19 Days

The last 19 days have been a bit of a blur. Sleep deprivation tends to do that to a person. My days (and nights) have been filled with what feels like nonstop, constant nursing. My back and neck and shoulders ache from sitting in the same position holding and feeding my baby girl. And just gazing at her sweet little face.

Yes, 19 days ago, we welcomed one of the most beautiful babies on the planet into our lives. Six pounds, eleven ounces, 20.5 inches of perfection.

I had a scheduled induction on September 13th. We went in that morning at 7:00, my midwife came in and broke my water and we got pitocin started. At around 11:00, I asked for an epidural. This is my third time getting an epidural, and the first two were a piece of cake compared to what I went through this time. The anesthesiologist had to try three different times to get things working right. He told me I might feel an "electrical shock" down one of my legs. The pain in my left leg was excruciating to the point I almost told him to just forget it. But he finally got things working right. Once the epidural was up and running, I looked at my husband who was flexing the hand I had been gripping. He said I cut off his circulation. Seriously, dude, it's the least you could do!

Proud siblings!

  

This does not bode well!

Each time my nurse would check me, she would say something about the baby being really high. I could tell she was concerned, which concerned me. I have heard stories about women being induced when the baby was still too high, and I started to worry that we had rushed things a little too much. The nurse sat me up straight so gravity could work in our favor, then she would let the bed down and move me from one side to the other. When the midwife came back in to check me, the baby had dropped, and I was ready to push.

My husband, my younger sister, and my niece were in the room with me. My sister was keeping my other sister, my brother and my bff up to date via text messaging. She sent them a text that I was starting to push, and within minutes, she was able to send them pictures of our baby. According to the nurse's records, I started pushing at 2:13pm, and baby girl was born at 2:37pm. I pushed through 1 1/2 contractions (about 5 pushes). I was told later that she had the cord wrapped around her body, and then up over her shoulder. The nurse said it was like a beauty pageant sash, the midwife said it was like a purse. Either way, sounds like we have a little diva on our hands.

 Enough with the pictures already!

The rest of our hospital stay, all FIVE days of it, was a little dramatic. But right now, the 2 1/2 year old is too quiet for my liking, and the 2 1/2 week old will be demanding her lunch any minute, so that will have to wait for another day!