Sweet baby June - Part 2

We checked into Willowbrook Methodist about 5:30am on Monday, August 18th ready to be induced.  It actually took a little while before they called us back in and I was wondering why we got up so early if they weren't even ready for us?!?  Once they called me back I got changed and all that and had a really nice nurse named Estelle (I'm pretty sure).  She basically just got me all hooked up to  the pitocin and everything and drew blood and such and then it was time for a shift change (7am).  To be honest I was a bit disappointed because she was such a good nurse and seemed to be so genuine and caring...but I lucked out and got another awesome nurse named Kathy.  Kathy had a young guy shadowing her for the day which I thought would bug me more...but I guess when you are in labor things like that don't really phase you anymore!

The dreaded "before" picture

I was still measuring about 3cm but the pitocin was helping the contractions come quick.  I was surprised at how much Kathy wanted me to move around...they didn't really give me options like that with Leo.  I was sitting on the yoga ball when my mom came and joined me and Nick. We watched some of Good Morning America which I was glad to see because usually it gets interrupted a million times and then switched to the Disney channel.  My doctor asked the on-call doctor to break my water to get things going...and so Dr. Geddy came and broke my water around 8 I think.  When he first came in he said we were going to have a big baby...and then afterwards he said that maybe it was just fluid because there was lots.  Turns out I am lucky enough to carry a lot of fluid AND a big baby!  That part was not super comfortable but felt SO much better when it was done.  I am convinced that my water just won't break on its own...it didn't with Leo either.  I was carrying a lot of water both in the amniotic sac and in my legs and it felt so good to be rid of at least some of it.

After that things moved quickly.  The contractions started to get immediately more intense and frequent and I wasn't sure when to ask for the epidural.  With Leo it took all day so I wasn't super prepared for a quick labor, even though I was anticipating it being not quite as long.  About 9am I decided it was time...and they finally got there about 9:20.  It was about 9:40 before it was in and done, and about 10 before I was really numb.  I definitely wasn't as numb as I was with Leo, but it made it a lot better.  They were going to wait a little longer to put the catheter in so that I was more numb...but little Junie arrived before they could even do it!  At this point I was about 7cm dilated.

I had been laying on my right side and Kathy wanted me on my left.  I rolled over and was pretty uncomfortable the whole time I was on that side.  It wasn't as bad as pre-epidural, but there was so much pressure that I really kept feeling like I wanted to roll back to the right side.  When Kathy came in to check on me she could tell I was uncomfortable and I told her I thought I maybe should roll back over.  We started to and then she decided to check me and see where we were at...and we were all the way dilated to a 10 already.  She had called my doctor a little earlier and we were waiting for her to come.  I was happy that Kathy wasn't acting like I needed to wait for the doctor if I felt like I needed to push...but I still just didn't realize it was that close!

My doctor rushed in and I thought we were kinda just going to push once to see where we were at. I pushed once and took a breath and then pushed again...and she was out! Like I said, I labored all day with Leo and then pushed about an hour and a half with him so I wasn't mentally prepared for such a quick labor. On that second push I felt like crying and as soon as she came out the tears just started flowing.  I was so excited and relieved that she was here!

They put her up on my chest while they wiped her off a bit and then left her there for a long time while they cut the cord and cleaned me up and stuff.  They had done that with Leo too but not for as long.  We tried to feed and everything before they finally took her out of my arms to put a diaper on her and weigh her. (This resulted on me and my gown being covered with meconium, but you definitely don't mind a silly thing like that at a moment like that!)  We gave our guesses on weight...I had initially thought 9 lbs 4 oz but once I held her she seemed so small so I changed my guess to 8 something.  Even Kathy guessed 8 something...but then we put her on the scale and....

Baby Girl Vernon

9 lbs 4 oz

21.5 inches long

10:58 am

Well, my hope of Leo being a fluke was dashed.  I just make big babies I guess!  At least I can deliver them as well and haven't needed a c-section...yet.  I was shaking a little after Nick left with our little girl to the nursery...I think I was just a little shocked that it all happened so quick.  Kathy got me cleaned up and into the wheelchair to head to recovery.  Once I was there my dad joined us and then he and my mom ran to get lunch...which was a good thing because my hospital meal got lost or something.  My recovery nurse finally ordered it again and got it to me but it was almost dinner time by then!  An Arby's sandwich and banana milkshake from Sonic was good enough for me!  I had some good recovery nurses that I want to remember, but that is another post!