On Monday I made sure that we were fully prepared, we were packed (we did that weeks before hand), did last minute shopping, and cleaned the house. I was told to call the hospital in the evening and that I could eat lunch that day but then only a light dinner. When I called the hospital they told me that they were currently full and didn't have any rooms available and to call back in a couple of hours. I was so let down to hear that I wasn't able to go to the hospital when we planned to go. I called back hours later and I was told that they were still currently full. They told me that they would call me when they had a room available. I was so disappointed and frustrated, minutes felt like hours and I was just ready to have this baby.
They called me at 5:08 am (remember I was counting the minutes) and told me that they had a room available. We had needed to get to the hospital within the hour. I woke up Zac, and got ready to go. Here is a picture as we were leaving the house and heading to the hospital. I was HUGE!
We got to the hospital at 6:20am. We got checked in and taken to our room. The nurse gave me an IV for fluids and she gave me the Cytotec that I put into the inside of my mouth. We had to wait 3 hours before they checked me. There was not a lot of change so they gave me another Cytotec pill. Then 3 hours later they checked me again and then they finally stared the pitocin around 1pm.
For the first little while I didn't feel much, just a crampy feeling from the Cytotec. Then the nurse increased the Pitocin. Then I started feeling some intense contractions. They were extremely painful and I would just breathe heavily through them. I had contractions for about 45 mins every 4 mins. Then I told the nurse that I was ready for the epidural. I had gone from 1cm-3cm dialated.
Here's a picture of me when we first got to the hospital:
I was dreading the epidural, but I was ready for it because of the painful contractions.The doctor that does the epidural came and I was having such bad contractions that I couldn't sign the release until after. While I was getting the epidural I remember having the worst contraction. The epidural was painful, I felt two sharp pains. But then after the epidural set in all of my pain was gone. It was amazing. My back pain was gone, and I felt very comfortable. I remember the nurse asking me about how I felt and I told her that I felt great and she told me that I just had a major contraction. It was so nice to not feel any pain!
Here I am relaxed, AFTER the epidural:
When I was 7 cm dialated Dr Rappleye came and checked me. He broke my water to speed up the process. He did a test to see if there was an meconium in the fluid, and there was. Which is because she was overdue and she made her first bowel movement in there and most likely it would be in her lungs. So they told me that she would need to be checked out right after delivery, which made me worried. Then they told me that I had a fever, so they gave me some medicine and told me that they would need to check the baby for a fever after delivery.
An hour later they checked me and I went from 7 cm to 10 cm! I was so surprised!
We called Jesika and DeAnna and told them that if they want to be there for the delivery then they needed to get there quickly. They told me to plan on pushing for 2 hours but it ended up taking only 52 mins! DeAnna came to take pictures and Jesika filmed the birth and my mom and Roxsan were there. Roxsan and Zac helped hold my legs while I pushed. I felt a lot of pressure. I decided to get the mirror so I could watch my labor progress. I wasn't going to but I'm happy that I did because I could see that my labor was progressing. All the nurses and doctor came in and set up. Then nurse helped hold one of my legs and Zac held the other. I did probably about ten more pushes and she was here!
Once she was out they placed her on my stomach and I saw her for the first time. Best moment of my life! She was quite at first, but then she started moving. Zac was able to cut the ambilical cord, which was something that he really wanted to do.
She was so beautiful. Then they took her away. Zac went with her, he had to watch them give her an IV and try to get more liquid out of her lungs. Here's a picture of her with the little tubes they used to give her more oxygen:
After they were done working on me they put me in a wheelchair and took me to Ava & Zac. I remember gong in the room and seeing her there for the first time. Most amazing experience. I'll never forget it. Here's our new little family:
She was born at 12:52am on 3/23/2011. She weighed 9lbs 2oz 20.5 inches long. Total of about 10 hours of labor.
At the NICU she wasn't doing as well as they wanted her to, her breathing was a little low so they admitted her into the NICU. We stayed with her for a couple of hours before going to our room. I was happy that I got to hold her, but I really didn't want to leave her.
Zac holding his baby girl for the first time:
We went up to our room, and they took her bassinett out of the room. It broke my heart that she couldn't be up there with us. The nurses helped me because I was still so numb from the epidural. We stayed in the hospital from 3/22-3/26. I spent most of my time in the NICU which was so far from my room. I walked from my room to the NICU so many times, it was pretty exhausting. I was actually never even in my room.
Here is a moment that we captured of her first smile!
All of our family and friends were over joyed to visit little Ava in the hospital. Here is my mom holding her for the first time:
Grandma Rox holding her for the first time:
Auntie Jes holding her for the first time:
Zac with the great grandpas:
Ava and her Grandma Great:
The hospital was monitoring the length of Ava's feedings, and that determined if we would go home on time or not. I tried breastfeeding, and it was such a challenge for her to eat for an extended amount of time. So we ended up staying 1 extra night in the hospital so that I wouldn't have to leave the hospital without her. Finally I was able to get her to feed for 15 mins at a time. So I got the good news that we got to go home!
My little angel:
My dad came to the hospital to help take us home because Zac and my mom had to work. So my dad drove us in my car home. My mom and Zad were there waiting to greet us when we got home.
I'm so happy that she is a happy and healthy baby! I love her so much! I can't imagine my life without her. You are my little angel and you have brought so much joy into our lives. We are proud to have you Miss Ava Sophia! <3
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