Tuesday, September 15th, my actual due date.
I had my 40 week OB appointment at 2:00pm. Prior to this appointment, I was dilated to a 3 and 100% effaced for almost 3 weeks. So each time I would go in, I would hear "well it could be any day now" and yet I always managed to end up back at my appointment a week later.
(Side note: I had been having painful contractions, the kind that kept me awake until 5:00am only getting 2 hours of sleep for 4 nights now. The contractions were regular all day long everyday but never got closer together than 6 minutes... talk about taunting me! haha)
The appointment: my doctor walked in and said "Aren't we supposed to be celebrating a birthday? Let's see if we can make that happen!" I got checked for dilation and was now 4cm and 100% effaced... Basically all I needed was to have contractions every 3-5 minutes and the hospital would admit me. I had my membranes stripped for the first time as well. I was expecting to be scheduled to be induced a few days out but the hospital had an opening the next morning at 5am. Of course I jumped right on getting that time. Waiting near the end is the WORST part! I left the doctor with everyone saying "Hopefully we will see you before 5am!" and hopeful I was.
2:33pm while talking to Colton on the phone , I was pulling into our garage and had my first painful contraction of the day... and they never stopped. I got home, put Paige for a nap and began to pack my hospital bag. Colton's boss sent him home after she heard things were rapidly approaching to spend the rest of the day as a family. Super nice of her! (We both love his coworkers and boss). I kept having contractions but they were like the ones I had all weekend... just a little more intense. After Paige woke up, we went to Zuppas for our last dinner as a family of 3. After dinner, we decided to go home so I could shower because at that point my back was KILLING me before we dropped Paige off at my sister-in-laws. At home, I decided if the pain kept up after a shower and dropping Paige off that we would just head to the hospital. My contractions eased up with a warm shower and we headed to drop Paige off. On the way over I told Colton I was feeling pretty good and maybe could get a good night's sleep before she came... and just like that contractions came back with a vicious vengeance. We stayed at my sister-in-laws for a bit to talk and be with Paige but things were getting incredibly painful. Finally, I put my foot down and told Colton we needed to go because I was on the verge of crying. Paige was put in her stroller to go for a walk with them while we got in the car and I thought I would have such a hard time leaving her but it was pretty much the opposite. I rushed to get in the car and just started crying my contractions hurt so bad. I was trying to keep it hidden how much pain I was actually in. I'm weird about people seeing me in pain or crying or showing strong emotions for that matter I guess. haha!
Colton and I decided to start driving home in the direction of the hospital "just in case" I decided I wanted to go. I didn't want to be one of those pregnant ladies that goes to the hospital thinking "this is it" only to be spent home. Finally, after a super painful contraction that lasted close to 2.5 minutes, we decided to go.
So I waddled in the hospital around 7:45pm in pain while Colton parked the car. I told the lady "I think I'm in labor and it hurts a "little" (actually a lot!). Can you help me please?" haha! I got set up in triage and began to be monitored to see if this was the "real deal". I was now dilated to a 6 and having contractions every 2-4 minutes. I still was so scared they were going to send me home that I wouldn't let my mom leave her house until I had "offical" word I was being admitted. I got transferred to a labor room, hooked up with fluids and all that cool stuff, and then just sat around waiting. My mom got there when I was still in triage and Colton's mom came right after we got set up in our room.
Around 10:00pm, my doctor came in to break my water and get things moving faster. I was now dilated to a 7 waiting for the anesthesiologist to be free to give me an epidural. Awhile later I was able to get an epidural and at that point things were very painful. I would have to try so hard to listen to what people were saying because I was in my own little world. 30 minutes after getting my epidural I was numb on my right side but nothing on my left. I was having the kind of contractions that you have to curl your toes, hold your breath and grip on so tight you might break something in the process. They tried having me lay on my left side to have gravity pull it down but after 15 minutes it wasn't any better so the anesthesiologist came back in to reposition the epidural and see if that would help. Since I was dilated passed a 7 now they kicked up my meds a LOT. They even gave me this dose of extra meds that works faster than the regular meds.
By 11:30pm, I was completely pain free and able to relax. However, because of all the extra meds, I was also not able to move anything from my hips down. Not even wiggle my toes. I kept thinking "how am I supposed to push if I can't feel or move anything?"
By 12:10am, people were coming to get things set up and the nurses had a feeling I was crowning so they checked and sure enough, I was. They called my doctor in, literally lifted my dead legs up into the stirrups and we were on our way to having a baby. It took 4 pushes, which I couldn't even really tell I was doing, and she came flying out.
Our little girl was born at 12:28am on Wednesday, September 16th weighing 7lbs 3oz 21 inches long. It all felt so surreal to me because of how different my deliveries were. With Paige, I was in labor for over 20 hours, pushed for 2.5 hours and had a full episiotomy... With this little girl, I was in labor for about 10 hours (if you count when my first contraction started), pushed 4 times and only had a partial episiotomy. What a difference your delivery can make on your whole birthing experience and recovery!
Noni Walker
Grandma Olsen
This is by far my favorite picture I took at the hospital :)
We were moved to our more permanent room around 3:30am... I had to be wheeled around since I still had no function in my legs. (Don't worry, I was able to have full function back by 7:00am.)We got settled in, checked one last time then all of us fell asleep for 3 hours. Well I say "us" I mean me, I slept for 3 hours. The baby slept until 8:00a waking up 1 time to eat and Colton slept until about 9:45am. It always amazes me how well he sleeps in the hospital! He misses my doctor, her doctor and the nurses coming in to do morning checks.
Naming her:
We had not decided on a name before she was born. We had a list of 4 favorites going to the hospital and decided to wait and see her. Right after she was born, the name "Jade", which was lowest on our list, was the only name I had on my mind (I thought for sure she would be named Emily since that's always been my favorite). I didn't tell Colton because I wanted him to be sure what name he thought and then we could decide together. He went to get me food from the cafeteria around 2:00am and after he got back and our mom's left, we talked about what her name would be. I asked him what name he thought and immediately he said "Jade. The whole time going to the cafeteria that's the name I had in mind" and I told him how that's the name I thought from the moment I held her and from then on, "Jade" just fit her perfectly. We decided to sleep on it and since everyone we knew was sleeping as well, we waited until the morning to tell everyone her name would be Jade Dawn Walker. Dawn is my middle name and it was special to pass that along to my daughter. We never hesitated or questioned if we picked the right name for her. She is just a "Jade" :)
My babies always come out with lots of dark hair
Paige came and visited us at the hospital. She kissed Jade a couple times but other than that, she was more interested in the baby doll we bought her to open there and the balloon Colton picked up for her. That night, Colton went home to be with Paige while I stayed in the hospital. Jade and I slept 2 hours, she ate then we slept for 5 hours cuddled together on my bed. I went home early Thursday morning since I didn't have any complications and I was feeling so great.
Checking out a picture of her sister for the first time
First meeting :)
We decided to buy Paige her own "baby" to give her when she came to the hospital.. It's crazy that she instinctively knew to feed the baby the bottle because she's never had a doll like that before.
First time kissing Jade!
Paige's big smile was from Jade pooping while she was holding her. She thought that was the funniest thing in the world!
Going home :)
Paige is learning about noses... can you tell? haha!
The Girl Who Will Be Snuggling Her Baby Constantly,
Erica Walker
