Lively was due February 28th according to our first few appointments. As she continued to grow, the doctor decided that the date was wrong and changed it to February 21st. This was exciting! As we got close to her due date, I started having contractions that were timeable (36 weeks). We went to the hospital when they were 5 minutes apart (I was a StrepB carrier and needed to be on antibiotics prior to delivery so they wanted me to get to the hospital early). Upon arriving, contractions stalled. We went home later that night. Then, fast forward 2 weeks and the same thing is happening. We get to the hospital, and again, I stalled. It was difficult to make sure we made it to the hospital in the timing the doctor had suggested and yet, made sure it was real labor! Again. we went home that night. At each visit, the doctor performed a membrane sweep in hopes of moving things along.
Once we hit Lively's due date, I knew this girl was going to need some help to come out--or so it seemed! We had our last appointment on February 23 at 9:00 am. Taylor's mom watched Atley since she was still in town through that afternoon. Dr. Cheng decided that Lively was just a bit too big from the gestational diabetes and needed to go ahead and come out. We scheduled an induction for the next morning--and had another membrane sweep done. As we walked out of the hospital, I was in a lot of pain. I told Taylor I felt like I was having contractions but was sure it was the sweep pain. We went home and took it easy for the day--I napped and they all went out to run Atley down. I didn't watch the clock or think much of any pain I was having--there was NO WAY I was going to the hospital before it was real labor, again!
About 4:30 we walked Taylor's mom to the train station--a half-mile walk--and walked home to kill time before dinner. We came in and ran our normal routine and got Atley settled in for bed soon after. As I sat down to read her stories, I had a very painful contraction. 4 minutes later, another one, and 3 minutes after that, another one. These were take my breath away painful! I began to get very nervous but kept reading and got Atley into bed.
After Taylor and I could talk, I told him we needed to go immediately! He texted our friend, Nate, for a ride--thank goodness he was home! He texted the doctor that we felt this was real this time. She said she'd check my dilation when I got there! (Can't blame her!) The drive there felt much longer than normal and I could not imagine if we'd waited for a taxi or an ambulance.
We got to the hospital and by the grace of God, the elevator was on our floor and no one was in it (normally we wait and stop on many floors--it's grueling!) The doctor met us off the elevator and immediately checked me--I was only 1 cm! I begged for an epidural. She said she would call the doctor and let him know and we'd head to delivery after blood work--she made me feel like it would be a long time! But little did I know, she ran after Taylor who needed to register me, and told him to hurry--we didn't have long! She was scrubbing in immediately. Quickly, I was changed and rolled to delivery.
When we got to the delivery floor, I was brought into a room and quickly put on antibiotics. I was told there was not enough time for an epidural as I was already 5 cm! The doctor went ahead and broke my water so that things would go faster. I was given laughing gas--which was tough to get the hang of and didn't help with pain but took away my anxiety a bit.
Finally, Taylor was allowed to come in after I was prepped some and he helped me breathe through every contraction. He did so great! I will never forget just focusing on him.
After a few contractions I overhead the nurses and Taylor talking (mind you I'm on gas so not really all there!) and the nurses say the doctor saw the position of the baby and it wasn't 'favorable' and wanted to turn me to my side. Yikes! Before I could comment, I was being rolled over and at that moment said I could not wait--it was time to push. They laid me back on my back--and about 3 pushes later, Lively was here!
9:06 p.m. February 23, 2015, 8lb.15oz., 20 inches long. She was beautiful!
Taylor chose not to cut the cord this time because with Atley, he was turned around to put on the gloves to do this and missed her actual arrival because the gloves were too small!\
Altogether, from the first timed contraction to delivery it was 1.5 hours. From the hospital door to delivery, it was 55 minutes! This was crazy fast! Praise the Lord we made it!
Lively, we love you! Welcome to our family!
So nice to read Lively's birth story. Congratulations! From Renée
ReplyDelete