An Amazing Birth

Well, things are starting to settle down as we get adjusted to having a new little baby in the house.  She is doing wonderfully, spending her days sleeping, eating, and then sleeping some more.  In fact, as I type this, all three of my babies are napping.  At the same time.  Pretty impressive, huh?  So I thought now would be a great time to share her birth story with you. 

Let me preface this by explaining (in case you aren't already aware) that labor tends to happen very quickly for me.  And if you think I'm exaggerating, just go and read the story of when my son was born.  And even though I really thought I would have a little more time this time since she would be a bigger baby, not so.  This was the fastest labor yet.  Seriously, it might be a record or something.

So anyway, Wednesday afternoon I went to see my doctor and check the progress of my little girl.  In a week I had gone from 2 centimeters to 2-3 centimeters.  So my doctor (not being a fortune teller) could simply shrug and say,"Well, given your history, I would guess you will not last another entire week, but there's really no telling exactly when you will go into labor."

And so we continued to wait.  I spent the afternoon relaxing, then Wednesday evening ran some errands.  After the kids were in bed, I even went grocery shopping!  Once I was home, and everything was done, I spent the rest of the evening relaxing and watching Psych, still feeling nothing, and planning on going to bed, because we had a very busy day planned on Thursday.  

Just after midnight, however, I started to have the occasional contraction.  Now, for the past several weeks, I have had occasional contractions, so I waited to see if changing position, drinking water, etc. would stop them.  Nothing worked.  So we made the call to our friend to come and sit with our other two, and started getting ready to head out the door.  At this point, the contractions were only slightly uncomfortable, not incredibly painful.  But I had no idea how far along I was or how quickly things would progress, so we booked it to the hospital. 

We were checked into labor and delivery at 1:15 am.  At this point the contractions had gotten much more intense, so I quickly tried to explain to the nurses that labor happens quickly, and we needed to hurry.  I don't think she entirely believed me, but she got me in a room and hooked to a monitor and finally checked to see just how far I was.  Seven centimeters. 

She immediately called my doctor, who arrived within minutes.  At this point, the contractions were VERY painful, and I had about five people coaching me through each one.  My doctor went ahead and broke my water to keep things moving.  Even knowing my history, I don't think anyone thought things would then happen quite as quickly as they did.  It was either the third or fourth contraction after my water broke that she was born.  Not even ten minutes later.  And just like that, labor was over, at 1:57 am!  She was beautiful and healthy and oh so tiny.

Once she was born and things started to calm down, we began to talk with the nurses.  The nurse who helped with delivery was the same nurse who delivered my son.  And the Children's hospital transport nurse who had spent so much time with us the night he was born, and calmed us down and answered all our questions, was also there to check on my baby girl (since technically she was a little early as well).  Turns out, they all still talk about that night, and we're kind of a legend.  During our stay, nurse after nurse came in to say, "Oh my gosh, that was you??" or "So you popped out another one??" or "So are you going to be back here next year?"

Yeah.  We heard it all.

And so we survived.  We have a beautiful, healthy baby girl, and we are finally all home.  Honestly, aside from being afraid she would come too early and we would have another child in the hospital, my biggest fear was that my water would break before we could make it to the hospital.  I have spent the last nine months praying that would not happen.  So I am so incredibly thankful that we made it safe and sound and did not deliver at home, or in the car, or some other place that is NOT the hospital! 

Thank you all for your prayers as well, God heard and has blessed us with an absolutely beautiful daughter!