Audriana's arrival

my due date was 9-15-12, but i really thought that i would go late. i figured i would be induced on 9-21-12. i thought this so much that i literally did not think i was actually having contractions.

 

on sunday, 9-9-12 i was feeling a little achy. that night i noticed my achiness turned into bad back cramps. i once again didn't think anything of it. i thought that it was my body just prepping for the big day which was never going to come. when i woke up on monday morning i noticed the cramping had gone away. i headed to the gym and ran a few errands. i started to notice that i felt completely exhausted and just not myself.  around noon the cramping came back. this time, it was staying for good.

 

early monday morning before dave went to work, i told him to keep his phone on him because i wasn't feelng myself. i reminded him it probably meant nothing but who knows. after the cramping continued for a few hours and many conversations with my mom later, i decided to call dave. i then kept calling him and he kept getting mad at me and saying i was embarassing him because i was only having cramps and not actually in labor! HA! little did he (we) know. i then decided to make some chicken noodle soup ( i cut my thumb pretty badly and thought i needed stitches and once again annoyed dave by calling him to tell him this and he once again hung up on me)...around 5 pm i went on my daily walk. i could barely move. i was walking really slow and waddling around.

 

when dave got home i went to bed. i told him my cramps were worse than menstral cramps and he should sleep in the other room cause i didn't want to keep him up. thank goodness my mom is 2 hours behind us in time...cause i kept calling her and complaining. i then noticed that on top of the cramps i would feel the most intense pain that would come and go. my mom told me she thought they were actual contractions and i should start timing them. i figured they were braxton hicks or something. well, when i started timing them (thanks to an app it was super easy) they were about 4-5 min apart lasting around 1 minute. this went on for a good 2 -3 hours. my mom who seriously helped me through the night (remember i was a good wife and let my hubby sleep and he didn't actually understand how much pain i was in)...told me i really needed to call the dr. i was so hesitant. she said to wake dave and call and then call her back. so i did just that. i was super embarassed because i had no clue what a contraction felt like and didn't want to go to the hospital only to be sent home and told that it was just cramps or braxton hicks.

 

well, dave called and the dr (dr anthopolis) said to come in. so we did just that. at this point it was about 5 am. i was indeed having contractions and they were about 3 min apart. i was seriously shocked! I think dave was even more surprised! LOL. this was a tues. well the week before i was barely dilated and only 60% effaced. when we got there i was dilated at a 2 and 90% effaced. so we walked for an hour and then i was a 3 and 95% efffaced. well at 7 am a new dr came in, just as my contractions were slowing - dr stuck. she happens to be the only one we did not like at the practice. she was so rude and had horrible bedside manners. anyway to make the story shorter she sent us home and said we may have a baby this weekend but was doubtful. i was a little dissappointed but at the same time hopeful that i would not have the baby that day and have her be the one to deliver. she said to call if my contractions were 2 min apart lasting 60-90 sec for an hr.

 

we went and got breakfast ( i could barely eat, the contractions kept coming)...then we got home around 12. i took 2 benedryl to try and sleep and managed to sleep for about an 1 1/2 hrs. at this point dave was extremely supportive and helped me through everything. he rubbed my back, helped me in the shower and helped me at least try to breathe through every contraction. wew ent on a walk around 5 and started timing the contractions again. this time they were more spread out like 5-6 min apart lasting 60-90 sec each. by the time we got home from our walk they were unbearable. i mean i could not move, did not want to be touched and was so frustrated. i did not think i would make it through the night let alone through the weekend like dr stuck thought. i was in tears. around 7 they were 2 min apart lasting 60-90 sec. dave kept saying lets call the dr. i would not let him cause i did not want to go back and have the same dr send me home again. well, around 8 i started throwing up like non stop and my entire body was shaking uncontrollably. i literally told dave i wanted an epidural...i was planing on going natural the entire pregnancy but obviously soon changed my mind. well, he being the good hubby he is called the dr. told her that i was puking and how close together my contractions were. so she of course said to come back.

 

i don't know how we made it there but we did. we got there a little after 10. i could barely move and i am sure the entire hospital knew i was in labor. when we arrived again, i immediately begged the nurse not to send me home. i said 'please don't send me home, please don't send me home and i think i want the epi like NOW!' she looked at me and said 'honey, i dont think you are going home.' well, when they checked my i was dilated at a 6! dr stuck was surprised and luckily my fav dr in the practice switched shifts with her and got there an hour early for her shift. so she arrived around 11. i was so dehydrated it took them a little while to get me the epidural but when they did i was at a 7. i don't know how women go all natural. it was pure hell! seriously. anyway when dr hahn arrived she checked me and i was complete! i knew something was up because the baby's heart rate kept going up then down. they had to give me oxygen..i guess my contractions were so close together and she kept moving down that that is what happened.

 

they wanted me to wait a little bit before pushing. they thought i would deliver around 3 am. well, at almost midnight, i told the nurse i could feel her and thought it was time. side note--we really bonded with the nurse that was there with us earlier that morning. well she came and found us and also helped. it was such a wonderful thing. we loved the nurses. anyway the nighttime nurse (jeanette) checked to see if it was time to push and looked and said we were going to do a practice push. when she looked she said ok don't do a practice push she will come out! So she rushed to get the dr...i of couse being a weirdo wanted to watch the entire thing so i did! LOVED IT! anyway when dr hahn came back she was in shock and less than 20 min later our beautiful baby girl was born.

 

when they placed her on my lap, my heart melted. it was so sweet to see dave cut the umbilical cord. and to have him by my side. i never knew so much love exsisted. my entire life changed. it was the happiest moment of my life. she was perfect and healthy in every way. it was amazing to see her staring into my eyes. i know she knew who i was. when i nursed her it was an immediate bond.  i forgot all the pain.

 

i really had a great delivery. we all cracked jokes during the process of needing a police escort and the dr said we seriously almost needed one cause if we didn't leave when we did we would have delivered at home! lol i guess when things started for me they went quick.

even though i tore pretty badly, i dont care! labor was not as bad as i expected but i guess bad enough that i needed an epidural.

 

i would do it all over again and i am sure i will one day (dont get any ideas)...

we are now such a happy family of 3! Baby A has by far been the best blessing Heavenly Father has given to us and we couldn't be more grateful!