Preface- I began dilating as early as 35 weeks. When I went in for my appointment that week, I was already at 2.25 cm. Two weeks later I was 3.25 cm and 25% effaced. At 38 weeks I was 3.5 cm and 50% effaced, so I hadn't made a whole lot of progress that week, but my doctor said that I was very soft and he thought that when I did go into labor I would progress quickly. My doctor then stripped my membranes at that appointment and I was hoping that would help things along. I had contractions off and on that day and into the night (my contractions we always worse at night) but then I felt nothing for 2 days straight.
Three days after my 38 week check-up, I started feeling sick. I was fine until about noon and then I was vomiting and having diarrhea the rest of the day. Not fun! I had no energy and poor Devin wanted me to play with him and take him outside, but I just couldn't. It sucked really bad! I did finally have contractions again, but they weren't really painful and they were really sporadic. I felt bad when Morian got home and the house was a mess, no dinner was made, and Devin hadn't eaten anything for a while. While I moaned on the couch, Morian made some dinner for Devin and then put him to bed. Then he came out and gave me a blessing and I was in bed at 8:30. Before I was able to fall asleep, I heard Devin whining and Morian got him out for a little while before putting him back to bed, where he finally fell asleep. I'm guess I was probably asleep by 9 PM.
I woke up at 11 and needed to go to the bathroom. It was diarrhea, but a lot calmer than it had been most of the day. I got back into bed and as I tried to get comfortable, I had a contraction that was unlike any other I'd ever had. There was major pain in my low lower back, almost butt, and I could feel major pressure and pain down in my pelvis, kind of like I needed to take a major poo. It didn't last too long. But then I had a couple more, so I decided to time them. They were coming every 2 minutes and lasting 30 seconds. I timed them for about half an hour (until 11:50) and they were still coming consistently. (Some were as close as 1.5 minutes and the longest were 3 minutes apart.) So I went to wake up Morian, who was sleeping out on the couch. I told him I thought I was in labor. So he got up and started getting ready. (I had earlier called Labor and Delivery but the message just said to come in if you suspect you're in labor.) Now I tried calling my doctor's office. Their message also said to just go in. So then I had to decide who to call to come stay with Devin. I had talked to my mom earlier, but since it was pretty much midnight, I didn't know if that was a good idea. So I thought I'd call Maren first. When I called, she sounded pretty awake, but I still asked her if she was awake! She had recently gotten home (she is single after all!). I asked her if she was busy and she was like, "No, I was just reading my scriptures...why? Are you in labor?" I said I thought I might be so she said she could come over. While waiting for her to get here, Morian and I desperately searched for the camera. It was not in any of the usual places. We finally found it hiding inside the couch. I didn't pack a bag to take with us, b/c I just couldn't think of what I needed and I figured I could have Morian bring it all later. Well, Maren was taking longer than I liked since I was still having contractions really close together and they were still incredibly painful. So, we got in the car and thought to just meet Maren down the street. And we did. We told her to go on in and then we were on our way to the hospital. It was 12:25 AM. It took us about 10 minutes to get there. I had Morian drop me off at the door so I could slowly make my way inside while he parked the car and caught up to me. I had to basically ring a doorbell to Labor and Delivery and let them know I was in labor so I could be allowed into the hospital. Morian caught up to me as I was going in to L&D. Thankfully I had pre-registered, so all we had to do was check-in and sign a couple things. Whenever I got a contraction, I would fall to the floor and just kinda moan/groan whatever while trying to deal with the pain. They couldn't get a hold of a wheelchair, so finally a nurse and Morian took me by my arms and helped me walk around the corner to a triage room. The nurse was like, take off your pants and put on this gown. I didn't even take my shirt off. As soon as I was gowned, I got on the bed and they strapped the baby moniter thing around my wasit to make sure baby was alright. She was great. Another nurse was also there and she checked my cervix. (Remember on Tuesday I was 3.5 cm.) I was at 7+. Holy cow! They asked if I wanted an epidural and I was like, if he can get here quick! They helped me roll over onto my left side while we waited for the anesthesiologist. When I would have a contraction, I would have an incredible urge to push.. I voiced this to the nurses and they told me I couldn't. I had to just breath in through my nose and let it out slowly through my mouth. And the harder the contraction, the longer my breath needed to be. I tried not to push, but sometimes it seemed like my body just took over and would push just a little. When the drug doc got there, he helped me move to the edge of the bed. He numbed my back and then tried to insert the needle. I'm not really sure what did or didn't happen back there (I was a little preoccupied!) but I know something was too thin or small and he was having a hard time doing something and then suddenly he just stopped and left. (Later we were told that he wasn't going to charge us since I never actually got the epidural.) So, no drugs. I was still painfully contracting and trying not to push, but feeling an incredible pressure in between my pelvic bones. I could hear the nurses making comments about my water bag b/c it still hadn't popped and they could see it bulging out of my body! I got rolled back onto my back and told to spread my knees apart. That hurt! Morian said there was like a baseball-sized amount of the bag hanging outside me and the nurses were all scrambling around b/c they didn't wanna get sprayed when it broke! I know someone was getting an instrument to pop it if it didn't go on its own. And Morian also said he could see the head through the water ball, like she was right there. Finally the nurse or doctor or someone said I could push to break my water. So I pushed, my water broke, and out popped a head! I think I remember hearing her cry and then her body just slid out. No one was really ready for her to come out like that. Morian definitely wasn't, as he was scrambling in his pocket trying to get the camera out! She was born at 1:01 AM. We had been at the hospital less than half an hour before she was born and my total labor was slightly less than 2 hours!
After they cut the cord, I was able to hold her for a while and just bask in her cuteness while the nurses were mean and pushed on my tummy to help me deliver the placenta. (That hurt worse than giving birth!) I also tore a little bit and had to get a few stitches.
So, that is how our little Baby Boo was introduced into the world. She sure did make an entrance! (I'm pretty sure it was the most excitement Labor and Delivery had seen all night!)
The doctor who delivered her wasn't my doctor, nor was she the on-call doctor for my doctor. I guess she was the emergency on-call doctor there in L&D for cases such as mine. Pretty crazy!
Since she came a little early (about a week) and things happened so fast with the birth, Morian and I weren't ready with a name picked out. We hemmed and hawed about it for the next couple days while I was in the hospital and we still didn't have a name for her when the time came for us to go home. So, poor Baby Boo came home nameless. We then spent the next few days mulling over names. And finally, early this afternoon (Thursday) we settled on a name. Baby Boo is now officially Mackenzie Rylie Black. Welcome to our family Kenzie!
P.S.Don't forget to look at the next post for lots of pictures of our new baby girl!
She is starting to smile a lot more and it is the cutest smile ever! When she is getting her diaper changed, she loves to look at the stickers on the wall next to the changing table and she'll just smile! Also, when I am nursing her in her room, she'll look up at the hair bows a friend made for her and smile! And just today, when I was getting her out of bed, she gave me the biggest smile! I love this girl!
