On Tuesday, March 3 I was 39 weeks and 4 days pregnant. I had been wishing and hoping to go into labor just a few days early this time, and had been dilated to a 3 at my 39 week appointment and 75% effaced. But as we inched closer to March 6th, I realized I was probably going to go all the way again. I was ok with it. After all my wishing to come early, a snow storm was scheduled to come into Little Rock on Wednesday evening March 4 and into the early morning hours of Thursday, March 5. I didn't want to be THAT woman who had to deliver her baby in the Baptist Hospital parking lot. But...by the time we went to bed on Wednesday night, with the sleet coming down, I had experienced a couple real contractions. They weren't consistent by any means and I was hoping that they would at least hold off until the morning when the sun came up on all the snow. However, by 3:30 on Thursday morning I was having contractions that were about a minute long and 15 minutes apart. The doctor's office rule to come in is contractions that are 1 minute long, 5 minutes apart, for 1 hour, but with the weather and us not being sure how easy we were going to be able to get to the hospital, I decided to wake David up. There was about 3 inches of snow on the ground at this point. After talking with the doctor, I decided to take a bath and drink some water to see if that would ease the contractions, and if it didn't the doctor said to come on in. Well, it didn't, they just kept coming and began to pick up.
So we called David's parents, who had bought chains for their truck in case this happened, and thankfully they made it down our incredibly steep hill by about 5:30. I also called my parents, who jumped up and began making arrangements to meet us at the hospital. We were so so thankful to make it to Baptist's by 6:00 a.m. We got checked in and they did an exam on me and I was at 4 cm, and the contractions were real, which I knew.
We were moved into a delivery room and told the on call doctor would be in shortly. When she arrived she said that she would call the on call day doctor and see if she wanted her to go ahead and break my water or wait for her to arrive. They decided that since I was progressing so well naturally and it was our second child, that we would wait to have my water broken when the day doctor, Dr. Weidower, arrived at the hospital. They didn't want to speed me up too much and find themselves caught between two doctors.
Well, the doctor didn't exactly make a speedy arrival. I had planned to wait as long as possible to get my epidural so as not to slow down my labor and also wanted to wait until the doctor arrived to be checked again so I would know where I was at when I DID get the epidural. So I labored...until NOON. When the doctor arrived and checked me, I was at a 7, so she went ahead and broke my water. By that time I was ready for the epidural and so I got that done, which was nice. Not long after I was at a 10 and ready to start pushing!
When we began pushing, like Abigail, Emma Grace's heart rate was not exactly bouncing back after each contraction. So they put me on oxygen, hoping that would help. It was at this point that the word "c-section" was thrown around. The doctor was fantastic and basically told me that she thought I would be able to push her out, but if her heart rate continued not to recover that she would take her out. Somehow, she figured out that if she kind of tickled Emma Grace's head after each contraction she responded to that and her heart rate picked back up. Don't ask me how that worked. I have no idea.
This was literally the hardest thing I had ever done in my life. She was somewhat "wedged" inside me and I have never worked so hard at something...ever. I pushed like my life depended on it. I felt like I would throw up. I could barely regain my strength between each contraction to go at it again on the next one. I pushed hard with Abigail, but NOTHING like this. I was completely spent. On the contraction before Emma Grace ended up being born, after the 3rd push, the doctor had me push a 4th time because she thought it would be my last one. It wasn't and I didn't know if I could push again after that. All in all I pushed for about 45 minutes and she was born at 2:13 p.m. on Thursday, March 5, 2015. She became a little bit pale right after she was born due to her hard entry, but she bounced right back and is perfectly healthy. Of course we think she is the most beautiful girl we have ever seen (under 2 of course). ;) She was 7 pounds 4 ounces and 18 1/2 inches long.
I couldn't have done it without David. He kept encouraging me and kept telling me that I could do it again. I looked at him after each push for confirmation that I was doing good and that things were going good. He literally willed me to keep pushing. He counted and encouraged and calmed me. After she was born he went to check on her while coming back to check on me to make sure that I was also recovering ok. Never has there been a better help-meet than my husband. :) Here are pictures from the day.
On the day that Abigail met Emma Grace she was definitely a little bit tentative about it. She didn't really know what to think about me being the bed etc. But the next day when she came up to the hospital she was definitely ready. She was all smiles and wanted to hold her. The video of her holding Emma Grace is one of the sweetest videos we have ever taken. It was pure bliss for Abigail and I hope the pictures can do the moment justice.
Ben and Abby came to town for the weekend and were able to see her as well!
We love her so much and cannot imagine life without her already! I took her to her one week weight check on Thursday and was pleased and amazed to find that not only was she back at her birth weight (her discharge weight was 6 pounds 14 ounces), but she had gained 8 ounces OVER her birth weight! She already weighed 7 pounds 12 ounces! The doctor and I were both fairly shocked. I guess my milk is nice and filling these days! :)
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