Brynlee -- the labor and delivery story

Here is the detailed description of how our 3rd beautiful daughter decided to make her entrance into our world. I am trying to be as detailed as possible as this seems to be the only way that ive been documenting our children's lives (I really need to get those baby books started)

I've had trouble sleeping most of the pregnancy, and even before getting pregnant, I will wake up in the middle of the night and be awake for HOURS at a time. So on the morning of December 13th when I woke up about 1am I didn't think anything of it. I felt completely normal. I laid in bed trying to fall back asleep, but at 215 I was still awake. So I decided to get the iPad out and check a few things. I laid in bed messing around on the Internet and playing a few games when a few minutes before 3 I felt a strange pain. It was different than my Braxton Hicks I've been experiencing since about 18 weeks pregnant. I glanced at the clock and kept playing the iPad. Then the same pain came again and I looked at the clock it had been 7 minutes. The same pain came 7 minutes apart for the next 5 contractions. I decided to email Marcus and told him that I felt something weird they were 7 minutes apart, not painful, and had been going on about 30 minutes, but it was probably nothing. He emailed me back saying he was about to leave work anyways. I decided to get up at this point and monitor these contractions (which at the time I wasn't even sure if they really were contractions). I went in to the kitchen and ran the dishwasher, I cleaned up our room for a little bit, I cleaned the toilet upstairs that I've been avoiding, all while watching the clock noticing these pains were coming at regular intervals. So I decided to straighten my hair. I figured if this was the real deal I could look presentable for my pictures. Ha! At some point I called Marcus to tell him this WAS the real thing and ask how far away he was and what our plan was for the girls. He was walking out of work and he decided it would be best for my mom to come out to the house instead of me loading them up and bringing them in. I had forgotten Marcus still hadn't completely packed his bag for the hospital, so he needed to come home. I suggested that he pick my mom up on the way home, so I called mom to let her know what was going on. Our conversation went like this (at 4 am)
mom: hello
me: you awake?
Mom: I am now
me: you wanna be awake?
mom: what's going on?
Me: I think today is the day my contractions are 7 min apart and getting closer
mom: what's the plan?
Me: Marcus will pick you up on his way home and we are taking the jetta so you can have my car with the car seats.
Mom: ok I'll get ready.

