Camille's birth story photos! (finally)

The past week and a half have been a blur! I can hardly believe I'm finally settled in at home with my baby!

Ok! Sunday the 13th I was terribly uncomfortable before bed. My back felt achy, and I was feeling mildly crampy and just miserable all together. I was a day overdo. I begged my FI for sex.. at this point- even if it didn't work (I wasn't counting on it doing anything) it was going to be a while before we were able to do it again anyway, and he finally agreed! We went to bed. Fast forward a couple of hours. I woke to back pain and some cramping a few times. I figured this was just the joys of the end of pregnancy, and tried to get comfortable. After I woke to this a couple of times I realized I was having contractions. I still didn't want to get my hopes up,  but by the time the sun started coming up they were pretty uncomfortable, so I got up. When I stopped in the bathroom to pee I noticed a ton of mucous and bloody show and I finally allowed myself to get excited! I repacked my hospital bag, ate a huge breakfast, and started waiting. After an hour or so they were starting to get pretty strong and painful so I woke up my FI.  We timed contractions for an hour and they were 3-5 mins apart, and pretty miserable, so I called the OB and headed for L&D.

It was about 1130am and I was only 1cm and about 50% effaced (just as I had been since 37weeks). They had me walk the halls for an hour and eat lunch before checking me again and I had barely progressed at all, so they told me I could go home to labor for a while if I wanted (we only live 5 mins away from the hospital). I was a little bummed, because I was in a ton of pain and not progressing at all. I started to worry I would be one of those 'failure to progress' cases and need a C section.. but it was still early so I went home to be comfortable.

The SECOND we pulled into the driveway I had my first 'back labor' contraction. I always wondered if I would be able to tell the difference between a back ache and back labor if I ended up having back labor.. and there was absolutely no mistaking it. I will never complain about anything being painful ever again! For 2 hours I tried to get comfortable, but after the first half hour home there was no relief. No position, no amount of walking, or using the bathroom.. nothing was helping the pain. My FI was beside himself, begging to take me back to the hospital, I was telling him to stop being a wuss and labor was supposed to be painful. Finally it got to the point where I felt like I was having trouble breathing during contractions, I felt shaky and dizzy.. but it had only been 2 hours so I called my mom and asked her what to do. She immedietly told me that it sounded like I needed to be back at the hospital so I called them again and told them how I felt. I got the "Well.. it's only been 2 hours.. I guess since you're so close you can come in if you want.." I did want! lol..

We left for the hospital again, and I was fully expecting to be at like 2cm and be sent home again. They brought me to a room and I was barely able to get undressed for them to check me. My FI had to help me take my pants off, and I was in too much pain for the gown, so I just left my tank top on and asked for a blanket for my legs. I heard the nurse say something about feeling my bag of waters in the way when she started to check me and thought 'oh good.. I must have made some progress' but I was fully unprepared for it when she told me I had gone from almost nothing to 8cm in 2.5 hrs!

The next hour was a complete blur. I told my FI to call my mom and nurses filled the room. In a half hour I had an IV going, labs drawn, and epi in place. What sweet relief! My mother arrived and I was able to sleep for a while. They came in to check me and she was sunny side up. She wasn't far down enough for them to be able to turn her, so they had me on my knees leaning over a ball in hopes that she would turn. I pushed in that position for about an hour and the nurse told me to stop and lay on my side for a while. Camille's head was starting to do a cone thing (I can't remember the term she used.. I was totally zonked out from the epi.. and a little upset that they weren't backing off on it a little like I was asking them too.. I actually fell asleep a couple of times while waiting to push).. so the nurse went to talk to the doctor. I heard whispers and something about a C-section if she didn't turn. I felt the urge to push again, and the nurse kind of gave me the 'yeah if you want you can go ahead'. 

I don't remember much of what went on around when I was on my side pushing. I remember feeling her moving through the birth canal.. and I remember my mother saying in her 'awww' voice "oooh look look look there's her head".. She told me that the nurse was talking to another nurse I think and she had to get her attention. I get the idea that they really thought I was going to need a c section because I remember hearing the shock in her voice when she told me to stop pushing because she needed to get the OB, and she ran out of the room. She came back with the OB and they gave me the ok to push again (after some trouble removing the catheter because she was coming out so fast). After the OB came back it was 2 more pushes and she was out! She had turned when I moved to my side and came out just as she was supposed to!

Camille Ana joined us at 10:22pm on March, 14th. 6lbs 12 oz (and they told me she was going to be a huge baby!) and 18 inches long. She is so wonderful! We have had some problems BFing, but with the nipple shield (I hate it.. avoid using one if you can at all) she is latching properly and nursing like a champ. She is nothing less than absolutely amazing.