Caroline's Birth Story

So this might be too much information for some but I wanted to document the day so I figured I would write it here. :) Before having Caroline I was a little obsessed with reading people's birth stories so I am happy to contribute to any of you who like them as well. Let's see how far I can get before I am pulled away ;) Please excuse the poor quality of the iPhone photos, we have them on our nice camera too, but for blogging purposes this is faster :)

Well we were 40 weeks and 5 days pregnant when we walked into Memorial Hermann but I need to back up a bit. At my last doctors appt (40 weeks, 1 day) I was dilated to a 3 and my doctor couldn't believe that one I was still pregnant but two that my water had not broken because baby girl was engaged, head down and "right there". I was getting mighty uncomfortable at this point with sciatic nerve pain so we started discussing induction options.

They called over to the hospital because we said we would be ready to go in that evening if they had an opening well to our luck they didn't have anything until Friday, and even then we could get "bumped" to the next week if there were too many laboring women that day already...sigh. But he was still confident I would not make it til Friday.

We were instructed to call the hospital at 5:00am, with bags backed ready to head out the door, on Friday morning to make sure they had room for us so we woke up about 4:00am to start getting ready. When we called at 5:00am they told us to come in at 7:15am but to call one more time before leaving the house. Ben took this opportunity to catch a few more minutes of sleep and I took the opportunity to start shaking in anticipation/excitement/nerves. Called again at 6:30am and all systems were go so we headed out. It was very weird driving to the hospital. I had imagined so many ways that it would go... middle of the night, rushing trying to get there, water breaking in various places along the way...most scenarios in my head were in the middle of the night. I never thought that we would be driving the speed limit or under, on our own terms, past my due date.

I told Ben I was nervous and wanted to listen to some music to take my mind off of our impending day. So T-Pain and Eminem it was...don't judge. We arrived at the hospital got checked in and waited for our room for about 15 min. It seemed like an eternity. When we got into our room it was about 7:30am and our sweet nurse hooked me up to my IV, gave me my "gown", and all 5 of my hospital bracelets, and started to explain the day and made us feel a lot more at ease about the whole thing.

My doctor came in at 7:45am to check my progress before we got started and to break my water. I was already at 4cm (before anything had started), Thank Goodness. So they said I could order the epidural whenever I wanted :) so I went ahead and placed my order before anything had even happened. At the same time the nurse said she would put in the order for my pitocin (to get things started). It was about an hour later that the nurse came back in with my pitocin and up to that point I hadn't really felt any contractions from my water breaking. She informed me that I was on the anesthesiologist's list but he had to make a stop for an emergency before he would get to me. At this point I was thinking, he should stop and help whoever that is that is in desperate need for some sedation because I am doing just fine.

It had probably been an hour on the pitocin before things started revving up pain wise, and by 10:00am I was wondering where the heck my magical shot was to make all of this awful pain disappear. I understood that things were just going to get more intense and I would be lying if I said that I didn't think anyone that did not have an epidural was a little crazy (love you guys). I mean lets be real. I had just started the contractions and I was already violently waiving my white flag of surrender. Ben was so sweet he kept asking if I wanted ice chips :) I mean if we really want to get into this whole labor experience why would I ever tell him no. So he diligently fed me ice chips while I squirmed with each contraction. Let me stop and say I could NOT have gotten though the day without him. I am so blessed to have a supportive husband who kept me calm the whole time, cracking jokes with me and keeping everything so lighthearted. Luckily I didn't have to wait long and at 10:30am, the lovely anesthesiologist came in. Ben was asked to leave the room (protocol) to which he happily obliged and I was prepped for some wonderful drugs :)

I wasn't nervous about the whole needle next to the spine thing one bit... and at this point he could have stabbed me in the back with jagged shard of glass and I wouldn't have noticed but the "pinch and burn" he said I would experience I did not. About 10 minutes after he walked into the room I was starting to feel all warm and toasty and wonderful. Seriously...nothing to be scared about and something I don't understand why everyone doesn't do, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, I mean really... really.

Anyway, my nurse said she would be back in a bit after I was completely numbed up to place my catheter since I wouldn't be able to get out of bed for awhile, she told me to try and sleep or rest in the mean time, no problem sister! 45 minutes later she came back in and said she was going to check me and to everyone's surprise I was 9cm! This was 11:45am. She paged my doctor since he was supposed to be in a surgery at 12:00pm to see what he wanted to do. They started wheeling in the carts and warmers and I was asked to do a practice push to where I was quickly told not to do anymore.

The nurse told me I was doing a great job pushing and I told her I couldn't feel anything, not even pressure, and she said it was ok and that my brain knew what to do. Guess so because my doctor came in at 12:15pm and we pushed through two contractions (4 pushes) and Miss Caroline Elizabeth was born on November 8, 2013 at 12:33pm.

We were shocked, it went by so fast, how was she here after so much waiting for 9+ months and then in the matter of minutes without much fuss at all she was here. While the doctor stitched me up (2nd degree tear from an episiotomy) they got Caroline all cleaned up, a nurse gave her a bath, put her footprints on a certificate for us, took her initial height and weight (7lbs, 14oz, 20 inches) and handed her to Ben. :)

Well Miss C is waking up and ready for a bottle, I will blog about the rest of our hospital stay in the next post.

Work Shower!

 

My co-workers hosted the a sweet shower for me a few weeks ago, Stephen was the mastermind! It had to be pink!!!

 

My "throne" with some gifts :)

  

The theme was "Sweet Caroline" and everyone brought a dessert. 

 Really cute baby cake that one of my co-workers provided for the party!

