Ella's birth story

I have been wanting to type up Ella's birth (labor & delivery) story ever since she came.  She is now over 4 weeks old & I am finally getting around to it.  I'll try not to give too many gory details but after all, it is childbirth.

A little background.....at my 37 week check up I was 3cm dilated & 70% effaced. With Lily, I was never checked until my 38 week check up.  At that check up I was 3cm dilated. I saw Dr Robison, he "stirred the pot." Lily came 36 hours later.   After my 37 week appointment, I thought that Ella may come that weekend - due to being 3cm dilated.  Well 37 weeks came & went, so did 38 weeks.  At each weekly appointment I was progressing but no contractions.  I went to my 39 week appointment on Wednesday, May 30. I purposefully booked the appointment with Dr Robison.  He said that I was a good 4 cm dilated & my membranes were bulging.  He also said that IF I was in labor they would break my water & the baby would come.  So I asked him to "stir the pot" hoping that it would make me go into labor just like I did with Lily.  

Jake & I left the appointment & I was having LOTS of pressure.  I figured it was just from "stirring the pot" & me being dilated.  We headed home to my Mom, Emily & Lily.  Of course my Mom was bummed, she was hoping they'd send me to the hospital from my appointment.  We ate supper & headed to church.  I kept having pressure all evening but no real contractions.  After church I told Jake that I was sure that I would not be pregnant by morning for how much pressure I was having & how awful I felt.  My mom kept suggesting that we just go to the hospital but I wasn't really having contractions.  Just pressure; it was uncomfortable, but the pain was tolerable. It was so different then my L&D with Lily.  Jake & I headed to bed around 10pm.  I told Jake that if I wasn't asleep by midnight we were going to the hospital.  I laid there a few minutes watching the clock.  I then said to Jake that IF all the pressure I was having was contractions, they were 5-10 minutes apart.  We decided to call the hospital to speak to a L&D nurse.  The nurse told me go ahead & come in & they'd check me.  

As we headed to the hospital I was starting to have more noticeable contractions.  We got to the hospital at 11pm.  They checked me & I was 7cm.  We weren't leaving the hospital until the baby was out!

We were admitted & moved to our labor & delivery room.  I was having regular contractions but they still weren't that painful.  Jake & I were chatting, watching TV & on the iPad.  So different from Lily's labor & delivery story.  I was really hoping & praying that the baby would come by 2am, but it was already 1am & I wasn't really having hard labor yet.  Well, a few minutes after I prayed about that the hard painful contractions started.  I probably had 5+ of those hard & very painful contractions & asked the nurse to come in & check me.  I kept having contractions, Jake & I were talking about to do or not to do an epidural.  I really wanted to NOT do an epidural just like I did with Lily.  The contractions were 3 minutes apart. These contractions were so so painful; way worse than the pain with Lily.  Since I was a 9 (which is what I was when I got to the hospital with Lily) I figured I still had an hour of hard labor.  I called the nurse & said that I wanted an epidural.  The nurse kept asking me "are you sure, you're doing so good."  I decided YES, I did want an epidural.  I didn't think that I could do this for another hour.  Well, then the nurse decided to let me know that I needed a whole bag a fluids before I could get the epidural.  Awesome! So glad they let me know that earlier. Once the fluids were in, the anesthesiologist came in & did all the prepping, sterilizing, & numbing.  She then did a "test dose."  After the test dose she had me lay down on my side for a minute.  About one second later I had the uncontrollable urge to push.  The nurses said, "oh no, you can't push yet, there isn't a doctor in here...we don't like to deliver babies without a doctor."  I had to breathe thru 2 sets of contractions before Dr Foiles came in my room.  As soon as she came in I started pushing.  One set of pushes....the head was out.  WHAT?  I didn't really believe Jake when he told me.  It didn't sink in.  The doctor's assistant said one more push.  WHAT?  Really?  Yes, one more push & she was out.  SHE was here - Ella Taylor Flaming.  And then my legs started going numb.  Awesome! So I really didn't actually have an epidural, just a test dose that took affect AFTER Ella was out.  Well, now I know for next time.  Just stick it out.  Dr Foiles was probably only in the room for 10 minutes total.  

Ella & Dr. Foiles at my 4 week check up.