Birth story
Cade and I went in to the Dr office on the 10th. Two days from my due date. I was expecting the Dr to strip my membranes but wasn't aware that since I tested positive for Group B Strep, that he couldn't do that. But he asked me if I wanted to be induced and him break my water. I said I had a C-section so I wouldn't be able to be induced, right? He said since I had two successful VBACS and was dialated to a 3 that he didn't see any issues with it. The Dr said they would start me at the lowest amount of pitocin possible. Cade and I agreed to be induced the following day.
I was told that night of the doctors appointment that they could call any time after 5:00 am the next morning. So naturally I woke up about every hour in the night looking at my clock. We got a call at 8:15 that morning and went to hospital at 9:15. We got all initial things done and they started me on the smallest dose of pitocin at 10:30. I Was dialated to a 3 when they started the pitocin.
Contractions were pretty consistent but not a lot of dialating was happening. I took the doctors advice and got the epidural before he came to break my water. The epidural was one of the worst parts this time around. He had struck a nerve or something and had really sharp pain in my back for several minutes. But then the Dr came in at 12:45 to break water. After about an hour was at 5 (1:40).
I had texted Boose that at the rate I was progressing she could probably make it for the delivery after work. I was hoping I was wrong but didn't see a lot happening to my contractions and my body.
The nurse increased the pitocin gradually to a 6 or 7 over time but Dr said to stop pitocin all together when my contractions were happening strong and consistent. Luckily the Dr convinced me to get the epidural before he broke my water. If I hadn't listened to him there's no way I would have had time to get one after breaking my water.
Only 20 min later (after texting Boose) at 2:00 I felt great pressure and pain and felt like I needed to start pushing. Nurse checked me and I was complete. At 10 cm. She said "oh yeah, you're complete. I'll call the doctor!" I said I wasn't sure if the doctor would be able to make it. She left and a couple contractions later I told Cade that I felt like baby needed to come! He panicked and called on the intercom "baby is coming! We need someone in here". He said no way was he delivering the baby alone. That sent a good panic and five nurses and midwife rush in. They thought baby was on the table already delivered. The midwife told me that the Dr was just a few doors down delivering another baby. I didn't know if I could hold off but I waited a few min until he came in.
After Dr came in and suited up, I pushed a few times and baby girl was out. I tore some and Dr stitched me up.
I loved doing skin to skin time with her for about an hour after. The nurses laid her on my chest and I finally got to hold our little girl.
Overall, everything went great. It was a little too fast at the end and I had some bleeding concerns (just too much bleeding for them to take me off the IV), but baby Lucy was healthy and strong and my recovery has been pretty pain free.
The amount of immediate love I think becomes greater with every child because you can see through your other children the potential they have and the amount of joy they bring to your life and family. I am so grateful for eternal families and the plan our Father in Heaven has for us.
Two days before Lucy was born:
We have a baby with hair!!
The girls came to visit me and their new baby sister that evening. Nora seemed to do just fine and wasn't scared with me in a hospital bed hooked up to machines. I don't think she really understood that Lucy was now a part of our family but it was cute watching her hold her :).
More newborn pictures (none edited):
Man, taking pictures of all 4 girls is not easy :). Most of them ended up like this one:
