The Birth Story

Aubrey is here! It is so funny because 2 hours after I wrote the last blog I starting feeling the signs that labor was near. Aubrey Elizabeth was born at 8:29am on Saturday August 18, 2012: her estimated due date. Only something like 10% of babies are actually born on their due date. Turns out Miss Aubrey is punctual after all!

Here is my Birth Story:

Friday at around 3:30pm I started feeling lower back pain and constant menstrual cramps. Both were bare able but I thought it was weird because I haven't had these pains through out my entire pregnancy. I also new in the back of my mind that these were some signs that labor was near. Since this was my first pregnancy I really had no idea what contractions or labor would feel like. My entire third trimester I would constantly google "what does a contraction feel like" because I really had no idea and was afraid I wouldn't know. Every thing I read said, "trust me, you will know!" (Turns out they were right!)

So the next couple hours I had constant menstural like cramps and lower back pain. I did things normally like eat dinner and the laundry. In the back of my mind I thought that this might be it. At around 10:00 the contractions started. The menstural cramp feeling that I was feeling intensified immensely and then would just disappear (the back pain was constant). When I realized the pain came and went I immediately started to time them to see if they were true contractions. They were lasting 50 seconds long and were 7 minutes apart. This went on for awhile, untill around 11:30 the contractions were now 5 minutes apart. Now I knew I was in early labor. Kesar helped me time them because at this point they really started to hurt and I could no longer speak through them. By 12:30am we called the doctor and were told to go to the hospital to get checked out.

We got there at 1:00am and I was only 1 cm dilated!! Fustrated that I was in this much pain and still so early, we walked the halls of the hospital for an hour. They defiantly intensified so I knew I had made progress. After an hour I was now 3 cm dilated and was admitted.

By this point my back hurt so bad and the contractions were intense. I was nauseous and afraid that since this was my first birth I would be in labor and feel this pain for hours and hours. (It's not uncommon for many women to labor for over 24 hours with their first baby). I decided to get an epidural. The epidural was no problem, didn't hurt at all.

Since being admitted and laying down my contractions slowed so my doctor broke my water and started me on Pitocin. This is when we realized the epidural was not doing its job. The right side of my body was almost 100% numb but I could still feel the left side. I was still feeling the contractions with intensity and started getting nauseous again. They started being worried about why the epidural wasn't working and realized it was probably the location.  They asked me if I wanted them to redo it and I said no. Even though I was in pain and the actual epidural didn't hurt, I didn't want to be stuck again in my spine. So I said no and went on to deal with the pains.

5:30am rolled around and I was 5 cm dilated. Aubrey's heartrate started to drop after contractions so the nurses were really monitoring me.  The had me switch positions a lot to see if that would help but finally put me on oxygen. The oxygen definatly helped and Aubrey's heart rate began to remain more stable. At almost 8:00am I began to feel incredibly hot and started to sweat A LOT. I didn't know it at the time but I was going through the "transition phase"... FAST. I told the nurse how I was feeling and she checked my cervix and saw I was 10cm dilated. It was time to push.

The pushing stage happened really fast. So fast in fact that I was instructed not to push for awhile in order to wait for the doctor to arrive. Even not pushing Aubrey was making her way out on her own. It only took 10-15 minutes of pushing and Aubrey was out. This is the part of the labor I was most terrified about, but really it was not that bad. However, a lot of first time labors can take forever and women can spend hours pushing. I was extremely lucky that Aubrey was anxious to get out.

Aubrey was born a healthy 8 lb 6 oz girl and 20 1/4 inches long. She swallowed a lot of fluid coming out of the birth canal so she was pretty swollen the first day and had a lot of fluid in her stomach.

I am so blessed and so happy she is finally here!

Here are some pictures of her during her first three days:

40 Weeks

We are now 40 weeks pregnant and I wish I had news! Well, I have a little.

She is head down and fully engaged but other than that my 9 month pregnant body is showing no signs that she wants to come any time soon. She defiantly takes after her Daddy on liking to be fashionably late. :) We scheduled an induction date of August 27th. I wanted it a little bit sooner but the doctor is refusing. He wants to wait until I'm 41 weeks because if you do it too soon when your body isn't ready it makes labor a lot longer, painful and increases the risk of a C-Section.

