Heidi Elise is here!

I can't figure out how to change or make my ticker go away, or to add the picture of my baby to my siggy!  But if I don't write this birth announcement now, I'm afraid I'll never find the time!

After the concern about whether or not to induce while 0 dilated, 0 effaced, I actually went into labor on my own the night of Thursday March 24th.  I was 41 weeks.  It started out just like normal Braxton Hicks, but as I was watching Jon Stewart I noticed they were becoming stronger, even uncomfortable, and at somewhat regular intervals.  After dinner, I took my husband back to the bedroom and asked him to help me time them.  My parents were staying with us, and I didn't want to get them overly excited in case it was a false alarm.  As we timed the contractions, they went from 10 minutes, to 7  minutes, to 5 minutes (although not completely consistently) and started to become quite painful - so we decided to go to the hospital.

 At the hospital, my baby was still high and I was still 0 dilated, but my cervix was starting to soften.  However, my contractions started to become less regular, and less intense (although some were extremely painful) and the doctor on call from my practice who was monitoring me told me it would be best to go home and labor there and come back when the contractions were 3 minutes apart for an hour.  Although I was in early labor, no one was certain I was going to have my baby terribly soon.  Unfortunately, only my doctor (Dr. C) and my second in command doctor (Dr. G) really knew the full extent of my situation, and that we were already considering inducing for a variety of reasons.

 So we went home, and I probably got about an hour or so of sleep before I started waking with incredibly strong contractions every 7 minutes.  I took a shower (didn't help) and then timed contractions from 5:30 - 6:30 (still 7 minutes apart) until they became UNBEARABLE (I have a low pain threshold) and told my husband we had to go back.  I knew if we got there by 9:00 they would call Dr. C and she would instruct them to admit me.  If nothing else, she would induce.

 So, back we went, and I luckily ran into Dr. G in the hallway who escorted me back and told the hospital staff they had to admit me.  They checked me - I was dilated to 1!  And my cervix was fully softened and my baby had dropped!  Apparently when the nurse called Dr. C to tell her my status, Dr. C did not believe my baby had fully dropped into position!  Meanwhile, me with my pathetic pain threshold was SCREAMING for pain relief.  They kept talking epidural - GREAT - but I didn't think they'd give it to me at only 1 cm dilated.  But Dr. G came in and said I could have it, so by 11:00 I finally got my epidural, and at that point I'd dilated to 2.

I rested in the hospital for the better part of the day, while I slowly but surely dilated without pitocin.  I did get a mild grade fever, so there was concern about infection, and it turned out that my waters had broken - when, no one knows, but it was an ongoing drama me being up and down with my fluids, so I may have had a slow leak.  Also, my baby passed meconium, so I was told she wouldn't be handed to me when she was born but given immediately to a pediatric team to assess for any inhalation or infection.

At 8:00 they gave me a small drip of pitocin.  It was around 10:00 when I felt the need to have a bowel movement - and I knew what that meant!  At that particular moment, my husband was out of the room for a second and I couldn't find the button to call the nurse.  My epidural had completely numbed one leg, so I was kind of stuck and had a moment of panic that I was about to have my baby and couldn't summon anyone!  I finally saw my blackberry, called my husband, he came up and called the nurse who confirmed I was "complete."

The took me off the epidural, Dr. C came in and by 10:30 it was time to start pushing.  It was just me, Dr. C the nurse and DH holding my leg.  What a surreal experience!  I think it should have been a pretty quick and easy birth because of the baby's position (the doctor said it wouldn't take long) but it took an hour because I was so awful at pushing!  They kept telling me when I gave a good push and I couldn't for the life of me tell the difference!  I felt it pretty good without the epidural, and my baby's head got stuck in the crowning position, so I had to wait for the next contraction.  That was painful, although in retrospect I remember it as less and less painful as time passes.  The doctor told me that it would make for a gentler delivery/easier recovery.  

With the next push Dr. C said "look down and see your baby" - it was the most amazing thing!  This little baby coming out of me!  DH cut the cord, and she was handed to the pediatric team.  Soon after they called Daddy over to hold her.  "Who does she look like?"  I asked.  "I think she kind of looks like me" he said. 

I didn't get to hold my baby until after I delivered the placenta and then the BRUTAL belly massaging, which was worse because of my fibroid.  Then DH brought over the most beautiful and amazing baby girl.  I took one look at her, and sure enough, she looked just like her Daddy.  It was then I knew her name.  "Is this our baby Heidi?" I asked.  "I think so" he replied.

Heidi Elise was born March 25th at 11:27 pm.  She weighted 7 lbs, 3.4 ounces and was 21 inches long.  I had one first degree tear, but other than that have had no other issues.  

Good luck to all the rest of the March Mamas!