Wednesday, August 11th

They set up the appointment to be induced the day before. We had to call at 7:30 am to see if they had any rooms available. Luckily for us no one was even there having a baby. They had 3 or 4 women being induced that day and I was the first one there. (Yes I got up early enough to shower and do my hair and makeup. If I was going to be there in labor for who knows how long I wanted to at least feel clean). I was so excited, nervous and all other emotions that can possibly be there. I was really going to have a baby!!! I get there and go through all the paperwork, blah blah blah... Finally they get me in my room and give me my gown. I change and they hook me up to the monitors. Baby's heartbeat was great and they were registering my strange, irregular contractions. The next step was to start the labor. My doc came in and broke my water at about 8:00 am... I won't go into details but it was interesting to say the least. Then he said he'd be back to check on me around noon. They let me go for about a half hour and contractions weren't doing anything, well they got a little stronger, so the nurse came in and gave me pitocin. That really started me going. Oh it hurt. I was sitting on the bed and couldn't move. If I stood up it made them hurt worse, if I laid down... it hurt worse. So I sat, the entire time. Daniel had the tv on and I remember watching something about ancient torture methods and machines. I kept thinking to myself... "Oh this isn't as bad as that would be" and "oh people did this that long ago with nothing! I can do it". Brynn was there helping me too. Daniel and Brynn would talk to me and keep me breathing and distracted whenever I would have a contraction. They did great helping me. We had fun watching the monitor for my contractions and the baby's heartbeat. She did wonderfully the whole time. She didn't get too stressed out, and her heartbeat stayed pretty much the same. My contractions however were a totally different story. They were irregular the entire time. They double peaked and lasted for at least 2 to 3 minutes. So it was pretty intense trying to make it though 2 to 3 minutes of extreme pain like you couldn't imagine every 3 minutes. It would come on and I'd be concentrating on breathing then it would slowly start to go away and just when the pain was bearable, but not gone, it would come back even worse (double peaking). Then it would go away. I was so exhausted but didn't have any time to close my eyes and try to sleep.
By about noon my doc said he'd be back to check on me and he wasn't back yet, so I asked the nurse to check my progression. I was strongly debating getting an epidural, but I'd heard from many people that they won't give you one once you reach 7 cm. So she checked me and I was at 6cm. I asked if I could get one and she called the anesthesiologist. BUT she had just gone into a surgery! Crap!!! I was so freaked out that I'd have to do the rest of this without it because she wouldn't make it out in time. I had experienced what I wanted to and was ready to be relaxed for the rest of the time (plus I really wanted to sleep!). The nurse said that they do an epidural at 10 cm if we wanted. So I was pretty excited about that. About 12:45 maybe 1 I don't really know, the nurse came in with the anesthesiologist and I rejoyced haha! Labor had moved to the stage where you feel like you need to push and it's a whole lot of pressure but you can't do anything yet. They checked me before they started the epidural and I was at 8 cm. So they rolled me over onto my side and started the process of putting in the epidural. She poked me and couldn't get it in between my vertebrae. Brynn was watching and said she was scratching my spine and moving the needle all over. Then she decided to try again one vertebrae up. She did that one with ease and gave me a huge dose to be able to get on top of the pain. It was the strangest feeling. I really felt it spread through my whole abdomen down to my kneecaps. Then I started to shake. I remember just shaking almost the rest of the time from the drugs. They said it was set up on a slow drip so I'd have continuous pain relief. After about an hour I started feeling pressure again, so I hit the button to give myself an extra dose... it didn't do anything and I just started feeling more and more. Slowly, but surely. So I asked Brynn to check the drip line and she said there was something puddling on the floor... it was my epidural. They didn't hook up the line lol! They had told me it was a brand new system and they were getting used to it, but you would think that hooking up the drugs would be a top priority. Oh well. It wasn't to a point of extreme pain yet, so I wasn't mad, it was just kind of funny. They got it hooked up right away, but since I had already pushed the button, I was locked out for another 18 minutes still. So I was carefully watching the clock and as soon as the time was up I pushed the button. The nurse came in again and checked me and said I was at a 9, that was about 2:00 I think. By 3:02 I was ready to start pushing. The nurse gave me a crash course on the how to and I started. It came pretty easily for me. But I think part of that was because she was already so low. At 3:24 my sweet little girl was born. She started crying right away.



They took her to do the measurements and she was 8 lbs even and 20 1/2 inches long. The doc made them double check the weight because he was so sure she'd be high 6, low 7. He had been saying that for weeks now so we were all shocked when we heard 8 lbs.



