I started having contractions around 10 Sunday night but I was sure they were braxton hicks and by midnight they seemed to have stopped. Ty got home and we ate some raspberry pie (yes I know eating at midnight is a bad idea especially when you might be in labor... this I actually thought about but ate it anyway ... lol... don't worry I kept it down). By the time we got to bed it was 2 in the morning and I hadn't had a contraction in several hours. But the second I laid down to go to sleep they started again only 7 minutes apart this time. 45 minutes later I woke up to a slightly stronger contraction and realized they never really stopped and that I hadn't been sleeping well at all.
My contractions were anywhere from 7 to 10 minutes apart and weren't too painful, so I decided I'd let Ty sleep as long as I could before I had to wake him (I still had my doubts that I was really in labor). I got in a hot bath to soak and while I was there I washed my hair and shaved my legs (you know just in case ... hehe). About 20 minutes later just when I was thinking about getting out and waking Ty (my contractions were now 5-7 minutes apart)I felt a gush in the tub. Problem was I was IN THE TUB so I couldn't tell if it was really my water that broke. When I got out it wasn't poring out like it did with Crystal, but at this point I knew my contractions weren't going away and in fact were getting stronger so I woke Ty up and told him my water "might" have broke. At first he was confused and just upset that I woke him up. lol. But once he woke up more and realized what was going on, he was much more helpful. I told him I was going to do my hair before we went to the hospital whether it was time to go or not! So in between contractions I worked fervently to get my hair pulled up (I didn't want it getting all frizzy and falling out in my face so I put it in several twists before sticking it up in a ponytail. Totally worth the pain because it stayed out of my face during delivery and lasted the entire hospital stay.) I was only halfway done when the contractions were 3 minutes apart and getting very very painful!
When I finished my hair, Ty was still in bed timing contractions for me. He then informed me that he needed breakfast and a shower before we left (in other words he thought I was being a wuss and was stalling as long as possible before he HAD to take me to the hospital). I actually thought he would have time if he hurried because the contractions hurt HORRIBLY but in between I would have time to recover from one before the next one came. THEN THINGS GOT MUCH MUCH WORSE. Contractions were 2 minutes apart and SUPER SUPER SUPER painful!!! I only had a minute or less to recover in between and was struggling with it. This is when I started screaming at Ty (who had gone downstairs and turned the TV on to watch while he ate his breakfast!) and didn't stop till we got to the hospital (a few times there too... lol). I found out that night that even if there were a fire Ty would still only have one speed and it is SLOW! I told him if he was showering he had to do it RIGHT THAT SECOND and he had to be FAST!!!! 20 minutes later he was finally dressed and taking our stuff to the car. We had to wake Crystal up and Ty decided she needed some warmed up milk for the ride to the hospital and then at 6:45am we were finally off!
In the car I was already having to do my breathing to get through contractions and Crystal in the backseat started copying me and laughing (it was pretty hilarious... even for me who thought at this point I was dying). At the hospital I told the nurse about thinking my water was broke, but she didn't think it was my water so she didn't even check to see if it was amniotic fluid or not. She said I was dilated to a 2.5 and that she'd check me again in an hour and if I had dilated more they would admit me. WHAT!?!?! I have to wait an hour for relief from this!??!?!
When Ty's grandma got there to get Crystal, he apparently told her that he was certain they were going to send us back home (Do you see the faith my husband has in me? I thought I was dying and he still didn't believe me!) Just after Ty walked back in the door (in the middle of a contraction) my water DEFINITELY broke. The nurse checked and said "well that was your ticket to stay." Apparently I was correct and my water had broke at 4 that morning I was just leaking slowly. Had the nurse checked the fluid I could have my epidural by NOW!!!! They then of course put me in the room farthest from the front doors so I had 2 contractions while attempting to walk to my room.
It took them a good hour to get my IV and epidural in. (I was very proud of Ty! When all was said and done he only got queasy once and it was for the epidural part. He was supposed to hold on to me but had to sit down halfway through and the nurse stepped in. The anesthesiologist was being too descriptive about what he was doing... lol). Anyway after the epidural kicked in around 9, I was in COMPLETE HEAVEN! My body was able to relax and the fact that I hadn't slept all night hit me. I was falling asleep while the nurse was trying to get me to answer some more questions. Finally things seemed to calm down and I was trying to relax and get some sleep.
