D-Day

Delivery day or "D-Day" as we often referred to it with anticipation happened one day early, Wednesday, August 3rd.  It was certainly a bit of a surprise.  As much as I was ready to meet Phoebe and stop anticipating the actual labor I was convinced that I was going to go past my due date (which was August 4th)

On Tuesday when I went to the doctor I was 1cm dilated and 50% effaced, which yes is better than closed, but being the labor and delivery nurse that I am I found it nothing to get excited about.  Lots of people walk around 1, 2, or even 3cms for weeks.  My doctor did strip my membranes, and although I realize that this has "worked" for a lot of people it also has"not worked" for just as many.  So I told my parents it was probably going to be awhile- no need to rush down, and I started brain storming alternative means to stimulate labor so I would not have to be induced the following week.  I was starting to collect names of acupuncturists so that I could make an appointment on Monday or Tuesday the 8th or 9th to see if this could put me into labor.  And yes of course I had been taking the evening primrose oil, and drinking raspberry tea and all these other things they say will stimulate labor or at least get your body ready...  (Yes, I am a fan of alternative forms of medicine and health care.)   I was planning on eating eggplant parmesan at Scalini's on Wednesday night and am a tiny bit sad I didn't eat there Tuesday night so I could get a free onesie and gift card.

So anyhow on Tuesday evening we went to Willy's with one of Chris' RUF students.  I mentioned on the way over that I felt a little bit more "crampy" than usual.  Nothing major, just a little different.  I actually lost my mucus plug at Willy's, but again this can happen up to 2 weeks before you deliver so I was not excited or impressed.  Tuesday evening we came home and I was tired, so I went to bed around 10 or 10:30pm.

The fun began around 12:30am Wednesday morning.  I woke up and could not get comfortable.  I laid in bed till around 1:30, when I decided I need to get up.  So I got up and over the next several hours cleaned the bathroom, did 2 loads of laundry, and baked 2 batches of cookies.  Yes, classic nesting.  Chris woke up at 3:30am and came downstairs asking "what in the world are you doing?!?!"  At this point my contractions were about 9 minutes apart.  Chris laid down on the couch while I finished my cookies and laundry and I decided it was probably going to be a long day so I should lie back down for a little bit too.  I slept till maybe around 5 or 5:30 when I woke Chris up because I was just too uncomfortable to be on my own anymore.  We labored and bit and went for a walk around the funeral home by our house.  At this point Chris was wanting to know how long I thought it was going to be before we needed to go to the hospital.  I had no idea!  I was pretty sure I was in labor at this point and going to have the baby sometime on Wednesday, but it was probably still pretty early in the labor process.  Chris was very concerned that it would be time to go to the hospital during Atlanta rush hour traffic.  He told me if I thought it was going to be before 9am we needed to go "now."

Well we stayed at home through rush hour and Chris was by my side with me being a wonderful encouragement while I labored.  Around 11:30 we headed over to the hospital for the first time… Yes, I said first time.  I wasn’t sure if it was time to go to the hospital or not, but I was hurting pretty bad so I figured I was either pretty far along or I was going to get an epidural, which was not my plan or desire, but I absolutely would have if I needed to.  So Chris got the car packed up and about 10 minutes down the road after I had had a lull in contractions, I decided maybe it was too early and we should go back home.  So back home we headed.  Chris had some lunch and we really weren’t home long before we climbed back into the car to go to the hospital for good. 

Through a series of providential events and phone calls, one of the girls at work who I would have loved to labor me, Kristin Trapp, had an empty room!  And it wasn’t any empty room- it was one of the nicest rooms on the unit!  So they were able to hold that room for me, which again was great because it was VERY busy that day.  In fact, when I checked in at the admission desk there were 6 or 7 pregnant women waiting for a room in the waiting area.   They took me straight back to my room though.

Let me first of all say that Kristin is a FABULOUS nurse!  Really, I could not have asked for a better experience.  I really didn’t know when I got to the hospital if I was really in “good labor.”  I knew I was having contractions every 2-4 minutes, but I was still scared I would only be 2cm.  But I was 6cm/75%/ballotable when I got there around 12:30ish.  Then 7/75/-2  around 2:00ish.  Dr. Sun broke my water around 3:40 and I was 7-8cm/100% and she said the head was lower.  From there things got INTENSE.  The next hour was by far the hardest hour of my life.  I could not have done it without Chris, Kristin, and Cathryn.  (At 3:00 Cathryn Martin took over and became my primary nurse.  She was also WONDERFUL!  Kristin was amazing and stayed until I delivered even though she was off the clock.  THANK YOU!)  Thankfully I transitioned quickly.  I was complete and ready to start pushing by 4:35ish.  From there with the help of my amazing husband, nurses and doctor Phoebe was born at 5:24pm without any medication or epidural for mommy.

Kristin and I (obviously before Phoebe was born)

Getting Checked Out

Mommy holding her baby for the first time

Daddy and his daughter

6lbs 14oz

Cathryn and I (obviously after Phoebe was born...)

My labor and her delivery was certainly a team effort.  Chris played a HUGE roll and I could not have done it without his love, support, and encouragement.