Miss Avery Grace

Our baby girl is here and she is perfect. Maybe I am biased but I think she is the most beautiful thing ever (along with her big brother). She was born June 17, 2009 at 9:04 pm.

We arrived at the hospital at 5:30 am as scheduled Wednesday morning. It was a rough start but eventually we got going. The nurse tried putting my iv in two different times and didn't get it which resulted in me passing out. The smell of alcohol along with nerves are just not a good combination for me. Another nurse came in and tried and was able to get it in my hand on the first try. So by 6:30 we were all ready to go and the pitocin was going. I was about 2 cm and 50% effaced. I started having some small contractions but nothing that was even slightly uncomfortable. The doctor came in and broke my water at about 8:30 am. By 10:15 am I was in pain and having some pretty good regular contractions but not really dilating much. I had only managed about a cm more and was 60% effaced. At this point I asked for something in my iv to help me rest and was given Stadol which knocked me out. At 4:30 I was 5.5 cm and 70% and by 5:15 I was 6.5 cm and still only 70% effaced. This whole time her head was still as high up as it had started she just wouldn't come down any. I wasn't allowed out of bed since there was no pressure from her head to keep the cord from possibly falling out. I hadn't been allowed out of bed to use the restroom since morning time and I was only allowed to be lying down on either my right or left side. Anytime they tried sitting me up or had me on my back her heart would hit about 80 bpm. So after talking to my doctor we decided to try and epidural. I still was able to bear the pain so I didn't feel I really needed one but my contractions were no longer in a pattern and started to space out more. So at about 6 pm I got an epidural. Let me just say with Riley I had tried to get one and it never worked so I ended up delivering him naturally and I knew I could do it again this time around. But I got the epidural and it worked this time. Let me just say it was amazing. I felt instant relief. I was laughing and talking and my labor started to pick back up. I decided to try and sleep and when I woke up the nurse checked and said I was about 8 cm at about 8 pm. She asked if I was feeling any pressure and I said no so she started to type it in the computer and as she was walking out I told Chris I think she needed to check me again because I was feeling pressure. Sure enough her head was down and I was 9. So they started prepping everything. All the while I needed to push but she said to hold on just a moment. It happened so fast. At about 8:30 I did my first practice push with nurse and on the second one she went ahead and called the doctor and told him we were ready. He was there in about 10 minutes. I started pushing at about 8:40 once he was there and by 9:04 she was here! She came out and promptly peed on the doctor. She weighed 7lb 4.5oz and was 20.5 inches long. Breastfeeding is rough. She doesn't really have the patience for it and honestly neither do I but I am still attempting it. I have been pumping and giving her the breast milk that way since she won't latch and we have had to supplement some formula as well. She left the hospital at 7lb .8oz so she didn't lose much at all. She sleeps great only getting up about 1-2 times a night. She never fusses unless she is hungry and at every diaper change. LOL she hates having her diaper changed. Sorry it has taken so long to get this typed up but I have just been enjoying my time home with her and Riley. Chris is still home and doesn't go back to work till Tuesday so hopefully things stay pretty smooth sailing although I am not getting my hopes up!