Apr 3, 2013

McKinlee's Birth Story

As you know, I was set to be induced February 6th (the day after my due date). I didn't want to wait any longer for her to come and I figured she would be healthy if I waited until after the due date. Secretly I didn't want to be induced because I wanted it to happen naturally so my body could just do its thing, but I was so ready to meet my baby.
It was Wednesday morning at 5:30 AM and I called the hospital following my doctor's orders. The sweet lady told me they had a few moms come in the night before and they were too full, so I would have to check back at 8. I could barely sleep just knowing I would be giving birth (hopefully) later that day. I called again at 8 only to find out they were still too busy so I would have to wait another 2 hours and call again. I hung up and told Stafford and my mom the news. My mom came to stay with us that Monday to be there for McKinlee's birth. Once we all settled back down I started feeling like it wasn't going to happen that day.
I laid in bed feeling hopeless until I felt a sharp pain in my lower abdomen at 8:45. I got excited thinking it was a contraction, but it was too short and there was only one, so I decided not to wake Stafford. A minute or so later I felt some fluid like a period and I knew it had to be my water. I sat up right away and told Stafford my water broke. I couldn't believe it!! He was still kind of out of it but he got up and helped me get to the bathroom. I yelled down to my mom and we both started freaking out. I was in shock. I had prayed long and hard for this to happen and lo and behold my water broke!
I stood in the shower asking my mom what to do. There's really no way to prepare for this moment. I showered and Stafford called our doctor's office to let them know. The nurse told us to go the hospital right away since this was my first time giving birth and we didn't know how long it would take. I was bummed because I wanted to wait it out at home as long as I could. My mom told us to take our time getting ready, so I did. She made me some Cream of Wheat and toast. My doctor told me to eat something small so I would have the energy to go all day. I got all ready and finally started to feel some little cramps. I could easily talk through them though, so I knew we had a ways to go. We left for the hospital at around 10.


 It was a quick drive to the hospital and we were admitted right away. Our room was nice and big with large windows across from my bed. I got all changed and hooked up to the monitors, still feeling great.

The whole day just went so fast! Glad I had my hunny by my side...


My wonderful nurse checked me when we first got there and I was 60% effaced and only 1.5 cm. dilated. She started me on Pitocin to get my contractions going and help me move along. At around noon I knew that my mom and Stafford were getting hungry, so I told them I was fine if they wanted to run out together really quickly. They wanted Costa Vida and just thinking about the smell made me sick, so I told them to take their time and eat it there so I wouldn't have to smell it. About 5 minutes after they left my contractions were starting to hurt somethin fierce. I called my dad to check in with him and he ended up talking me through a few contractions. I started getting teary from the pain and he told me he would call my mom and Stafford right away. I called Stafford when we hung up as well and after one ring I was greeted with, "We're on our way, I'm so sorry, we're coming!" He felt so bad.

My nurse came in to check on me and asked if I was ready for an epidural. I went into labor thinking I would try to hold out as long as I could since my mom preferred going natural to the epidural (I had nothing against getting an epidural). I thought maybe I would be okay with the pain as well, so I told myself to hold off if I could, but once that Pitocin kicked in I knew I would be getting an epidural. I told her to wait until my husband got back and then we would go ahead and get it. By the time they got back I was in quite a bit of pain. The nurse got the anesthesiologist and we went ahead with the epidural.


I was a little nervous, but the most painful part was the small needle that was numbing my back- and that wasn't really all that bad. The actual epidural was painless. Once he put the tube in, I laid back down and waited for it to kick in- by this time it was 2:10. The first contraction came and my left side could still feel it, so my nurse called the anesthesiologist back and he had me lay on my left side and gave me a little extra dose. After that I was pain free. I was chatting away when my mom looked at me and said, "You're in the middle of a contraction right now." I couldn't feel a thing! It was awesome. At that point I was glad I got the epidural because I felt like I had a great pregnancy and I told Heavenly Father that if my labor experience was good too, I would be more likely to have more children. He must have heard my prayers, because the day was wonderful.


After the epidural I was checked again and this time I was 80% effaced and 4 cm. dilated. Progress! Yay! After that I took a little nap until the nurse came to check me again at 4 and this time I was 90% and 7.5 cm! Lots of progress thank Heavens! I skyped with my sisters for a bit and waited for Dr. Jones to get there. He came at around 5:30 and checked me again. I was 100% effaced and "9 7/8 cm." dilated (haha I love my doctor). He said he would wait another 20 minutes or so. 20 minutes?!! You mean I'm actually going to start pushing in 20 minutes?! As in my baby will be here, born, in my arms tonight?! I was dying. We got the cameras all ready and in place. Dr Jones came in with a new nurse and they got everything all prepped. At 6:20 pm I started pushing. I couldn't believe it was already time!


Dr. Jones told me to push 3 times for 10 seconds with each contraction. He said I would feel pressure and that was my cue. He told me when my first contraction was coming...  AH I'm about to have a baby! I did my best to push although I really couldn't feel a thing. I just tried to squeeze everything together I think. Stafford told me he could see the top of her little head. I couldn't believe it. She was just right there! It's kind of a rude awakening that oh my gosh there's really a baby in there and she's been in there this whole time. After the contraction we would chat and laugh. My doctor just made me feel so comfortable which was great.
After what I think was 6 contractions, her little head was right there just ready to come out. I ended up getting an episiotomy which was no big deal and the next push he told me to control it and pant when he told me to. This was it! I did the whole controlled and panting thing and she was out in one push! I kept looking at Stafford's face during the delivery to see what was happening. He could not stop smiling. It was cute.
At 6:51 pm our little McKinlee Joy was born! They put her on my chest right away and I was just in awe.



She was so tiny and yet too big to have been in my belly all that time.
I could not have prepared myself for birth, but it was absolutely perfect. It went so fast and didn't hurt like I thought it would. The end result is so worth it. I can't describe how it felt to finally hold my baby girl. I just knew she was mine and it was my responsibility to keep her safe and make her feel loved. Somehow she made our family complete. Stafford has completely stepped up to the plate and is an amazing dad. He loves that little girl so much. Stafford can calm her down so quickly. I don't know how he does it.





 Our awesome doctor...
The new and improved Strong family.

1 comments:

  1. Loved reading it. What a perfect story! ONE PUSH? You are amazing. What a wonderful thing.

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