I went in to my doctor office on Friday, February 10, because my midwife wanted to chat about the ultrasound I had gotten the day before. She said the baby was measuring big enough to cause concern about shoulder dysplasia when being delivered. She expected a 9lb baby with most the weight in her belly and explained she wasn't weighing enough to need a c section but she wanted to do an induction. She said I could go in that night if nothing but booked at the hospital or Monday at the latest so I decided to go ahead and get induced that night.

I got to the hospital around 7pm and got everything set up like paperwork and IVs. We talked about which method I wanted to use and I was really against starting off with pitocin so since I was only dilated to a 2, we are able to do the balloon. They inserted that around 8pm. That didn't hurt as much as they made me think it would, I didn't feel anything until they filled it with water to help expand my cervix. Even then it honestly just felt like a condom was hanging out of my crotch (the nurses got a kick out of that description). I was also given a small amount of a pill that helps induce (cannot remember the name).

I went about an hour before I asked for an epidural. My contractions were literally back to back one minute apart. I got my epidural and was able to relax and get some sleep.

Around 1:47am the balloon fell out and when checked I was at my 4cm. My midwife suggested pitocin at this point because I was taking a long time progressing so they hooked it up and started a slow drip.

The nurse came in around 4:30am to have me move onto my side so not to risk the baby getting cut off from oxygen. 4:37am I felt something that I thought was my catheter falling out from changing positions but I realized it was my water breaking. I yelled for my mom (who was sleeping on a bed in the room) to come call my nurse because my water broke. I immediately felt the pressure intense immensely from the contractions and when the nurse came in to move me back into my back the rest of my water gushed everywhere. I was checked and she was +1.

I started freaking out because of the pressure I felt in my butt. It was more intense than I remembered. I kept asking to have my epidural bumped up but the nurses told me I couldn't go too numb. I was just way too scared I'd feel her come out because I still had enough feeling in my legs. At this point I had the hormonal shakes and started crying finally comprehending she was about to be here.

My midwife comes in and they turn the spotlights on, brought in the table of tools and explained to me that if she got stuck coming out that she'd have a nurse jump into the bed and push on my stomach to help get her out safely so that they could try and avoid breaking her collar bone or anything.

I started pushing and could feel where the baby was coming out. Not the pain or ring of fire, I was just aware of where her body was making her way out. At one point I completely freaked out because the pressure was so bad I told them I thought she was gonna break my tailbone. After a few minutes of pushing, she was born at 4:58am.

First little girl out of three kids. Her two older brothers are so in love.

February 11, 2017

7lbs 15oz 21in

She was taller than both boys and in between with her weight.

I am absolutely in love.