At my 35 week appointment I had gone in that early morning to have my weekly check up and make sure everything was going smooth. As I got to the Doctors office I was feeling very faint and uneasy. My wonderful nurse came in and did the normal blood pressure reading and listen to Caroline with the monitor! To my (and everyone else's surprise) my blood pressure was very high. They made me lay down and hooked me up to the contraction monitor. No contractions.... but again, still high blood pressure. They said we would check it again next week and sent me on my way.
The next week, we went back....still high. I found out I was preeclamptic. It was really hard not knowing what that all meant, but my Doctor did tell me, as soon as I hit 37 weeks, they would have to induce me. Caroline would be 3 weeks early! I was excited to get to meet her sooner than we expected, but still very scared of the risk with preeclampsia. Ryan and I had to stay in the hospital for a 24 urine analysis the week before the scheduled induction. It was a nightmare! Half way through the night, one of the night shift nurses came in and dumped all my pee out in the toilet! I was SO mad! My nurse came in, apologizing over and over but informed me that I was have to start all over again! Finally, that was finished and we were sent home to rest for a couple of day. I was bed rest and had to lay on my left side at all times.
6:30pm on Tuesday night we were officially admitted to L&D and taken to our room. At that point we were told that if we were going to eat dinner we better do it quick because it would be my last meal for a while! At 8pm one of the wonderful nurses, Beeba, came in to check me and insert the Cervadil. When she checked me, I was dilated to a 2 and 70% effaced! We attempted to sleep in hopes that the Cervadil would work by morning.
Morning came. Nothing... We were sent home Wednesday afternoon and told to come back in Friday morning at 5 am and that I would not leave without a baby! This is bittersweet. I was ready to have this little girl but was so frustrated with all the induction and preeclampsia chaos. We went home and rested up for Friday! All the family was getting really anxious for the big arrival that coming weekend!
6am Saturday morning, my nurse Dana came in and said "you know you will be a mommy today, right?" I smiled so big! I WAS READY! They started piticon and told me to keep moving and walking. I bounced on a ball, did yoga in the hallways, walked laps upon laps.. I was having contractions at this point from ehat we could see on the monitor, but no pain. Around 12pm, noon time, My Doctor came in the break my water. My labor immediately started! OUCH. I choose to do a natural, non medicated birth so I was bearing each contraction! My wonderful aunt was by my side, talking me through each contraction. Ryan was on the other side on the bed, counting the contractions to me.. "This ones almost over babe!" My mom was sitting on the end of my bed; I was kneading my feet on her leg ( don't ask, but it helped, haha). I progressed very quick. 2 hours into active labor, I yelled.. "GET ME AN EPIDURAL!!!" (I had told everyone before, if I ask for one, let me get through that contraction, then ask me again.) They all told me " No Blair, you got this. You don't really want it remember?" - So I pushed on.... after another 30 mins I looked at my mom and husband and said " I can't do 8 more hours of this!" ( All of my friends that had just had babies weeks before me all had very long labors, so I was sure I was going to too..and therefore, thought " I just need to rest before I start pushing.") My mom said, " If you really want one, Ill go tell a nurse outside." She went out, and came back with two nurses. They looked at me and said " Oh Blair, we are so sorry, but both Doctors and the anesthesiologist are in an emergency c-section; so its going to be at least an hour before you can get an epidural" - My jaw dropped. But, in the end, it was gods way of telling me that I was stronger than that and that I could do this the way I had always planned!
I kept bearing through each contraction and finally, about 2:30 kept saying to everyone around me " I feel like a need to push" My doctor walked in right after that and checked me. I was a 10! She was so surprised I went from a 4 to a 10 in 2 1/2 hours and with no medicine, I think she was proud of me testing my strength. ( I am a lot stronger than I think apparently!) She told me that no wonder I was hurting so bad, the last 3 centimeters are the most painful. Caroline was ready to come into this world! She turned the lights on, draped herself in the all blue scrubs, my sister was by my head, Ryan on my right and mom on my left.. I started pushing. The first push was just plain funny because I had no idea what I was doing! I had no where to put my feet except in my mom and Ryan's hands! I was pulling on their shirts.. And ripped both of them after push one. So, we laughed and had to figure out a better way for me to get leverage. They pulled up some handle bars and those works like a charm. Pushing was so so tiring; I was "growling" as everyone in the hallways waiting describes it! I kept anticipating, "I'm about to push a baby out and feel everything!" but, to my surprise, it was not painful at all. Contractions were the most painful part of my whole L&D by far. Four pushes later, WELCOME TO THE WORLD CAROLINE! She was the most beautiful redheaded, spitting image of the father I could have ever asked for. They laid her right on my chest, I was crying along with everyone else:) I remember the very first thing I said to my daughter.. "Oh my gosh you're Caroline...HI!" lol not the typical but it was so surreal seeing her, the little gymnast that lived in my belly all those months, that's just what came out! Ryan cut the cord, my sister was bawling and put her hand on my forehead while my mom leaned down, also bawling and kissed little "cheesy" Caroline, just a few seconds old. They cleaned her off, weighted her, and started swaddling her. Ryan stood over with her, smiling and crying in pure joy.
6 POUNDS 12 OUNCES
20 INCHES LONG
RED HAIR
BLUE EYES
We were all so happy. I couldn't believe I was a mommy and had the perfect ending to a long few weeks prior. I had had the birth I had planned all along. I did it all natural and was so unbelievably proud of myself. Ryan was so in love and the first to hold his little girl. My dad came in shortly after she arrived and came and gave me a huge hug ( placenta laying there and all, haha) and said " I was wanted to make sure my little girl was okay" - It instantly made me cry tears of joy. I have the best family a girl could ask for. My sister was....in shock...haha, she informed me that I was a hero and she was never having children. "The most amazing and horrifying experience of her life" she said. They played a little jingle throughout the L&D ward for the baby being born. Our room was huge so Aunt Rhonda came in, Mimi & Granny right behind her. I just remember wanting to shower SO BAD! Funny side note: After we were home, my dad told me that when he came up to huge me, I smelt like a little girl off the ASYO soccer fields! He said it was awful but instantly reminded him I was still his little girl. It was cute and pretty funny! :)
Everyone came to see Caroline. It was so nice to have so much love. I got to get up and walk around 20 mins after delivery. I showered that evening with Ryan's help while my cute nurse Kacey held Caroline. Later my parents brought up pizza for everyone and we watched Kim Kardashians wedding live on E! !
Carolines first night in the hospital was good. She cried lots and we were tired and unsure of how to calm her down. Typical new parents. Nurse Kacey took her to the nursery for a few hours so we were able to rest. The next morning I got up, put my makeup on and ate a big breakfast! There was a lot of visitors that day. Tired and overwhelmed with joy, we were discharged 24 hours after delivery and went home happy new parents with our sweet little daughter!
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