Well, after 32 hours of labor, you are finally here! Boy did you give your mom and dad a few scares! The fun began on Thursday at 10pm. I got horribly sick. I had something like a stomach flu for 24 hours and was absolutely miserable. Plus I was having contractions... Mimi came up to help because I was so sick on Friday, and I even called Dad home because I really wasn't feeling well. After being sick all day I was really nervous you were coming that night. Luckily, you let mom get some sleep on Friday night and I recovered a little from the bug. Saturday morning I woke up and the show started at 8 am :) I was excited to see we were starting things off after a good nights rest. Of course I hadn't eaten anything since Thursday dinner. Contractions were not bad all morning but by 10 they were getting closer together and lasting longer so we called the birth center. We made a plan to be there around noon and would update if anything changed. By noon, my contractions were about 5 minutes apart lasting a good 45-55 seconds! This was it, you were certainly on your way. You were coming fast too! I couldn't be happier! I was feeling great!
We got to the birth center at 12:30 and set up everything there. Mimi, Dad, and I were relaxing and getting excited for you to come! Contractions continued all afternoon and continued to get stronger. It did seem to slow down a little once we were at the birth center. I enjoyed walking around and even got to spend some time relaxing in the tub, which really helped with the stronger contractions. Everyone came to visit. We saw grandma and grandpa, Aunt Jaclyn, Uncle Dan, Uncle Joe, and Papa too. By 7 pm my water broke a little and we were really excited because contractions were getting stronger and much more intense. This continued until about 11 pm when things were still intense but I was exhausted and things seemed to slow down. At 11:30 pm, Shelly (our midwife) came to check and see how things were going. We were only at 4 cm and there was a lot of meconium. Shelly wasn't sure if you were breech or if you were just lodged in there strange when she felt you because my placenta was in the front. We were a little scared with the meconium and I was exhausted. We all thought it would be best for you and me to go to the hospital. Certainly not what we had planned.
The ride to the hospital was scary. It felt like it took forever. All of our family followed us to the hospital too. We got there and Dad and I checked into the emergency room. As soon as I sat in the wheel chair to go up to labor and delivery my water fully broke. It was exciting and very gross! The poor guy that wheeled us up to delivery was really freaking out, he thought you'd be born in the elevator :) We checked in and got to our room. It was a great room and Mitsy joined us (a doula). We decided to do an epidural so that I could sleep and be ready for the next day. I felt like a failure, but I was so tired it was just what we needed. We woke up at 6 am and were 8 cm dilated and 90% effaced. It was wonderful! We were back on track. We fell back to sleep and at 8 am we were 100% effaced and 10 cm dilated! It was finally here, time for you to come! Only one problem, I didn't have any notion to push yet. The doctors and nurses all decided it was best to wait for the urge to push. So we waited. In the mean time, I had the worst pain in my right hip and back. They tried to adjust the epidural, but it didn't help. You were twisted up in there and causing lots of back labor. Around 11 am we decided to try pushing and see if we could make some progress. After pushing for about an hour, we hadn't made any progress. You were still at +1 station. We decided to wait a little longer.
Our family was all getting worried, they stayed the night in the hospital to wait for you and everyone was exhausted. We decided to try to push again around 2 pm because I was having a little urge to push. We pushed again for an hour and tried all kinds of positions - which was very difficult because I couldn't feel my legs! After pushing, the doctor came back in and said she was worried about you because your heart was slowing way down when we tried pushing and you were still at the +1 station. You just couldn't make your way down. She said the best thing would be for a c-section. I was crushed, but all I could think of was your safety. It was all that mattered. Dad and I decided to go with the c-section and get you out safe and sound. They got us prepped and took us down. You were out within 10 minutes. The NICU team was there because of the meconium. They rushed you over to the table and took care of everything right away. It took about 10 minutes, but they finally brought you over to me! You were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Nothing else in the world mattered.
We were in surgery for another 45 minutes while they finished up. I got to hold you so the time really flew by. Then we got to go to recovery and I held you in my arms all the way down the hall. Once in recovery all of our family was excited to come and see you! They had been waiting with us at the birthing center and at the hospital the entire time! Grandma and Mimi got to be the first visitors. Then Grandpa and Papa. They were so proud and so happy to hold you and to finally see you! Aunt Jaclyn and Uncle Dan came in with Uncle Joseph and it was wonderful! Aunt Jaclyn broke down and was just so happy that you and I were safe and healthy! It was wonderful to show you off and to be such a proud parent already. After breast feeding for the first time we were off to our room for the next few days in mother and baby. You were a pro right away and your first feed lasted a half hour!
The hospital stay was long and rough on Mommy and Daddy. I got very sick from the pain medicine but you did awesome! You only lost about 3 ounces in the hospital and then started to gain weight again. You also had no signs of jaundice. From the very beginning you have been a very happy baby, always content and never crying. It made the transition for Dad and I so much easier because my recovery was so hard. Aunt Jaclyn and Mimi stayed with us for the few days in the hospital to help with me and Dad too. It was wonderful to have their help so Daddy could go home during the day and get some sleep.
Finally on Wednesday night we got to go home from the hospital. I was still so sick, but the thought of going home was relief enough to get me feeling better :) We took you home and Grandma and Grandpa came back to visit with Aunt Kelly and Grace and Libby. The girls were so excited to hold you and see you for the first time! It was truly wonderful to have you home with Dad and I. Even Petoskey was excited to meet you!
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