Birth day!

H4:30 am: Get to hospital, get registered

5:00: IV is started, pitocin is started around 5:30. I'm actually already having my own contractions before the pitocin starts. 

6:30 am: the pitocin is making my contractions stronger. They definitely hurt, but are not too bad. I'm around 3 cm at this point. 

9:10 am: Doc comes in and breaks my water. I'm 4 cm dilated and 100% effaced. I'm told I can get my epidural at any time, and get put on the list. 

10:15 am: I was told once my water was broken the contractions would be MUCH more intense, and that was spot on. Luckily the anesthesiologist came fairly quickly, and the epidural didn't hurt at all (or maybe the contractions hurt so bad I didn't notice). Either way, the epidural is amazing. I'm already 6 cm at this point and can't believe how fast things are moving. 

11:00 am: My blood pressure bottoms out twice. All of a sudden, I feel like I'm going to faint. Luckily my nurse is awesome and gets me feeling much better. Another side effect of the epidural - uncontrollable shakes. 

12:30 pm: I'm already 10 cm, but my doc wants the baby to move down the birth canal more before I start pushing. I am laid in my side with one leg up in stirrups to encourage her to move on her own. Side effect: the epidural isn't really working on the left side, so each contraction I feel, but in only one side of my body. 

1:30 pm: Its time to push! Turning worked and baby is low in the birth canal. Labor is called labor for a reason- this is hard work! But 30 min later, on January 29th, 7lb 14 oz and 20 in long, baby girl is here at 1:59 pm. She is perfect!

40 weeks pregnant

Tomorrow we are headed to the hospital to be induced! I was hoping she would come on her own before her due date, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen!

39 weeks pregnant

 

 

Size of Baby: 7 pounds and 20 inches long. About the size of a mini watermelon

Total Weight Gain/Loss: around 35 pounds

Maternity Clothes: I can only fit in my maternity work pants now...and sweatpants of course. That's mainly what I wear since I've been fortunate enough to work from home this last week.

Gender: It's a baby girl!

Movement: Not a lot until I lay down to sleep. Then it feels like she's having a dance party.

Sleep: Very hard to get comfortable, but once I do I'm out.

What I miss: Just being able to do daily tasks without feeling exhausted.

Cravings: I'm craving everything in sight. My hunger is at an all time high.

Symptoms: Lots of Braxton Hicks. My back pain has gone away now that she's dropped though.

Best moment this week: I was 90% effaced and almost two centimeters dilated at my appt today. We scheduled the induction for her due date (January 29th) if she doesn't come by then!

Nursery!

We finally got the nursery done last week, and it looks great. Since we are renting, and know we won't be here in 6 months, we didn't want to paint (only to have to repaint), but I'm still really pleased with how it all turned out.

My mom bought the crib and I bought the dresser awhile ago, but my mom gave me all the bedding for our baby shower gift, so it finally made the crib feel complete. Daniel refinished an old family rocking chair, which turned out awesome. We got some cheap pillows at Old Time Pottery to finish the rocking chair.

The cute little green table came from World Market and was a last minute find, along with the owl lamp that is on top of it. And Daniel felt the nursery couldn't be complete without a TV, so we stuck one in her closet. Brilliant! Now we don't have to look at it if we don't want to. She has a huge closet in this house, so it worked out perfectly. The rest of her closet is FULL of clothes that my mom has bought (I have maybe bought her 3 outfits total).

37 weeks pregnant

 

 Size of Baby: 6 and 1/3 pounds and 19 inches long. About the size of a bunch of Swiss Chard

Total Weight Gain/Loss: around 32 pounds

Maternity Clothes: I'm ready to wear something different!

Gender: It's a baby girl!

Movement:She still moves alot during the day, but I can tell its getting cramped in there!

Sleep: I've actually been sleeping pretty well lately, once I get comfortable.

What I miss:Being able to do chores without being exhausted!

Cravings: Still sweets...trying to eat yogurt when I crave sweets though.

Symptoms: Still quite a bit of back pain, and just general tiredness

Best moment this week: Reaching 37 weeks, and knowing she won't be considered premature if she decides to come now! Also found out at the doc that I am officially one centimeter dilated - at least it's something!