Welcome Little One

Note: this is going to be a long post.....just wanted to warn ya. =)

Even though this is our 4th child....our 4th little girl, we are just as thrilled as the day that we welcomed our first into our family.

And for our newest one, here is the beginning of her adventure here on earth.

5:30 p.m.

Contractions now coming about every 5 minutes. Since I am strep B positive we decided to head to the hospital to make sure that there was plenty of time to give me the penicillin that I needed.

They monitor me for about an hour and then check to see if I am progressing. Seems I am still at a 4 (which I have been at for the past 2 weeks). The nurse (after talking with the dr) decides to monitor me for another hour. I know that legally my doctor can't induce me before 39 weeks at this hospital.

Not progressing = Being sent home.

Thats about the last thing I want to hear and I feel like I am on the verge of tears. This pregnancy has just been SO miserable compared to the other ones. Being sick almost the whole time, uncontrollable itchiness, unbeatable tiredness, 2 weeks of bed rest, and all the other aches and pains that come with it.

Then after the hour (and after many of my own prayers) the nurse checks me again and I am now a 5+.

Happy Day!!

I am just thrilled!!

The baby is coming and I couldn't be happier.

9:00pm

Our nurse checks me again and is confused as to why the baby's head still seems to be 'floating'. As she goes out to get the pitocin to speed up the labor, she has a 'hunch' that she needs to do an ultrasound.

Our nurse calls in another nurse for a second opinion.....and they both agree.

The baby is breeched.

Things with the nurse's start to speed up after that. People are being paged and phone calls are being made. It is starting to make me nervous.

I never thought that I would have a breeched baby. I knew that the possibility was always there, but I never thought it would happen to me.

The thrilled 'me' turns into a worried, anxious, scared 'me.'

I ask the nurse 'so what happens next?'

And she said a c-section unless you want them to try a version.

(which is the doctors trying to turn the baby while it is still in your stomach)

After hearing the pros and cons and the chances of it working we decide to give the version a shot. Heck, I am willing to try just about anything that will get me out of a c-section (just the thought of one terrifies me).

They give me stuff to slow down the labor and give me a wonderful epidural.

Then the fun of having 2 grown men pushing and shoving your little one around while it is still in your stomach begins. Yes, it is nice to have that epidural, but it is still awful. The pressure from their hands is still SO uncomfortable. I can't imagine how painful it would be if I didn't have an epidural.

I didn't realize that I was holding my breath until my doctor says 'You need to remember to breath.' oops. =)

After 3 tries. The stubborn little one doesn't want to flip. And right after they stop, the babies heart rate drops.

The doctors and nurses talked calmly to me as they rushed me to the O.R. But I could feel their urgency of getting the baby out asap.

I felt like crying I was so scared. I didn't feel worried about the baby. I felt that she would be fine and was in good hands. I was just worried about me freaking out. Just the thought of someone cutting my stomach open makes me want to run for cover. And I could see myself panicking and trying to sit up and get out of there while they were in the middle of the procedure. I kept thinking 'please just put me to sleep for this!! *shiver*

Everyone was still rushing around the room. As they prep'd me I started shaking uncontrollably.......from a mixture of being scared, and cold, and from the meds. And then I started getting really sick to my stomach. I could just see myself puking all over myself. So I told them how I was feeling and they immediately took care of the problem.

The next thing I hear is that the baby's heart rate is back up. Hallelujah!

Immediately after that is said the whole room relaxes.....well, everyone except me because I am still the one who is strapped to a table lol.

It was nice to have the feel of urgency in the air disappear but I couldn't help but think that this whole c-section thing was taking FOR-EVER.

And then...

10:43 pm

I hear the cry.

It is over.

She is alive and well.

And out of my tummy.

Now hurry and sew me up and get me out of here! please.

I hear the nurses and doctors say things like 'that was sure a fast c-section' (seemed like an eternity to me!), 'oh wow! She's BIG!' (and I'm thinking....what? like 10 lbs big?), 'Is that RED hair I see?' (you looking at the right baby?)

It is done. She is here. I can relax and breath now. And welcome our new little bundle into our family.

oh and she wasn't 10 lbs.....she was 7lbs 15 oz.

Welcome to our family Piper!

Let me tell you that I have so much to be grateful for.

The safe arrival of our baby, that I'm not pregnant anymore (even though there are things that I will miss about it), that the c-section is over, that I had such calm and wonderful nurses and doctors to care for me and the babe, and so much more.

Oh and here's another warning.......I have tons more pictures of her to post....hope you don't get too bored with them. lol!