Then, of course once I was all cleaned up and decent again, the family came in to see Alice. Daniel's mom was there, his dad was on the way, and my family was all there. They had all come in right after I got the epidural to see how things were going, then waited outside til she was born. They did her first bath and she screamed the whole time until they got the water on her head lol, she loved that part. It was cute. She had a major cone head full of super dark hair and my toes haha. After the anesthesia wore off they moved me into the room we'd stay in for the next couple days.

The last two weeks

Dang! I don't think I got a pic of us when I was 40 weeks. But she grew, if you can believe that. I got a lot bigger in those last two weeks. The first week of August was fun but a little bit boring. I was trying to take it easy to rest up for labor and afterward. Everyone told me not to do anything too. It was kind of nice having the "princess" treatment, but it got old. I did have my regular evening walks which was really nice to do something. But even that wore me out by the last week.
I finished organizing the baby room, hanging up clothes, putting bumpers on the crib and all that stuff. Daniel was a huge help in all of it too. We had fun doing it together.
My first appointment in August was good. Again I was hoping for some awesome news. I had progression, but not quite what I was hoping. I was now at 3 cm and 90% effaced and again the doc was pretty much shocked by how low she was sitting. He said her head was down and at a +2 station. (TMI here but +4 is crowning. So ya, she was low.) My contractions had gotten to be more regular but still not painful or regular enough. They were ranging from 7 to 9 min apart and lasted for 2 min and that was going on most of the day. I asked if that was close enough and he said not yet. Dang.
The second appointment was a dissapointment that I had to go. I was again hoping that she would decide to come earlier. But no, she was stubborn and I had to go to the doc in the second week of August. The appointment was two days after her due date. So I was pretty annoyed about it. Before he checked the progression he talked to me about how far over he would let me go. I said I didn't want to go past that weekend, the 14th. But he was going to be out of town starting Thursday on a scout trip. So we weren't sure what to do and he suggested checking progression to judge what to do. I had progression, thank goodnes! I was now 100% effaced and he said I was at a 3 still, then he corrected and said 4 cm! I should have been in labor already!!! I was so annoyed! So he said "let's just do this tomorrow! What do you think?" I immediately said yes, and Daniel had this tone of "I don't know about that". So I looked at him and said "I'm not waiting any longer, I deffinitely don't want to go past this weekend and if he's going to be gone then tomorrow is our only option." So we agreed to set up to be induced on the 11th.

38 weeks

So here I am at 38 weeks and I went to the doctor. I go in expecting to hear some more fun news about progression. So he checks me and says the exact same thing as last time. "What??" Dang. That sucks. So I'm still 2 cm and 80%. I've been doing regular walks and everything too. So I don't know what else to try but to keep doing what we've been doing and hope that something changes soon. I've been having a lot of contractions too, so I don't know how there's no change. But whatever.
So today I go get a quick lunch and on my way back to work I have a contraction. So I look at the time and I figure they are usually aroun 15 to 20 minutes apart and really random, maybe only two or three in a row. Well the next one came about 8 minutes after the first! I was very surprised. I was really excited too. I didn't want to read too much into it because I knew it wasn't labor. But it went on for almost an hour of them being so close. I was really excited. They haven't ever been that close or regular. I'm thinking maybe that's where the progression is happening. They are getting more regular and ready for labor. And of course they help dilate and efface too.
So tomorrow is my last day of work. I'm so excited but sad at the same time. I'm excited because I don't necissarily have to wake up so early anymore haha, and because it means I'm that much closer. I'm sad because it's been nice to have something to do during the day that keeps me and my mind occupied. It's been a lot of fun working there, but I'm starting to move slower and lose my mind more often. I think it's time to be done for a little while. I'll need the time off to rest up for labor, and to get used to being a mom.

