Thursday, August 5, 2010

August 1, 2010

I have been very lucky in my labor and deliveries. I love them. I envy others who get to give birth. I have been excited this entire time for this day. Charlotte's birthday. And it was the very best delivery in just about every way.

We checked into the Hospital at 6am. I was surprisingly well-rested, thanks to a night of Unisom. I was feeling good and calm. I was feeling happy.
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We were checked into our room and I got all ready in my horrible hospital gown (I saved my cute one for pictures that evening) By 7:30am they had just started me on pitocin. I wasn't feeing any contractions until 9:30am and even then they were quite small and totally bearable. I told Dave they weren't strong enough to have sent me to the Hospital had I not already been there. So life was good. I was getting more excited. And best of all I was in no discomfort.
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My Doctor said she was going to come in to break my water at 10am. She said to go ahead and get the epidural if I wanted to have it because things would probably go relatively quickly after the water was broken. I am all about the epidural so I did a little drug cheer and awaited my favorite Doctor, the anesthesiologist. He came in about 10am. They had a little problem getting the last of the tubing through. He tried for about 10 minutes, which is a nerve wracking thing... being hunched over, naked back exposed, someone digging around your spine with a needle. Finally another Dr. came in to assist. He had the same problem. They had to take everything out and start all over again. This was not what I wanted to hear but I was grateful to have it all over and could feel the beautiful numbing in my legs immediately. Heaven.

Dr. Barikno came in at 10:30ish, broke my water and shot the breeze with me for a while. I love her.

So I slept more, which was pretty much how I spent the entire morning. It was the best napping I'd had in months.
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They came in to check me at 1:15pm and I was at a 7. I thought to myself, this may take a while longer. And even made a joke about how sorry I was to be keeping my Dr. from her Family on a Sunday. Within 15 minutes I was at a 10. They brought in all the gear, called the Doctor and got me ready to push.
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I pushed for literally 30 seconds and there she was. The most beautiful baby I'd ever seen. Seeing her the first time was the experience of a lifetime and I will never forget it.

I couldn't believe how tiny she was. Even then I was guessing maybe 7 pounds. I couldn't wrap my head around it when they called out her weight. Who has a full-term 5 pound baby!? Crazy!!
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They had to take her away pretty much right off the bat to regulate her temp. They want them to be at least 97 degrees and she was about 95. Plus she had her cord wrapped around her neck so her breathing a little strained.

As I was left there alone, awaiting my lunch, I was left alone with my thoughts. Happy. Thats all I could really feel. Just so, so happy and grateful.

Now... all we needed was a name. (next post)

8 comments:

The last Unicorn said...

beautiful! i cant believe you pushed for only 30 sec! Awesome :)

Tasha said...

I am glad it was such a good labor. Seeing her lay on the scale she even looks so tiny. That must mean she is tiny tiny. I cannot believe she was 5lbs. Tanner was 5lb 13oz and he was so skiny tiny. But, that was because he wasn't getting adiquate nutrience inside of me. So he was long...just super skiny. She looks both small and skiny. She is just beautiful and perfect. I loved reading this.

lyndsey said...

holy crap! you had the easiest labor EVER -- pushed for 30 seconds?! nice work momma. glad everything went well and i still can't believe she was so tiny. [and i love your photos -- they look like MY birth story! ha.]

Tiffany J said...

Way to go Jill! 30 sec? I was thinking my 45 mins with Ashton was easy but you take the cake! Congratulations! She's SO cute (but I didn't expect less from you guys!) You're kids are adorable.

Tamsyn said...

That is awesome!! What a great delivery! Congrats my friend!!

karen said...

Wow ! Nice labor ! Some women are so lucky with good labor/childbirth and some aren't. I had a hard time with elsa - bad doctor, bad nurses, etc. But with aila, it was a piece of cake and I had her at a different hosptial with a new doc. I guess that helped a lot.
She's so tiny and so cute ! I can see a little of olivia in her !!

Deb said...

Wow what a great story and the pictures are so amazing and tell the story perfectly! So who took the great pics? Happy that you had such a great experience. Reading your post and looking at this sweet buddle gets me teary eyed and makes me think I want another one sooner then planned?!?

Chelsey and Casey said...

Sometimes I can very clearly recall the epidural being thread down my spine that it feels like it's actually happening. Blaaaah! I couldn't imagine doing it without it though, eh!

Baby Olivia

Baby Olivia
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My funny Ella

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My handsome Luke

My handsome Luke

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