After 30 minutes of pushing, Laurel Elizabeth Smith was placed on my chest, and our whirlwind labor was over! I was so excited and DH and I just kept looking at each other in disbelief!
DH got to cut the cord, I tried to BF right away, but she wasn't really into it, but we were able to delay the eye ointment and shot so that we could have some time just to hold her and bond with her in the first hour. That was really wonderful. Because it was so quick, we didn't have to worry about any visitors during the first hour/hour and a half, so we got some time to just absorb it all. It was so so great.
Everyone was amazed that I went so fast and that I was so calm during both stages of labor. My nurse kept saying, she's acting like she's had the epidural! We never got around to giving the nurse our birth plan, but our nurse was so great and really asked us before we did anything what our preferences were. It's funny because in my plan I didn't want an epi, I didn't want pitocin, Sam wanted to cut the cord, etc... and even though I was ready to deviate from my plan (I so wanted that epidural), I actually ended up getting most everything that I wanted! I am bummed that I had no time to labor in the tub though! I was looking forward to that.
I cannot say enough about the staff at Evergreen. So far, we've had three nurses who have all been fabulous, our wishes were always respected, and they just let up on their restrictions for visitors under 12, so all of my friends were able to bring their babies! We will be here until Sunday morning because I was unable to get the penicillin for my GBS, because of the super speedy labor, so they have to keep an eye on Laurel and make sure she doesn't show any signs of problems. That's the only real wrench in things, but on the plus side, I get more consultations with the lactation consultant, so that's been great. All of the muscles in my body feel sore, like I ran a marathon, but over all I feel good! Thanks to everyone for your support over these last months! I'm beginning to feel more and more like a part of this board, and I can't wait to go to a few Mommy GTGs.
Oh and if you read the long version, God Bless You!
And now, for the pictures!
First Family Photo!
Sam and his little Sweet Pea.
Mommy and Laurel... after the shower and makeup.
Hair, hair, hair!
Facebook Album for more if you're interested.
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Re: She's here! Birth Story and PsIP!
Photo by J Shelton Photography
Married 10/5/08 | 2 yrs of TTC, tests, procedures & a m/c | IVF #2 =James!
Unable to even.
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Steal my kids picture or pretend they are yours, I will find where you live and ship all of their dirty diapers to your doorstep. Promise.
Oct 2011 3 1/2 years old.
Robert Williams Birth date 5/16/2008
Wow, congratulations! I loved reading your whole story and am so glad in the end you were able to do things naturally just as you wanted. Laurel is gorgeous and I just love her dark hair! You have a beautiful family and both you and your DH look incredibly happy- as you should be.
Looking forward to more pics of Laurel as she grows!
Wow! Look at all that hair!! Lila is jealous.
Congratulations mama!! She is absolutely beautiful! And you look great too!!!
Enjoy every minute!
Bio & Blog | The Chic Bambino | Bumps & Babies Fair
First off, congratilations! Baby and you look gorgeous in your first pics! Great job on not getting the Epi!
Secondly, I just wanted to thank you for sharing your story here. Each time I get to read one of these, I get a little less scared of doing this all in a few months. And it actually makes me more and more excited.
The only Easter Bunny I can get behind.
Maxwell Joseph 4/09 Lucy Violet 10/12
My Chart: https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/28017b
TTC #1- 3 failed rounds of Clomid/ Surprise Natural BFP w/weight loss- 9/22/11 DD 5/12
DX. Dec '09 w/ Inappropriate LH Secretion Syndrom/PCOS/ Anov 28 months
(Former username: xxbblueangelxx)
What a cutie, your birth story sounds close to mine.
I had a fast delivery with DD too I got to the hospital at 3:20 AM and she was born at 6:02 I loved having a fast delivery and am hoping my second is just as fast or faster. I agree the staff at Evergreen hospital is awesome, I am so bummed I won't be able to use them when we have baby # 2. (since we live in Moses Lake now)
Great job on such a cutie baby
Baby website / My blog