By Wednesday, April 9th when there was still no baby, I had to go for an ultrasound to check my fluid levels and make sure baby was moving okay. I was so nervous that I would accidentally see the sex of the baby during the ultrasound that I kept telling the technician, "tell me if I need to look away." Since Danny wasn't with me for the appointment I really didn't want to have to go home and tell him that we waited 40+ weeks to find out the sex, but oops, I spotted it during the ultrasound. The technician laughed because she said she couldn't even tell.
After the ultrasound I was seen by my midwife and her student. I hadn't been checked since my 38 week appointment (where I was a "finger tip" dilated) so we figured we should go ahead and see if anything was going on. I was not quite a 2 and about 60% effaced. I decided to go ahead and get my membranes stripped. I had it done (twice) with Marissa (didn't need it with Dylan) and I knew it would either put me in labor within the next 24 hours...or it would do nothing. I figured it was worth a shot!
I went and picked the kids up from the sitter's and went home to make dinner. I was definitely feeling crampy from the membrane sweep but I knew that was normal and not necessarily an indicator that labor was going to start. A part of me knew that I would be going into early labor that night, though. The kids and I chased each other around the house and we got everyone settled in for the night. I finished packing my hospital bag and preparing just in case.
Around 1 AM I woke up with a pretty strong contraction, but nothing time-able or consistent. I woke again at 2, 3 and finally decided to get up around 4 AM. I took a shower, washed a load of diaper laundry, emptied the dish washer and text my mom that we would probably be having a baby today. After I did some final nesting I laid down on the couch for a few hours to rest.
My contractions were coming anywhere between 9 and 40 minutes apart by 6 AM. Not exactly hospital ready. I figured I would call Danny's mom as a heads up since she would be watching Marissa and Dylan. I was in no rush to get to the hospital, though. My mom showed up a few hours later and Danny's mom took off of work early...and then we waited. I thought maybe I had jumped the gun a little. My contractions were few and far between, though when I got one it was pretty strong and intense. Definitely stopped me in my tracks.
We gave the kids lunch and then they went to Grandma's house for naps. We packed everything up and figured we would go ahead and head up to the hospital to see if anything was going on. The whole drive up there I kept telling Danny "I hope they don't turn us away." I don't know why that was such a fear of mine, but I thought this is my third baby, I should know what I'm doing by now! We stopped at the UPS store and slowly made our way to the third floor of the hospital to the triage center. They got me hooked up to the monitors and sure enough my contractions were registering! The nurse checked me and I was already 5 cm. This was turning out to be a lot like Dylan's arrival. At 1:43 PM we were admitted to the hospital. We were going to have a baby!
The hospital called my midwife to let her know that I was in labor. She asked if we could walk the halls for a bit while we waited for her student to show up, as she wanted to deliver our baby. My contractions were still not regular at this point, but obviously they were doing something. Danny, my mom and I walked the halls for a little while. There were a few contractions where I had to stop, squeeze Danny's hand and really concentrate and breathe through them.
By 3:10 PM the midwife's student had arrived. It was time for Danny and I to go solo at this point so my mom went to the waiting room. The midwife student checked me and I was at 7 cm. I guess the walking was helping! We decided now was a good time to break my water. She had a really hard time breaking it, she said it was more like pin holes rather than a full break because the lining was so thick. After 15-20 minutes of monitoring the baby's heart rate and my contractions they let me get back up. I sat on the birthing ball, walked and had Danny rub my back, squeeze my hips and wrap his arms around me when a really strong contraction came on. The whole time he was coaching me, telling me how great I was doing and encouraging me to breathe and relax.
7 cm, ready for baby! My very last bump picture...bittersweet!
An hour had passed and my contractions were very intense at this point. I felt that my body was very tense while I was standing so I climbed back in the bed to try and relax for a few minutes. Danny fed me ice chips and we talked about how excited we were to meet this little boy or girl.
At 4:15 PM the midwife came back to check me and I was only at a measly 8 cm. This was not turning out to be like my birth with Marissa or Dylan. It was taking longer! I told myself to take one contraction at a time and that it would all be over soon.
The midwife nurse showed me some squatting techniques on the side of the bed and said that this would help to move the baby down. The nurses and the midwives left the room and said they would be back in a bit to check on me. They hooked me back up to the monitors but they kept falling off since I was standing/squatting. The monitors were making me feel very edgy and I begged Danny to take them off me as fast as he could. The last thing I wanted was a monitor on my stomach during these intense contractions. A few contractions later and things were starting to become a blur. The nurse popped back in and quickly ran to get the midwives. I was standing on the side of the bed and I told the nurse that I need to use the bathroom. She advised against it and suggested that I go ahead and get back in the bed.
The midwives came back in and I literally could not lift my legs to get back in the bed. I thought Danny was going to have to lift me. I was finally able to get one leg on the bed when the nurse said "she's crowning!!!" Okay, I didn't have a choice at this point, it was either get back in the bed or have this baby on the floor. I mustered up enough energy to climb in the bed. I was on all fours and couldn't stop my body from pushing. The midwife asked if I wanted to birth on my hands and knees or if I wanted to get in the traditional position for pushing. I said I didn't care, whichever was easier. Somehow I managed to get in the traditional sitting position. The midwife told me to push and about 15 seconds later, at 4:34 PM, our little bundle of joy arrived. The midwife grabbed my hands and directed me to pull our baby out and onto my chest. Whew! It was over. I did it!
Danny and I awed over this little person. The long fingers, the long nails and black hair. The sweet sound of the first outside world cry. It was amazing that we had created this life. The cord was still attached and pulsing. After a few minutes it dawned on us that we hadn't seen the sex yet. I held the baby up from my chest, with the cord between their legs and I was about to announce it's a boy. Then I lifted the cord and I turned to Danny standing behind my right shoulder and whispered to him "It's a baby girl!" I couldn't believe it.
Our little Leila Rose was perfect. I nursed her for the first time while Danny cut the cord after it had stopped pulsing. She weighed in at 6 pounds 6 ounces and 18.25 inches long. She was such a dainty thing; our smallest baby yet. The midwives and nurse didn't even know that it was a baby girl; they didn't hear me announce it. It was truly a special moment just between Danny and I. While it wasn't how I pictured it playing out in my mind, or how they depict it in the movies, it was more than I could have ever imagined. It was perfect!
Does that not look like one proud papa!? Love him so much!
At first I felt bad that Danny didn't get to announce the sex. All along our plan was to let him announce, but in the heat of the moment I couldn't stop myself. He said that right at the time that I turned to him he saw that it was a baby girl. I guess you can't exactly plan for these things. It was still one of the most amazing experiences and I am so happy we decided to wait.
While I know that Danny wanted another little boy, whose name would have been Archer Douglas, we were so elated with Leila and we were just happy that she was healthy and as close to perfect as you could get. She scored a 9 and 9 on her 1 and 5 minute APGARS. Danny went out and announced to my parents that it was a baby girl. Then he called his parents and family to tell them the news. From what I heard, Marissa was so very excited that she got a baby sister. I will never forget the sound of her voice as she came into the hospital room announcing "Leila Rose." It was the cutest thing ever.
We've settled in to our new family of 5 and Leila has been the perfect addition to our family. While I would probably have another baby (or two) if Danny said let's do it...I feel that my family is complete with Leila. I couldn't ask for anything more. We are so blessed to have 3 healthy, beautiful children.
Daddy holding Leila for the first time.
Our first family photo.
She is so beautiful! Congratulations!
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