- I had my membranes stripped on Friday (Halloween) and the nurse-midwife said I wouldn't last the weekend. I started crying. Because I really really wanted to meet my little girl. And she was coming!
(last picture taken prior to giving birth. I am a beach ball.)
- I "felt weird" and had contractions all day, but thankfully was able to do our usual Halloween things (post to come...).
- Ryan was very concerned about getting to bed early because, as he told a friend of mine, he wanted to make sure he had enough energy for the labor ahead. She, obviously, made much fun of him.
- I got 1 hour of sleep before I was woken up with semi-bad contractions 3-5 minutes apart. Obviously we rushed to the hospital where
- my active labor abruptly stopped and they "let" me walk around the hospital for 3 hours before they would admit me. (Ryan got his much-needed rest on the couch in a room, while I stared longingly at his restful self.) I couldn't stop walking/showering/dancing (seriously) because I was NOT about to let them send me home.
- They admitted me because it was my 5th and we live 30 minutes away from the hospital. It took 2 more hours of walking, an epidural, forced water breaking and 2 doses of pitocin to get me to a 10 cm dilation. That has NEVER happened before.
- My blood pressure plunged after the epidural, which has never happened before. I was nervous about how I was feeling, but hate making a big medical deal about nothing, so began asking questions "Um, is it supposed to be hard to breathe?" "Um, should I be sweating profusely?" "Um, can my husband come over here and let me lean on him, because I feel really bad?" Finally they figured out what was going on and after a very nervous-sounding call from the nurse and a sprint from the nurse anethisissticisist (how do you say or pronounce that word, anyway?), we got my pressure up and I felt fine.
- I only pushed 3-5 times. She was big and had hair and was really fiesty and screaming her head off while they checked her. See this picture of her grabbing the side of the scale?
- I cried and cried and cried. It's such a spiritual experience, that moment when they leave Heaven and come to us.
- I knew she was ours. I knew that long long ago, in the pre-existance, we became a family and Faith was part of that family. She was so familiar (and NOT just cause she looks like all the rest of them. Which she totally does.) and immediately, she was MINE. Like, if-they-don't-stop-weighing-her-and-checking-her-and-keeping-her-all-the-way-over-there-with-all-the-gadgets-I'm-jumping-off-of-this-bed MINE.
- I love the hospital. They tried to tell me I could go home on Sunday and I said, "No thank you. I will stay till Monday" and they were all surprised (but willing) and I soaked up every minute of alone time with Faith, meals brought to my bed, reading and TV and those lovely hospital gowns that are perfect for new nursers and the copious amount of liquid involved in post-partumness.
- Faith was very fussy and awake at the hospital. I was concerned about having another Emma (super colicky and hard) on my hands, but as soon as my milk came in (Monday night), she has turned into a dream.
- HAVING A FIFTH CHILD IS SO GREAT! I am so much more relaxed about nursing, being up at night, fussiness, post-partum body (kind of), germs, pacifiers. The list goes on. AND I know so much more, so I know how to nurse, be up at night, deal with a fussy baby, dress for a post-partum body, fend off germ carriers and give a pacifier. I would totally recommend it.
- In case you were wondering, every single solitary miserable minute of my pregnancy was worth this awesome experience, this sweet sweet sweet baby, this special spirit in my home, my expanded family. I am so glad I have this baby.
- She is easy. Eats a lot, sleeps a lot, wakes up only 1-2 times a night, takes a pacifier, loves her dad. And she is very fun to dress. I want, like, 5 more of her. (That is another post all together).
Is anyone still reading, except for Faith, 10 years from now? If so, you should be rewarded with extra pictures...here you go:
After her first bath, and not-very-successful tummy time
First day at church. Can you handle that dress and the tights?!
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