Birth Story

After a friend...or acquaintence...okay even a stranger...has a baby, I love listening to her birth story. The more details the better. I think the entire experience is so amazing and oozes with God's love and work in us. So since I know y'all have been dying to hear it, here's mine (with no detail left out - okay so maybe I'll spare you some of those yucky details)...

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I had an appointment with my doctor on Thursday (7/30), and he stripped my membranes. (If you dont' know what this means, it's basically just another way that can help progress your labor). So I was hopeful that she'd come soon, but nothing's 100% in the baby making world, so I didn't get my hopes up too much...and James silently prayed that it wouldn't work, because that man is ALL about planning and organization and really, really wanted an induction. What can I say? I married a man who likes to have control over the situation:)

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That night after we put Hunter down we watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (which we will now never forget and probably buy just for the sentimentality of it all). After the movie ended (around 11:30 pm) I started having more severe crampiness, but Dr. Hunt warned me about this so I didn't really think it was labor. James on the other hand was convinced and began frantically running around the house preparing for us to be gone for several days. I know. There's no hope for our kids not to have a dramatic side. After much researching in books and the internet and talking on facebook to an L&D nurse friend of mine, I decided to take a shower because it looked like I was probably in labor. The contractions got worse and worse and by the time my in-laws got here to stay with Hunter I was in A LOT of pain.

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We got to the hospital around 2:30 am. There was no one around except the lone check in lady at the desk who moved as slow as humanly possible. My husband began to grow very angry at her lack of urgency and panic because HELLO! MY WIFE IS IN LABOR HERE and obviously in pain. (Y'all know me. That concept of hiding how you feel is nearly unknown to this girl.)

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After a ton of paperwork, the check in lady finally called our nurse to come for us. She took us back to the room and instantly made the correct assumption that I wanted an epidural...like 30 minutes ago. She checked me and I was at a five, then she had another nurse come in so they could move more quickly so the anesthesiologist could get that epidural in me. This was my first clue that the Lord had answered my prayers by providing an awesome nurse. She continued to prove her awesomeness throughout my labor, never disappointing me.

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You have to wait for some bag of liquid (saline?) to completely empty into your veins before they will allow your epidural. So it seemed like an eternity went by, and the contractions were getting stronger and stronger. I finally got to the point where I felt like I just couldn't take it anymore and said (or probably closer to a shout/grunt combination), "I want to die! Somebody just kill me now!" at which point my nurse got right in my face and sternly said, "Carole. You're doing great. Breathe!" I think it was then that I realized I might be acting just a tad bit over-dramatic. Pretty soon after that, but what seemed like FOR-EVER since I had started labor, I was finally able to get my epidural (at around 3:45 am). So all of my family (which at this point was my mom and 2 sisters and niece and of course my man) gladly left for the waiting room so that they could speak again with permission...

See how happy he is? I do not do pain well, so the prevoius hour had been filled with comments like, "I love you, but please don't touch me." or "I love you, but no more joking aloud."

So the epidural was put in. My doctor came in (looking very tired) to see me, and then realized he forgot his office keys at home. So he asked if I'd be okay if he left for about 6 minutes to run home, and he left.

Then my family came in and my sweet husband fed me more ice chips... and this time made me smile with his jokes...and about 5 minutes later our nurse checked me. Here's how that conversation went...

RN Melissa: Where's the cervix? I can't find it.

Carole thinking: Oh my goodness. I'm closing back up and they're going to send me home.

RN Melissa: You're fully dilated.

Carole in a state of panic: What!? Dr. Hunt's not here!

RN Melissa: Your water hasn't broken so when he gets back he'll break it, and you can start pushing.

And that's exactly what we did. 30 minutes later our sweet Charlotte was born at 4:50 am on (her due date!) 7/31/09...

(The next 2 pictures are a little sci fi, so if you're easily grossed out...you've been warned to close your eyes while scrolling:).)

and we were in awe of yet another miracle the Lord had given us...

Nana and Grandpa fought it out over who got to hold her first. Nana won...

Here we are with my wonderful doctor (who wasn't on call but came in anyway for our big day). We love him...

Grandpa finally got his turn:)...

And us and our amazing nurse, Melissa....

More posts of the next couple of days coming soon...