(Warning: Extremely long.)
On Friday, October 2nd, 2009 I had woken up in a kinda down state of mind. Upset that on the day before my due date, I was still not in labor. I had a 10:15 non-stress appointment, and nothing else going on. Through out the morning leading up to my appointment I had felt as if my water was leaking, I was leaking urine, or I was leaking a heck of a lot more discharge than normal. On the ride up to Milford, I had two or three contractions, nothing new, they were actually a heck of a lot more mild than what I had been used to for the past however many weeks.
While at the OB office, I mentioned my leakage and we scheduled an additional appt. for noon since that was when the on call OB, Dr. F, would be available. The non-stress test was perfect. Baby Bailey moved enough for it to only last 15 minutes. during that 15 minutes I had two contractions. Again super, super mild. At this point Tom had started to mess with my head. Telling me it was the day. We drove home to get Collin and back to the OB office by noon. I was contracting every 7-15 minutes and they were so painless it was strangely awkward. Because they were coming so sporadically and were so painless I just
knew it was just braxton hicks contractions. Dr. F. checked me and I wasn't leaking, just had a "normal increase in vaginal mucosa." While down there he also checked my cervix. Just like my regular OB had said on Tuesday, 1 cm, 50%, extremely soft, and very high. Tom told Dr. F. that we would be calling him later that afternoon or early evening. Told him I was indeed in labor and in denial. The doc laughed him off, as did I.
We took off to grab lunch, Taco Bell-another online myth to start labor. We came home and I ate, still contracting super mildly. Contractions where steadily coming every 7-9 minutes. Tom went to pick up Thomas from school.
3:05 p.m. We decided to go for our daily, hour long family walk. Collin got in his "car," Thomas on his bike and off we went.
As we walked I would have a contraction, I would mention it to Tom but kept walking and talking through it. After a few minutes I would either say I was having another or would say "it's been a while since I had one," then immediately have one right then. By the time we got back to our block I was getting really aggravated with Tom. He was singing "Going to the hospital" instead of "Going to the chapel." Though the contractions where now 5-7 minutes apart and finally at the point where I had to stop every thing and get into a squatting position. Four houses from ours, a neighbor saw me squatting and breathing through the pain and offered a ride home, which I denied and laughed about.
4:04 p.m. I started timing the contractions on paper. Tom shaved, showered and got dressed. We packed the boys some clothes. I called my father to make sure he was ready to go to the hospital to take care of the boys when they couldn't be in the room with me. I showered and shaved, and painted my toes while breathing through the pain.
5:
00 p.m. I called the OB office. The answering service of course picked up and took my name, 411, and phone number.
5:15 p.m. We were out the door, still waiting for Dr. F to return my call. I called the office again and told them he had not called back and I was heading to the hospital. The 30 minute drive to the hospital was hell and not even because of the contractions! But because Tom was rushing. I swear instead of breathing I was screaming slow down..
5:45 p.m.We arrived at the hospital 105 minutes after I admitted to being in labor. We went to registration to get my bracelet and to check in. I could have killed the lady there. She called L&D and actually had the balls to say to them that she didn't think I wasn't really in labor. I can't help it if I try my hardest to not let people see me in pain. Thank goodness this wasn't like with Collin and Thomas with contractions every 2-3 minutes upon arrival. At this point my contractions were extremely steady at 6-7 minutes apart.
5:56 p.m. We get up to the childbirth center and immediately I am handed my lovely gown. My parents arrived 5 minutes later to take the boys. This was it. I was going to meet my little girl in a few hours. I was actually starting to panic at this point. I had been trying so hard to get her out and now I was petrified of meeting her. Afraid of how exactly the methadone would affect her.
At this point I was in pain. Obviously. So I told the nurses and my husband, while I am contraction to
not under any circumstance talk to me or touch me. I told He is to be at my side, hand in mine, while I got through them.
I was then asked to get into bed so they could hook me up to the monitors and check my cervix. Through out this time I had been randomly
tweeting about everything that was going on.
(Look at left hand, see phone.)
6:21 I was 5-6 cm dilated. The nurse couldn't find my cervix at 1st it was so high up. After being told where I was, I immediately asked for the epidural despite Tom's protest and telling me I could do without. Yes, I wanted a natural birth since based on my experience it is an easier recovery than with the epidural. Oh freaking well! I agree I could have gone with out it, especially since my contractions were still steadily coming every 6-7 minutes. Downfall is they would last 2.5-3 minutes each. I thought they were long, but when the nurses told me they were lasting that long....I freaked.
checked again. 7 c.m. and totally discouraged I am not closer to 10, especially since I went from 4-10 in 45 minutes with Collin.. The anesthesiologist came, explained all the facts, side effects, risks, etc. I didn't want to hear it. I just wanted relief. He couldn't believe how much pain I claimed to be in, since I hadn't had a contraction yet while he was in the room. He started to administer it, and got as far as the numbing stuff and the catheter in when a contraction struck. He could not believe how long it had last. He and my nurse kept talking about how they never seen a woman have a contraction last as long as this one. It lasted over 4 minutes according to the monitor and was off the charts.
