Well, Zella's three months old now, so I figured it was time to get caught up on my blog. Haha.
Here's my long birth story. If you aren't interested, feel free to scroll to the bottom for pics.
Zella was due on July 17th, so when my due date came and went, and two of my sister's were in town, I was starting to stress. In the morning of the 18th, around 8:30, I stood up, and my water broke! It was a slow-ish leak (the nurse thinks it broke higher up on the bag), so it took me a few minutes before I was sure it wasn't just me peeing my pants. Haha.
I called Logan and my mom and put them both on stand-by. I called my doctor's office and let them know too. Then I waited. My contractions were still pretty irregular and not very painful. I wanted to stay at home as long as possible -- however, I was group B strep positive, so they wanted me to go to the hospital early enough to get two doses of antibiotics. Eventually, I told Logan to come home (around 10), and Mom came and picked up my other girls. Around 11 I called my OBs office and talked to the nurse. My OB called back pretty quick and told me I should probably come in soon, even though my contractions hadn't really changed. I told him I would come in after lunch. :)
Logan and I got to the hospital around 1:15. It was weird checking into L&D without being in horrible pain! The nurse hooked me up to a monitor and got a sample of my fluid, so they could test and make sure my water really was broken. At 2 I was dilated to a 3. Ugh. I figured I would be there a while. They finally got the results and hooked up the IV with the antibiotics at 3:00. I have no clue why it took so long. So annoying.
After I got the full dose of antibiotics. I made them unhook me so I could move around. My contractions were now about every six minutes and although I could still talk through them, I had to pay a little more attention to them. After the nurse left, we started watching a show on the laptop. After a quick trip to the bathroom, my contractions were all of a sudden so horrible! I tried to keep watching the show, but after two more of these awful contractions I was ready for my epidural. I think having the quick change from easy to the worst contractions ever, made them seem especially bad, and I may or may not have been sobbing and yelling that I couldn't do it. Of course Logan's phone rang during one of these and I maybe asked, "who in the hell is calling you?!" and "why is that your damn ring tone?!" Turns out I'm a little more sweary when I'm in labor. Haha.
The anesthesiologist was so nice and sympathetic. I have no clue what he said, but remember him being so comforting as I was sitting there sobbing. I think the nurse was getting pretty nervous that I was about to have that baby, based on how I was acting though. She kept asking if I felt any pressure. I kind of did, but told her I didn't -- I wanted that epidural! Once the epidural was in (around 4:45), I felt MUCH better. Although it never fully numbed me. The really awful contractions now felt like cramps, and I couldn't feel the lesser ones. Epidurals are awesome! :)
They checked me again at 5, and I was to a 7 and 100% effaced. I called Mom and told her to book it on down, if she wanted to see this baby's birth! At 5:30, at my insistence, the nurse checked me again, and I was dilated to a 10! They even had the floor doctor come in, in case my doctor didn't make it on time (and he was just upstairs!). My doctor came down at 5:45 and Zella was ready to come...but Mom wasn't there yet! I asked my doctor if we could wait a little longer for my mom, who was almost there. He said that baby was looking great, and we could wait. He also said that she was turned a little bit in the birth canal, which was good -- because it would give us a few more minutes of waiting time. Mom finally made it to our room around 6, and Zella was born a few minutes later! I'm so glad Mom made it! I think it was very special for her to see her fourth daughter's fourth daughter be born. <3
It was my first time pushing a baby out without being completely numb, and boy does it hurt! Yikes!
They placed her on my chest and I couldn't even believe it! My first thought was, "who's kid is this?" With her red hair and dark wide-open eyes, she didn't look anything like my other kids! If I hadn't just seen her birth, I might have doubted she was mine! While not as big as River, she still weighed a respectable 8 pounds 10 ounces. They measured her at 19.5". However, the nurse who bathed her doubted that, and measured her at 20.25", so who knows. :) All we know is we love this cute little red haired babe! <3
One of the nice thing about having family in town is that we get extra visitors! So fun to have Cali and Josh (Unfortunately the pics we took were not on my camera) and Hannah and Neal visit us in the hospital!
We had to stay in the hospital the full 48 hours after she was born, since I only got one dose of the antibiotics. It was so nice to be able to go home! Mom let the girls each choose a birthday balloon for Zella, and they all decorated cupcakes, so we got to have a little birthday party for her. The girls were all thrilled to have (and hold!) a new little sister.