Another baked potato bar?  I must talk about how much I love potatoes, It was perfect :)

Some of the yummy desserts: Cake, Cookies and Pie!!

Really enjoying the yummy food! Carbs Carbs Carbs mmm

 Just one of the sweet gifts I received but it was too cute not to share. It was an owl basket made up of receiving blankets, diapers, slippers, washcloths etc.

Weeks 36-40

Baby & Mommy @ 36-40

Size of Baby: At my 38 week doctors appointment the doctors best guess was that baby was measuring in the low to mid 7lb range Yay! But Now that I am at 40 weeks...I wonder how much bigger she has gotten!

Total Weight Gain: +18-20 lbs depends on the day/week

Maternity Clothes? Yes and they are all getting a little too snug...my pants I leave unbuttoned most of the time and my shirts are getting a little short since I am carrying straight out in the front of the most part. 

Gender: GIRL!!

Movement: Even though the movements have slowed down quite a bit when she is active, she is ACTIVE. She hits my sciatic nerve quite a bit and I have had a few episodes of total meltdowns because the pain is excruciating. I am not sure how people with chronic conditions of this stuff do it. Poor Ben has to just watch me writhe in pain when it happens nothing I do seems to help until she moves off of the nerve. Alternating heat/ice for the residual pain but the initial is killer

Sleep: I have been sleeping alright when I am not up with contractions. The contractions make me have to pee so I get up every two hours or so to deal with that. I am usually able to go back to bed though so it hasn't been that bad. And, I could easily take a nap everyday if I wasn't working. 

What I Miss: Being able to go out in public without people making comments about the baby not being here yet, why can't I make her come, that I look like I am about to pop etc. haha. I know people mean well but when its a stranger and not a friend I think its a little weird to be so interested in the progress I have made in regards to her coming? Sensitive...Maybe :)

Cravings: Nothing really. I really want to want eggs again. Taquitos always sound like a great idea until I get one...gross :( I do crave Sonic ice waters with extra ice. I think its the combination of the Styrofoam cup, straw, and crushed ice, mmm

Anything making you queasy or sick: eggs, too much milk products but I have learned to avoid both so not too bad.

Symptoms: Sciatic Nerve, Contractions, Pressure, Bursts of Energy, Pure Exhaustion

Belly Button in or out? actually its kind of flat most of the time now but still a lot further out then I am used to.

Best moment: Making it to 40 weeks pregnant! (I thought I would have been early) And a shower my co-workers hosted for me at work. Ben would say its his new truck :)

Song of the Week: Strong - Will Hoge

Mommy- To- Bee Shower

I had an awesome group of ladies host a Mommy-To- Bee shower for me. A huge thank you to Jessica for hosting the shower at her house and coordinating the event, and to Allison, Haley, Ashley and Teresa for bringing things to contribute to the shower, food, decorations, flowers...everything was perfect!

My Sister-in-Law Jessica is so sweet and thoughtful, a Baked Potato Bar was a perfect shower lunch! She knows me so well!

Haley worked hard on her cake ball Bumble Bees and they turned out so cute and even more delicious :)

My sister, Teresa made the cutest tissue paper balls to look like Bees too. The attention to detail was so much fun with the little signs and banners everywhere. It was perfect!

Baby Girl and I were definitely spoiled. It was so much fun to go back through again and again to look at everything, and set things up around the house. We cannot wait for her to make her debut!

Weeks 32-35

Baby & Mommy @ 32-35

Size of Baby: 18.75 inches, 5.5 lbs (according to my phone app) According to the doctor, as of 32 weeks, baby girl was 4lbs 9oz 63rd percentile but that was 3 weeks ago.

Total Weight Gain: +16 lbs

Maternity Clothes? All the way :) So thankful that I received clothes from a co-worker that fit! Everything I bought in the beginning is now to small...even though I still try to fit into a few select items

Gender: Baby Girl :)

Movement: Yes, the movements are bigger but less frequent because she is running out of room in there

Sleep: I have been sleeping pretty soundly. Waking up a couple of times a night to change positions but I can fall immediately back to sleep. With that being said I feel like I could take a nap at any point during the day. Right after breakfast, in the afternoon or evening I think I could sleep at any point during the day.

What I Miss: I want my body back, I am ready to be a little more predictable with the way I feel, and not get nervous about not feeling good when just out running errands or something. I am ready to not run into doorknobs or underestimate how much my tummy sticks out. I am ready to hug people and not have my belly hit them first or have to stick my butt out to be able to reach them haha. I had side hugs...lame.

Cravings: No real cravings except that I will not turn down sweets at this point especially snickers and chocolate covered pretzels (snacks provided at work)

Anything making you queasy or sick: If I don't go to bed at a decent hour and have to wake up at my normal time or earlier...body doesn't like that. I think just 3rd trimester in general is making feel gross haha.

Symptoms: Bring on the Braxton Hicks Contractions...I have felt one every now and then but the last two days I have had some that are a bit more uncomfortable/painful. I feel them in my lower back mostly...preview of what is to come?

Belly Button in or out?  out out out

Best moment:  I had my baby shower this weekend, a big thank you to my sister-in-law Jessica who graciously offered her house for the big event. The theme was Mommy-to-Bee and it was the cutest thing ever! Thank you also to my other hosts, Ashley, Haley, Allison and my sister Teresa. Everything was perfect.

We also moved into our new house :) Well "moved in" is relative. All of our stuff is in the new house but we have a long way to go before things are set up the way we would like. We are REALLY enjoying our new yard and back patio. It is so nice to rock in our rocking chairs and watch Rollie run around without fences or worry. It's so relaxing!

Song of the Week: Come Away with Me- Norah Jones