37 Weeks... Full Term!

Wow, I'm 37 weeks. That is considered to be full term, even though there is still 3 weeks left until the actual due date. The baby is definitely dropping much more as the days go on. I think she might be anxious to come out or something. I am starting to get Braxton Hicks ('practice' contractions that prepare you and your body for the real deal) more and more often. I didn't mind them so much before, but as they are coming more often, they are getting much stronger. It doesn't hurt, but it definitely isn't comfortable.
Speaking of comfort... there's almost no such thing anymore. My favorite is sleeping. Laying on my side is getting old though too. I am so looking forward to the day I can lay on my stomach again lol. It's not always bad, but there are the days where I just want to be done with all of it.
So I went to the doctor again. I'm going in every week now. It's pretty crazy. Everything is going well still. He started checking the progress this time. It wasn't really a fun experience, but whatever. At least it didn't hurt for me. He said that the baby is really low, I'm 2 cm dilated and 80% effaced, and her head is a 0 station, and the cervix is very soft and ready for whenever she is. That's pretty good progress. So basically I could go into labor now and everything is ready. He seemed to think it would be this week almost. He was pretty excited. So he told me he'd see me again in a week unless I start having contractions 5 minutes apart (which is the sign that your about to have the baby and you need to go to the hospital). So I walked away thinking, "oh crap, she's coming within days!" And I was laughing in disbelief the whole way home. Seriously.
But after thinking about it now, I could stay like this for a week or more and have very little or no progress (or a whole lot). So I really still could have her on her due date. But then I think again and with all the Braxton Hicks contractions I've been getting, I still think that things are progressing and I won't be like that for very long. I think she'll come early. Too bad there really is no way to tell. I wish I knew the date she'll be coming for sure. It would make things so much easier haha.

35 Weeks and a lot's going on

Oh wow. It's been a while since I've written anything. 4 weeks left! So close and yet so far. Since my last post I've been to the doc's a few more times, nothing huge to report really. We've started a childbirth class, I'll get to that in a bit. We also have had a baby shower, set up the crib, and started cleaning out the baby room more and more. And we've had a prediction about when she'll be here.
So the last few doctor appointments have been uneventful. I mean that in a really good way. It's the same thing as ever... go in, get blood pressure checked, get weighed, get measured, listen to the heart, then Q&A if I have any. This last doctor apointment I was really curious about a few things. So I came with my list of questions. The one that I really wanted to know is how big he thinks she will be. He said he can usually guess withing 20% and that he thinks she will be around 6 1/2 - 7 pounds when she's born. That's if she stays on the growth curve she's on right now. He said she is on the smaller side of average, but is still in the healthy range. I'm thinking 6 1/2 pounds sounds good for me! I mean it's definitely no adorable chunky fat baby, but she'll fatten up. So my next appointment is next week, then it starts every week. So strange! That means it's getting really, really close. I also had a warning that they need to run the group B strep test. I won't even go into details for that one. It doesn't sound pleasant.
This childbirth class is really nice actually. I didn't know what to expect, but it's been informative. It was kind of a last minute thing for us because we knew we wanted to do a lamaze class, but that one was canceled because there weren't enough people signed up. So the next best thing was this one. It's not what I wanted, but it's something, and it helps. I feel a little more prepared for the birth, which I'm still completely freaked out about. We have been to two classes so far, and have two more. The last class it talked about newer symptoms and things that happen when the baby starts to drop. For one, you can breath easier. Oh that's so nice. We also watched a few births. We talked about epidurals/spinals. We practiced breathing techniques and talked about distractions. Distractions are going to be one of the most important things to get through the contractions. And yes... through all of these classes Daniel has been there :). What a good daddy he will be. Hopefully he will be a good labor coach first though.
So the other day after I got home form the class I sat on the floor next to my mom. As I sat down, she said "you look like you've dropped!" She meant the baby of course. I immediately thought and said, "no way, it's too soon, it's just the gravity. I can still feel her in my ribs when she moves." The next day, someone else said the exact same thing... she looks like she's dropped. This kind of scared me, if she already dropping she could come early, or I'll have pelvic pain and lower back pain for weeks! The lady then asked when she was due, I said August 8th-4 weeks. She then said "she's coming in two!" I was excited but scared at the same time. Then as I was changing for bed, I looked in the mirror and the belly really did look lower. It was a strange realization that she might already be descending and getting ready for birth. I'm prepared for four weeks, I think, but two weeks... that's so soon! I do want her to come early, I want her to be a July baby, even if it's the very last minute of the last day, I want her to be born in July. But that's only a week early, and very unlikely for first time moms... but we'll see.