Mom and Marcus showed up about 515, my contractions were getting progressively more painful but still completely bearable. Oh and in the meantime kaylee had woken up and realized something was going on. I was able to convince her everything was ok and to go back to bed. So when Marcus and mom got here Marcus finishes packing his bag and changing out of his work clothes. I brief mom on what's going on and what to do with the girls. I keep walking through the contractions bracing myself for the strong ones and maybe even uttering a few profane words during them as well. I keep checking on Marcus to find out what the hold up is, and he says to me "I think I'm going to wear a polo". I said "thats fine let's get going". He said "so you think today is the day?" I chuckled and assured him this baby was coming, little did I know just HOW soon. Next thing I know Marcus is changing his shirt again! I said "can we please leave now?!" he finishes loading up the car we say our good byes and get in the car. First I tried getting in with the seat upright, and realized I would not be comfortable so I had to get out and have Marcus recline the seat, then I had a contraction and couldn't get back in the car, so we waited for it to pass and he helped me in. Off we were at about 610, getting just down the street when I realized I took my glasses off and couldn't see anything. I debated, in the middle of a contraction, whether or not to go back to get them. I opted to head to the hospital and ask mom to grab them. My contractions were getting stronger and closer together about 2 1/2 - 3 minutes apart. I was struggling to find a comfortable position while Marcus struggled watching me in pain and not being able to do anything for me. I was using any measure possible to get through each contraction my methods included banging the window which I got in trouble for (Marcus preferred I bang the door instead.......sorry babe), the profanity was coming out with each contraction as well, I was squirming in my seat, unbuckling my seat belt (that made Marcus uneasy too), clinching the seat and headrest next to me, and just breathing through them. Marcus would try to help ease my pain by gently touching/rubbing my leg, which only made things worse. Then there was the time that he turned and said to me "you think you want that epidural now?"' side note: I intended to go as naturally as possible with this one. I didn't want to be induced, I didn't want the epidural, and I wanted very specific things for my baby after the birth (all clearly noted in my birth plan). When we got about 1 mile away from the hospital the contractions were super strong and coming fast Marcus turned and said to me this will be your last one before we get there. Just then he got stopped by a red light. Then I experienced another one and I said "you lied!" I was able to keep the slightest sense of humor during all of this. So we get ready to pull up at the front door and Marcus asks what bags he should grab, I told him the camera bag, but I wanted him to walk me in before he parked the car. So he helps me out of the car and I decided I wanted to walk in because I was so miserable sitting in the car I didn't want to be in that position anymore. I proceeded to walk in by myself, and while he tried to get me checked in I fought through my contractions right there in the lobby with an interested onlooker. I'm sure more profanity came out at this point as I screamed at him to hurry up. Then. it happened, I felt the need to push. I announced this to everyone and the lady behind the desk decided to hurry faster. I have to admit I couldn't fight the urge to push so while leaning over the couch in the lobby I gave my first push. The next thing I know my wheel chair appeared and the nurse RAN me down the hall and into the very first room. As I got myself out of the chair I was yanking my clothes off. I plopped on the bed in the middle of a contraction and the nurse told me she had to check me for dilation. I asked her to wait for my contraction, which she did. Then she jammed her hand in to confirm that I was indeed 10 cm and ready to push. They tried finding the baby's heartbeat on the monitor but she was pushing on my belly so hard it was uncomfortable and I kept yelling at her and pushing her hand away. Marcus said I would yell at them and then immediately apologize. I don't remember yelling at them but I remember apologizing. So the nurses were telling me NOT to push while they held my legs together. I kept trying to roll onto my back, at this point I was still on my side barely even in the bed. I managed to roll over and I pushed with my next contraction and my water burst! When I say burst it went EVERYWHERE it was like a massive water balloon popping. This shocked me as well as Marcus, and then I had to push again, so I listened to my body and pushed as the doctor approached my bed, which by the way they never even dropped the end out of the bed. So when I pushed the 2nd time the babys head came out and seconds later I pushed again and delivered her body, then someone I'm not even sure who announced that we were the parents of another beautiful baby girl. They almost cut the cord without even asking Marcus if he would like to do the honors. Then they whisked her away to check her out and get her under the heat lamp. This was the only part of my birth plan that did not go as I wanted. But in hindsight it was probably for the best that it happened this way. They needed to check her out and I needed to be stabilized. I was shaking uncontrollably and still had my shirt on. I tried desperately to stop the shaking and I ripped my shirt off and begged for them to give her to me. Ad they did, and I kissed and snuggled and nursed her for the first time. I was instantly in love! When they weighed her and announced that she was 8lbs 11oz and I about fell out of the bed, I couldn't believe she was so big!
They gave me time to bond while we completed the paperwork and in no time I was getting cleaned up and loaded into a wheelchair. Oh yeah in the meantime my good friend bethany made it to the room and began taking pictures. I had decided after getting pregnant that I wanted her in the room to document the delivery, but because of the situation she wasnt able to make it for the actual delivery. Just as we were about to leave for my postpartum room my parents got there with the girls. They came in met their baby sister and then made the announcement to everyone who was there. We all made our way up to my room and settled in. Brynlee was having trouble getting her body temp up so skin to skin was ordered. I enjoyed spending that quality time with her, but felt bad that I couldn't let anyone hold her. Everyone waited patiently for their turn while we explained what the heck just happened.

So that's the story, it was short, only about 4 hours from the first contraction until she was born. From the time we pulled up to the hospital and the moment she was born only 12 minutes passed. And the 32 minutes we were in the car were the worst. If I could've been up walking around or anywhere but confined to the front seat of a jetta it would've been much easier. And I have to say despite everything this was by far the best and easiest labor and delivery. I wouldn't have changed anything well except to have a camera handy. The recovery has been surprisingly easy as well. I am loving being a new mommy again and brynlee is absolutely perfect!

More on the aftermath of the delivery to come in another post