Suddenly the beeping that was the baby's heart rate slowed WAY WAY down. I told Ty something was wrong and sure enough a nurse came through the door. She thought it was a cord problem so she checked to see if she could feel the baby's cord but couldn't. Every time she'd check me she would just talk about how wonderful everything felt and how ready things were for delivery. Everything except the baby's heart rate!!! Every contraction the babies heart rate would drop and go back up again. They took me off the medicine they had in the IV to make the contractions stronger and the baby would do fine but when they'd start them back up again her heart rate would drop. The nurse took me off the meds and called the doctor.
She came back in the room and told me the doctor was just on his way in and if I didn't dilate at all on my own without the meds before he got here, they were going to do a csection. They were concerned the drop in heart rate may have something to do with my previous csection insicion and not the cord after all. If that were the case we could have ended up with a foot going through my incision which would not be good. The nurse left the room and I just started crying. I did not want to have to go through a csection recovery again, but at the same time I wanted to make sure Lily was safe.
Ty suggested we say a prayer so we did and after the prayer I asked him to give me a blessing. Ty gave me a priesthood blessing and in the middle of my very next contraction I felt something drop and constant pressure. Just then the nurse came walking in with the doctor. I told them what I was feeling and the doctor checked me one last time. He looked slightly confused and blamed his thick hospital glove on not being able to feel my cervix. Then he realized it was because he was feeling baby's head and no cervix! I had dilated from a 4 to a 9.5! The doctor said there was no way we were going to need to do a csection. It was 10:10 so he said he thought we'd be delivering around 12. He left but promised he wouldn't go far. My next contraction I felt the dropping feeling again and told the nurse. She checked me and was shocked to find my dilated to a 10. She called the doctor (who was still in the parking lot) to come back, but then she was worried she had called him too soon since it was considered my first childbirth, so she told me to push a little, and I felt the baby drop even more. Her eyes got a little big and she said, "Don't push again till the doctor gets here!" Every contraction after that felt like the baby was going to end up coming out under the blankets with no help at all!!
The doctor got there and I pushed once and Lily was born at 10:28am! The doctor was completely shocked and said he'd never seen a baby come out that easy or fast! Especially a first born (which she was considered since Crystal was csectioned.) From the time I started having patterned contractions to the time Lily was born I was only in labor for 8 hours, 6 hours if you start from when my water broke! I only had the epidural for 2 of those hours but that wasn't by choice... lol.
It turned out the cord was wrapped around Lily's arm and she was squeezing it during strong contractions and cutting off her supply. The nurses nicknamed her 'the pill' for making everyone worry so much! Ty and I couldn't believe how different she looked than Crystal or how much HAIR she had! We are both quite proud that we made a baby with hair! LOL! We didn't think we were capable!
Having a child grow inside you and finally join your family is a miraculous and indescribable feeling, but I will never forget the experience our little family had when Lily was born. I am so blessed to have the power of the priesthood in my life. Because my husband was able to use the priesthood to give me a blessing I was able to give birth to a beautiful and healthy baby girl. This experience made me realize how blessed I am to have a testimony of the gospel and faith in the priesthood it holds. Its these miracles and experiences in my life that have given me a sure knowledge of the truth of this gospel. I don't know how I could make it through this life without it!
Here are some pictures and a video of Lily's first few days!
Lily Marie Cook:
October 18, 2010 @ 10:28 AM
5 pounds 7 ounces
19 inches long
So precious!
Still can't believe all the hair!
Such a good big sister!
Sisterly Love!
The doctor got back from vacation 30 minutes before she was born! Good timing!
Jill the nurse who helped deliver Lily!
She's so tiny they had to do a 2 hour car seat check before they'd let us leave the hospital
Great Aunt Debra came to visit the day she came home from the hospital!
Great Grandpa Sitterud came to visit too!
4 generation picture!
4 generations with both my girls (even though one of them did NOT want her picture taken!)
Crystal wanted Lily to take a nap with her!
When we came home from the hospital we realized Lily and Grandma Gordon had matching socks!
Grandma and Grandpa Gordon with Lily!
Grandma Gordon
Grandpa Gordon
Lily in her new rock n play sleeper!
The Binky completed the picture!
Don't forget Big Sister!
Sisters are forever!
Look how tiny she is!!!!
She's almost the size of the toy doll!
Eye's wide open!!!
