The Cozy Cottage: The Birth Story!

Don't worry, I won't go into too much detail, but here is a little of our story.

I'll write it down so I don't forget....

although I don't think I'll be forgetting any time soon! :)

My due date was June 19th. After waiting a whole, long week past that day, I decided that I wanted to be induced. I had mixed feelings about that decision, but I decided on it for these reasons: #1 I knew my baby was growing by the day, and I wasn't really wanting a ten pounder! #2 I had been having lots of Braxton Hicks contractions and kept thinking that she was about to come, when really she never did...and I was beginning to think that she never would! #3 Joel and I wanted to go on my family's vacation, which was fast approaching. (Silly reason, I know...but the truth must be told!)

So, we checked into Women's East, a branch of Erlanger, on Tuesday night, June 26th. They hooked me up to an IV and started pumping "fluids" into me. I have no idea what they were doing medically...no good details in that area. They also stuck a thing on my finger to take my heart beat, two things attached to my belly to monitor Lydia's heart and my contractions, and then a blood pressure thing to my arm. After I was all hooked up, they told me to get some sleep and rest up for the big day tomorrow. Here was the problem, well the main one...the blood pressure sleeve thingy automatically went off every 15 minutes. So every time I was about to fall asleep that obnoxious thing would go off, squeeze the life out of my arm, and wake me up. Also, there were beeps going off all the time, nurses checking on me, etc., etc.! Needless to say, I was hoping Lydia would make her appearance the next day.

Well, Wednesday came and Lydia never did. They tried all kinds of things to get her coming, but nothing seemed to work. I was always still 1.5 cm dilated when they checked, as I had been for weeks. So frustrating! I really thought I was doing fine, UNTIL my dad and Heather stopped in for a visit. I lost it. Oh dear. That was a little embarrassing. I was just a bit discouraged, and again was convinced she would never come. So, after seeing me lose it, my nurses decided to let me take a break for the night. I got to get unconnected from all the annoying beeping machines that were attached to me, take a shower, and eat Zaxby's! Oh joyous day! So, I got a bit more sleep that night, which was great!

On to Thursday, the big day!

I woke up, got all hooked up again, things started being pumped into me and stuck into me. After a few hours, still nothing! 1.5 cm. Ahh! But then, around 9 AM, my water broke. Yahoo! At least something was happening! Things remained pretty calm until about 10:30 (I think). I am already forgetting....and I thought I never would! haha! Anyways, I started having pretty intense contractions...as in, I could have screamed but chose to remain silent. :) I told my nurse that I was ready for my epidural (as my wise sister, Jessica, advised). She told me that I was only having mild contractions and to see if I could wait about two more hours. She said my baby was coming no time soon. I said okay. She left the room. Then I had another contraction. Immediately after, I sent Joel out to find that nurse and get me my epidural. ha! So she kindly did. Thank goodness! A nurse came in to check me right afterwards, and she said, "well, I wouldn't really say that you are 1.5 cm." I thought she was thinking I was only 1 cm! Oh no! Then she said, "You are more like 7 or 7.5." Happy day! So finally it was time to have my baby. Just about that time (whenever it was) the air conditioner quit working. Yep. I think it was literally 100 degrees outside, and the air conditioner broke right when it would have been nice to have it! So the nurses were all fanning themselves and brought in a fan to cool off the room.