Finally...my birth story!

whispergrrl · August 2011

Monday (August 15th) morning, I woke up at 6:30am to pee. Went back to bed after, and tried to go back to sleep. DH had to get up 15 minutes later to get ready for a doctor's appointment he had scheduled for 8:15am. He got up and got in the shower, and I tried to go back to sleep (again). I rolled over in bed, felt a little wetness, and I thought I had finally gotten to the point in my pregnancy where I'd peed myself. I went to the bathroom, peed again, but nothing else seemed to be going on, so I wasn't worried. I went back to bed and had a Braxton-Hicks contraction. I made note of the time, and waited to see if another would come. It did, 9 minutes later. I figured I'd wait to see if another would come at 9 minutes (I hadn't had any regularity to my BH in the past, so I wasn't expecting anything).

Well, 5 minutes later, instead of another contraction, I felt a HUGE gush. My water broke, and I ran to the bathroom (dripping down my leg....ick!) I swear, it was just like the movies for me!

I called my Dr., and she told me to go ahead and eat breakfast and shower, then head to the hospital. We got to the hospital and got checked in around 10am. The doctor was going to test to see if my water really broke, but when she took a look, she said she was positive - no need for speculum or anything! She checked me, and I was at 3cm, 70% effaced. She wanted me to go ahead and continue laboring on my own for a bit to see how I progressed, but said she wanted to start pitocin around 1:30 if I wasn't making a lot of progress.

1:45pm, I was having regular contractions, but they weren't progressing me much. Doctor started pitocin, and also gave me fluids in the IV and dextrose.

By 7pm, I was having horrendous contractions. I could've killed someone every time I heard my husband's voice (for some reason, his voice annoyed the hell out of me during labor!). I felt like I was about to tear the bed in half with each contraction. It was miserable. I caved and asked for the epidural. I was checked and I was at 5 centimeters. I'm thankful I got the epi when I did, as I don't think I would've survived the pain through another 5 cm!

Around 9pm, I was feeling the urge to push. They had me do a couple practice pushes while they checked baby's progress during the pushing. Doctor said she wanted me to continue laboring without pushing for a bit longer, otherwise she felt I'd need to push for around 3 hours - and she didn't want me to have to endure that. At this point, the contractions were coming almost on top of one another, and they were painful again. Not to the level they were before, but not pleasant either. I felt sooooo much pressure in my bottom, and it was hard not to push.

I was finally told to go ahead and start pushing around 10:20pm. The nurse working with me through the pushes kept cheering me on with comments like "you're such a great pusher!" and "she's almost here!". I figured she said those things to everyone, trying to be encouraging to laboring women. Then, she said "look down, here's your daughter!" and out she came! Ellie was born at 11:11pm - roughly 50 minutes of pushing, and she was out. I was amazed. I didn't think there was any way I'd be able to do it that fast, being a first time mom.

I had a slight first degree tear that needed to be repaired. After they did that, I was able to hold my daughter and nurse her for the first time. She had Apgars of 8 and 9. She was 6lb8pz, and 20 inches long. Dark hair. Monkey toes that can grab your finger (just like DH and my stepdaughter....strong genes there!). She is beautiful, and looks exactly like DH when he was a baby. I couldn't be happier!

We've had some breastfeeding issues, but they are finally starting to resolve. My little one lost a lot of weight since being born (we had her first Dr. visit today, and she is down to 5lb14oz), so we are supplementing with formula once a day until my milk comes in. She wasn't latching properly the first 2 days, and she had tons of mucus in her belly still, so she wasn't getting much in the way of nourishment at that time. Because of that, she had no energy to keep trying to nurse, so she would just fall asleep while trying. Things are starting to look up in that department, though...she is nursing like a champ now, and we are working hard to bulk her up a bit. I just got my breast pump today, so I get to go learn how to use it once I finish this post.

Wish me luck, ladies. After I attempt pumping tonight, I'm going to attempt sleep too. I'm going on about 10 hours in 4 days. I don't know how I'm still functioning!

For those of you who made it through my long and rambling post, here's a pic of Ellie!

etoyama · August 2011

Huge, huge congratulations, M!!! Ellie is absolutely beautiful and I love her name! I'm so glad you had a good birth experience and I wish you tons of luck with the BFing. You can do it! Congratulations again on your sweet girl!

lckcdc3 · August 2011

Congrats momma. She is absolutely beautiful!

MrsMAF · August 2011

Congratulations!!!! Ellie is beautiful and so is her name!! Hope the BF'ing starts to get better and that you get some sleep hon!!!

Enjoy every moment with her

MrsRich0226 · August 2011

Congratulations! She is so beautiful!

I'm glad to hear things went well and hope you get some sleep!

Echloe · August 2011

She is such a cutie. I hope you can get some rest sweetie. Congratulations.

Jessiree · August 2011

Congrats! A beautiful girl with a beautiful name!

bbakersgirl75 · August 2011

Congrats on a beautiful Ellie hun!!!!!

Good luck with the breast feeding pump You'll do great!!!

NicoleeBonsai · August 2011

thanks so much for sharing your story and a picture of your beautiful ellie!

i am so happy for you, it sounds like you are recovering well and everyone is doing great.

congratulations to you and your family

it'sbabytime · August 2011

Big congrats!!! Your little girl is adorable!! Thanks for sharing now go get some rest!!

kkdavie15 · August 2011

Congrats!! She is too cute! I'm glad everything went well with your birth and that breastfeeding has improved... I hope it only gets better!

JennPierog · August 2011

Congrats momma you did a great job! She is just beautiful, good luck with BFing it Sounds like it's gonna start to get better! I know you can do it!

steveandkim2 · August 2011

She's absolutely beautiful! Congratulations again!

inlove731 · August 2011

Congratulations!!! Ellie is beautiful!!

CallMeAl · August 2011

Congrats!! She's precious!

wordslikeswords · August 2011

Congratulations!! She is gorgeous!

diego299 · August 2011

Congrats!!! She's precious!

patchen30 · August 2011

Aw, what a great story! I love her name and I'm so happy for you, congrats!!

CluckyEV · August 2011

She is precious! Congrats! Hopefully you were able to get that pump working and get some sleep Big Smile

halo_tx · August 2011

Congratulations!! Thanks for sharing your story- Ellie is beautiful!!

FabulousMrs.P · August 2011

Congrats on the birth of Ellie! She is adorable!!Thanks for sharing your birth story...I find as I get closer and closer to my due date, these birth stories are getting more and more important for me to read!!! It is so encouraging to read that other women make it on through labor with flying colors like you did!