Doctors and stories

So again... I went to the doctor. Like I said, it's every two weeks now. It seems like it goes by faster the more I see him. There really isn't much to report for these visits. I'm pretty certain that the last ones will be interesting though.
I have about 3 more visits of every two weeks then I'll be moving to every week. Wow, it seems so strange to have to go in that often. I'm not really looking forward to it either. But that will only be about 3 visits then she'll be here.
So far everything has been just fine. We only had that one little scare with her heart, but that turned out to be nothing to worry about. So everything is great. My test from the glucose screen/blood draw turned out just fine.
I've had people tell me I was made to be pregnant. I'm thinking that's a bit obvious... I'm a girl ;) haha. Just kidding, I know it's because I really have been very, very lucky. I didn't get too sick at the beginning, just exhausted. Oh, but I did need to eat a fiberous cereal every morning lol. The second tri flew by and I hardly even knew I was pregnant (everything seemed like my normal not pregnant self), not too many headaches, not very many of the common complaints at all really. So far into the third tri, I've been just fine. Besides the occasional-becoming-more-common back aches. Oh, and I'm starting with the heartburn a bit more too. But that really hasn't made me lose sleep or anything so I've really been just fine. Anything that I've had issues with is manageable, or barely there. It's crazy. I suppose I am pretty lucky.
So the latest and greatest is that she has found my bladder, a nice little nook right where my left leg starts, and is pushing everything upward. I get winded quicker, it's really kind of sad, and can't eat as much all at once, which is fine really and many other things. But this bladder thing... my goodness! She will sit there and push on it, then stop, then push again. I'll be sitting at work or anywhere really and suddenly I get this incredible urge that I have to go. It comes so instant and lasts a few seconds then suddenly the urge is gone. It goes on and off like that for at least a few minutes at a time. It's the best when I've just gone, and suddenly I feel like I have to go again. I'm like.. I JUST barely gave you more room there! You don't need to push on it! Then this little nook she found in my leg. Really it's like right where my leg bends, but she will just get as far down there as she possibly can and then push herself even farther. It gets so uncomfortable! She hits a nerve too and then my leg starts feeling funny. It almost goes numb. If it didn't feel so weird I wouldn't mind so much, it would be pretty funny really. But I can't walk normally when she sits there, and it's uncomfortable. The other day, she was pushing just under my ribs to push herself down in that little nook some more. It was so funny. She would sit there and push for a few seconds and my leg would almost go numb, then stop. Then push again and I'd feel it all in my leg again, the she would stop. It's funny to watch because she's so strong now and has such little room to work with that it will push my stomach out an inch or two, and everything else around it goes flat lol. It's pretty fun to watch.

31 weeks, 7 months!

Holy moley! I'm this far along????? When did that happen??!! Seriously. Time just seems like it is going so fast and I don't feel like I'm growing, but I really am... I mean she is. She's pretty much fully developed now and weighs just over 3 pounds and is 15 inches long. (According to baby sites) I have my moments where I'm so excited for her to just be here, then the exact opposite moments where I'm thinking... Oh shiz this is really happening! But hey, I'm sure that's pretty normal to be terrified and excited at the same time. It's so funny sometimes too because I've never, ever, ever, ever, ever... etc... been an emotional person, but I'll start thinking about her and about silly things like the things Daniel will be doing with her, and how much I'm going to love her, or even the things I'll take her to do and I'll just start to get all emotional and start to cry! It's so annoying to me because I don't do that stuff. It's funny though.
So I'm totally freaked out about the whole birth thing. My back has been hurting a lot more lately because of the weight of her making my back sway forward, and I'm thinking if I'm such a whimp about that... I'm never going to be able to make it through a freaking delivery! But somehow women do it all the time, which means I can too, dang it!
It's been pretty funny lately because more and more often people keep thinking it's important to tell me all about their pregnancies and kids. I'm not talking people I know... I don't mind that at all... I'm talking people I've never met, seen or will ever see again! I just think, why do you feel the need to waste my time when I'm obviously leaving and sit here telling me all about your experience and kids. I don't need to know about it. I don't have anything in common with you besides the fact that I'm having a baby. I don't care if you had a girl too. Your pregnancy is nothing like mine, I don't want to sit and compare them with someone I don't know. Especially if I'm already on my way out of somewhere. I may just be a bit irritated, because it is kind of funny. But seriously, it's kinda lame.
I suppose I should be happy about the fact that people don't just come up to me and rub my belly very often. I hear that one gets extremely old. Most people ask first, or just barely touch it for a second. It's not too bad. I'm dealing more with the stories than the touching. I don't know which would be more annoying to deal with.
So on a happier ending note... I'm down to about 9 weeks left (I really hope she comes a bit early)! We're getting her room more and more ready. That makes me feel so much less stressed because I feel like I'm getting more prepared. And we still have so much fun and love listening to her little heart beat. It's so cool.