Since I am going past my due date, they wanted me to get an ultrasound today to make sure the baby is healthy and can withstand a longer stay in her cozy "home". If my fluid were low, or if she was too little or too big, they would induce me sooner. However, I am HAPPY to say she appears to be a completely healthy and CHUBBY baby girl (she's still a girl- I made sure they confirmed it again!) The ultrasound technician even made a comment on how big her belly is, and I made a comment to Kesar, "It must be all of those cookies I eat!" (I have really had a sweet tooth this third trimester) But really, her belly looked HUGE! It was even bigger than her head! She is weighing in at 8 lb 9 oz. With another week at most to go, she will gain another pound before she makes her entrance into this world: almost reaching the 10 lb mark. Sooo, let's just say I am ready to get her out ASAP.

Some more great news: My Mom flies in tomorrow for 2 weeks. This relieves a load of stress for when I go in labor. My crazy self has been more worried about who is going to take care of the dogs and less about the actual labor! So, this calms me :) The following week my Dad and Brother will be here so everything will be pretty much perfect as Aubrey makes her debut into this world!

My next post will be the Birth Story. Till next time! <3

39 Weeks

We are at the one week mark! There is only one week (ok, 8 days) until my due date. Of course I could still go late so this is just an estimate. But my fingers are crossed that she will come soon!

 I found this neat little survey on one of the pregnancy sites I frequently visit and thought it would be fun to fill out. It's the perfect time to look back and reflect on the past 9 months!

 How much have you gained this pregnancy?
 I've gained 38 lbs. It all came during the second trimester, so for awhile I felt like such a cow, but in the end I stayed pretty much near the recommend gain the doctors gave me of 35 lbs.

 Due date?
My first due date was August 18th, but by the last ultrasound it got switched to August 17th. The Docs said one day is not really a difference so to use which ever date I wanted!

 Gender?
A Girl!

 Name?
Aubrey

 Nursery Colors/theme?
No theme, purple/yellow/green color scheme

 Stretch marks?
 No

 Do you have braxton hicks?
 Yeah

 Did you get any medical issues?
 No, I have been incredibly lucky.

 Have you been checked for dilation/effaced?
I got checked today at 38 weeks 6 days, and I have not dilated but she is head down and ready to go. This is very disappointing but I realize that dilation can happen suddenly and quickly so I shouldn't be discouraged!

 How much does baby weigh?
I haven't had an ultrasound since 20 wks, so I really have no idea!

 Have you started nesting?
 It's hard to say because I have always been a cleaner. I am not the type of person that can sit still for very long.

 Latest craving?
 I'm ALWAYS craving chocolate!

 Bags packed? 
Yup! Since 37 weeks. Only the last minute stuff has to go in yet.

 If yes, are they in the car?
 No, I can grab and go!

 Car seat ready to go? 
 No, that's a grab and go thing too. Except I might install the base in hubby's car tomorrow. But that's easy.

 C-section or vaginally?
 I'm hoping I can give birth vaginally!

 Do you think it will come early or late?
 I have a feeling she will come around her due date.

 Biggest fear? 
Labor! Specifically the pushing part.

 What are you most excited for?
 Meeting her for the first time!

 Looking back, do you regret anything you did during this pregnancy?
No. The only thing that I did that might be regretful to SOME people is drinking caffeine. But I was told as long as its under 200mg/day its fine. I only drank about a cup or two of tea a day (2nd/3rd trimester) and I needed it!!

 Are you going to miss being pregnant?
I don't think so, but it hasn't been an awful experience by any means! 

Favorite memory of your pregnancy? 
 Feeling her move in my belly.

 Any sure signs labor is near yet (loss of plug etc)?
 Just increased Braxton Hicks!

A little non pregnancy news: My parents have had an offer on a house down here in Florida for FOREVER and it finally got approved! This is probably the best news we have heard since 9 months ago when we found out we were pregnant! That means that soon my parents will be joining us and Aubrey in Florida :)