8:13 p.m. Finally he was able to finish. Unfortunately he went a bit to the left and I had a small window where it didn't take on the right side. It felt like a runners cramp when I had a contractions so I was totally fine with it. Tom went to check on the boys and to go to the vending machines to find them snacks for dinner since we managed to forget to feed them or bring something for them.
The kids, my parents, and shockingly my mother in law came in the room (When she got there I don't know, but I could not believe she was there. She had never came to the hospital to see me or my kids.) My boys where awesome, so excited about their sister coming.
8:43 p.m. The nurse went to check me, and without touching me, she told me she could see my daughter's head. She actually asked if they were sure of my due date since based on the amount of vernix. I didn't believe her so and couldn't see myself so....using my cell phone I snapped a photo. She was right. I could not believe it. It looked like I had a really really bad yeast infection inside my hoo-ha. I immediately freaked, thinking she was just going to slip out since I had no feeling whatsoever down there. I was petrified Tom was not going to make it back to the room in time. Within two minutes the nurse disassembled my bed, Tom entered the room, we told him it was time, and he got the camera's and baby book ready.
8:49 p.m. Everyone got into position I was told to give a slight push so they could get an idea of how long it would take. I did as told and everyone in the room gave quick estimates on when she would be born. Tom was closest with a guess of 8:55, I was the furthest, based on the fact that during the test push I could not feel myself pushing and felt as if I had just strained my face instead of pushed, I guess 9:30ish.
8:50 p.m. Began pushing. "1..2..3..4..5..6..7..8..9..10; 1..2..3..4..5..6..7"
8:51 p.m. Dr. F, Tom and the nurse began screaming at me to stop. I was thinking the absolute worst. Something had to have been wrong. Why would they stop counting at 7 and tell me to stop. It had to be something seriously obvious if Tom was telling me to stop as well. What could be wrong that he knows?
She was out! Counting the test push she was out in 3 pushes. I had not felt the "ring of fire" of her head coming out. I didn't feel the intense urge to push the rest of her body out. I did not feel her come out even in the slightest bit. Thank you epidural!
Tom cut her cord and Bailey was placed on my belly. Though she was covered in the most cheesy goo I had every seen, I could not believe how beautiful she was. At that point, I could not believe she wasn't identical to the boys. I could not believe my eyes. She is here. She is mine. She is my daughter.
After things settled down from her birth, Tom and I just stared at her in amazement. I nursed her within the hour of her birth and she latched right on and nursed for just over 30 minutes total. It was beautiful. Tom held her and stared into her eyes with awe. He had his little girl. Being as he was not there for his eldest child this was very hard for him. Bittersweet. My boys love her more than I expected. Especially Collin. Again, just like with Thomas when he was born, I was expecting fits of jealousy. I was expecting him to have total dislike for Bailey. Instead he constantly wants to hold her, feed her, burp her, change her, and give her the bink. Thomas as well. I am nursing her then pumping and giving her whatever I pumped by bottle. Thomas does most of those feedings. I think he loves feeding her more than most parents enjoy feeding their kids.
Looking back at the 1st week, I cannot believe it has already come and gone. Yet, during that week, it felt as if it dragged on forever. Bailey stayed in the hospital 7 long days. We got very lucky and she was able to stay in Milford Hospital the entire time. She needed no medical intervention to help with the withdrawal at all. Only thing she needed was extra cuddles. Her symptoms where minor, yet plentiful. Watery stool, increased respirations (more than 60 breaths/min), nasal stuffiness, excessive & continuous high pitched cry, sleeping less than 1 hr after feedings, mild tremors when disturbed, fever, frequent sneezing (more than 4-5 times/interval), excessive sucking, poor feeding after the 1st 24 hours (especially when nursing) were the signs she was showing.
The nurses all loved her, instead of letting her fuss in her bassinet in the nursery they held her almost every moment I wasn't able to be with her. Every time I walked into the Mat. ward I would walk in on a nurse sitting behind the nursing station doing their work with Bailey in their arms. It was sweet. The hospital was super kind, after I was discharged on Sunday they moved me out of my L&D room and into a smaller room for mommies whose babies aren't able to come home right away. They only have 2 of these rooms, so I was greatful Bailey was the only baby whose mommy wasn't a patient. They also provided me with snacks, drinks, and 3 meals a day. The entire staff was amazing.
Bailey came home Friday, and has mostly slept since then. It seems she is the complete opposite of Thomas and Collin. She is very rarely just awake. Always wanting to eat when she is awake. And if not eating she is screaming. Mostly though she just sleeps. Especially from 7 until whatever time I decide to head to bed. I am so in love with my little screaming monster. I love being a mommy to a little girl. She is just so beautiful and sweet. I love her with my entire being. With everything I am. And more.
I guess that's it. The entire birth story plus a little extra. I cannot believe it took me this long to write. I usually have these typed up within an hour or so of being home.
Here are the rest of the photo's from Baileys birth, hospital stay and 1st couple days home. And the rest of the videos we had took.
http://s985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/theresnoeggs/BaileyGrace/Bailey was born at 7 lbs 6 oz 20.5 inches long, her apgars were 9/9 just like her big brother Thomas. When she was discharged she was 6 lbs 7 oz. Monday she was up to 6 lbs 10 oz. We cannot wait until Thursday to see how much she has gained!
Next came a package from Shannon & the girls from the January 08 Playroom on 
