A & K 2010: Ainslee Marie

Just about a month ago our little girl was born. I can't believe she'll be a month old this Wednesday, it has gone so fast but at the same time the day she was born feels like a lifetime ago. I'm putting the story of that day on here and warning it is very long, but it is mostly so I can remember it later. Also there are a ton of pictures :) because what can I say I'm just in love with this little one.

On February 6, 2013 I had a doctor appointment at 9:40. I was three days away from my official due date (the 9th) and so far had not felt any contractions or anything leading me to believe that my body was preparing in any way to have this baby anytime soon. I had decided since I was so close to my due date that I would have them check me at the doctor’s office to see if I was dilated at all. I told Anthony that I hoped they would check me say “Oh your cervix seems to be broken it’s not going to dilate, let’s just get you to the hospital and take this baby out.” I was convinced that nothing was happening, but oh was I wrong.

Anthony and I get to the doctor and it goes like every other week. They checked my weight and blood pressure. The midwife came in and she answered all the questions we had. Then she checked to see if I was dilated or effaced at all. I told her that I wasn’t feeling any really consistent contractions or anything and so I didn’t think anything was happening. She said “Well momma you’re dilated to about a 5, 80% effaced." I was shocked! She told us we could go to the hospital now and they would break my water or I could go home and just wait for my water to break on its own. We must have looked really surprised because she looked at me then at Anthony and said she’d give us a minute to talk it over. We didn’t really know what to do. I was so excited that this baby was finally coming I would have went to hospital that second! Anthony was a little worried though, he had class that day. The midwife came back in and we still hadn’t decided what to do. She said to just call her if and when we decided to go to the hospital.

We talked in the car on the way to drop Anthony off at class and decided we’d go to the hospital after his lab got done at 5:15. I wasn’t in any pain and so we figured it wouldn’t hurt. I dropped Anthony off at class, I had to get a couple of things at Wal-Mart so I went and did that. I called and told my mom and sisters what was going on. Kaycee and Krysten came over to be with me just in case something changed and I needed to get to the hospital fast. About 11:30 Anthony shows up at the house and said he changed his mind. He couldn’t wait he was just too excited J Anthony and my sisters spent the next few hours cleaning the house so it would be nice when we came home with the baby. I packed Anthony a bag (I hadn’t honestly thought of this lol good thing there was time or he would have got to the hospital with a bag full of coins because that is the only thing I packed for him). About 2:00 I called the midwife to let her know we were headed to the hospital.

We got there and checked in. They put me in an exam room and we waited for the midwife to come in and check me again. It was funny walking into the hospital and telling them I was there to have a baby. They kept looking at me like I didn’t know what I was talking about, and I felt a little silly but oh well. The midwife checked me again and I was at 6 cm, 90% effaced still hadn't really felt much of anything though. I could tell I was having a contraction because it was hard to breath but that was about the only thing I noticed. It felt like my lungs were getting stuffed up into my throat. She said they would get me moved into a room then she would be in to break my water. It was about 4:00 by the time we got into our room, and they asked us all the questions. She came in and broke my water, that was the weirdest feeling in the whole world! It was like peeing your pants because it was warm, but it just keeps coming! I didn’t expect that. I thought it would be one gush and then done, but no every couple of seconds there would be more lol.

So once they broke my water things started to pick up really fast. I started feeling my contractions, and all I can say is I'm grateful I wasn’t feeling them before…so not fun. They got really bad and by 6:00 I wanted my epidural pretty badly. The pain was strong and sharp. Sometimes it was in my back, but what I remember most was it shooting through my legs. The only thing I can think to compare it to is growing pains. The worst growing pains you can imagine shooting down from my hips straight through my toes. I had considered not getting an epidural because I wasn’t sure what it would be like but I got to that point and there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted one. The bad part was it was right at shift change and so they told me it could take a while. They said it would be 30-45 minutes for him to get down to my room and then another 15-20 for it to start working. All I wanted at that point was for him to get there. It only took about 20 minutes for him to get there and he was awesome. He did great at putting it in, it didn’t hurt at all. He said I had a perfect spine. I was super nervous about the epidural because I had imagined the needle to be huge, but it really wasn’t that bad. I was really afraid that I wasn’t going to be able to hold still the whole time either. I was praying like crazy that I could so I wouldn’t get paralyzed. I wiggled a lot during contractions and I was shaking like a wet leaf because of the adrenaline. (I seriously had been shaking for hours Anthony kept asking if I was cold because it looked like I was shivering.) I did great though and I’m not paralyzed J Honestly getting my IV hurt worse (they had to try 4 times lol). So the epidural was in and within 15 minutes I wasn’t feeling anything…yay! I actually just laid back and took a little nap for a while. I am so grateful for technology and that I was able to have an epidural, I can’t imagine doing it without one and I admire any woman who does it without, that is amazing.

Anthony, Kaycee and Krysten were all in the room with me. (The rest of my family hadn't gotten there yet they were driving to see us though.) They worked on homework and watched TV while we waited. At about 9:30 or so the midwife came back in to check on me. I was fully dilated, and 100% effaced. She said she didn’t see any reason I should wait to push so they got everything set up. Kaycee and Krysten went out into the waiting room because Anthony and I wanted it just to be us, and plus they didn’t want to see all that lol. I only had to push for 45 minutes, every contraction they had me push 3 times. The epidural was still working so I didn’t really feel anything. They asked me if I wanted a mirror since I couldn’t feel as much it might help me to push more effectively, but I thought it might make me sick so I didn’t. Anthony did great too. He didn’t get sick or anything. The only problem he had was he was holding his breath. When I would push I held my breath and at the beginning Anthony would hold his breath too lol. He was awesome and really helpful.

They put her on my chest right as soon as she came out and she was crying like crazy. It was a weird feeling because it just didn’t seem real. They took her for just a second to clean her up but then they gave her right back. My family got there just about the time she was born but they had to wait a little while to see her. Anthony did go out and talk to them though to let them know what was going on. When they did come in Anthony told me he had first dibs on holding the baby and I hadn’t even realized he hadn’t got to hold her yet I had been hogging her :) Anthony's family came to see us too the next day. It was really nice to have all our family here to share that special time with us.

They left her in our room the whole time and only took her to do her hearing screening. It was really strange that they just left her with us. We were like, we don't really know what to do with a baby lol. I guess we figured it out though :) We stayed in the hospital for 2 nights. We got there Wednesday at 2ish in the afternoon and then we left Friday about the same time. Anthony changed all the diapers and took care of Ainslee for most of the time because I was in bed and pretty tired. It was an awesome experience though and I have to say I hope all my labors and deliveries are that easy because I think I got seriously lucky.

We love our little Ainslee Marie. She was born at 10:28pm Feb. 6th. She weighed 7lbs 4oz and was 20 1/2 inches long. It has been kind of hard figuring out how to be parents but I think we're getting the hang of it and I know it will only get better as time goes. She is starting to get a little personality which is so much fun to see. She's also spending a little more time being awake and just looking around. I'm lucky and get to stay home with her all day, Anthony has to go to school though and I know he misses her a ton while he's gone. The first thing he wants to do when he walks in the door is pick her up :) he's an awesome daddy. So here are a ton of pictures...