I can't believe how long this has taking me! I've been putting off writing the labor and delivery/ introducing Harper post far too long. Let me backtrack several weeks. I had been in the early stages of labor for forever! I had been having contractions, but never in a consistent pattern. Every time I felt as if they were speeding up, we'd start timing. As soon as I'd think about calling the doctor, they'd slow right back down! It was so frustrating! Needless to say, very exhausting, too!
A day or so before delivery:
Ella still not quite sure what Mommy has inside her belly.
Last belly picture! Makes for a nice seat, huh?!
Wednesday the 18th wasn't much different as far as pain and contracting. I had been to the doctor on Monday and was still dilated to 3cm. My blood pressure was slightly elevated at that visit, but they chalked it up to pain. I was exhausted and felt pretty rotten Wednesday. I'd had an ongoing headache that just wouldn't leave me alone! That evening, I started having some visual disturbances so I drank tons of water and laid down. When that didn't help, I felt I had to call the on-call OB. Just as I expected (and dreaded), they had me go to labor and delivery to monitor my BP. We spent all night there. Fortunately, my BP was fine. My contractions were being monitored as well and were occurring every 5-6 minutes. However, they weren't productive...still stuck at 3cm.
I had an ultrasound the next morning. Harper was estimated to be 9 pounds exactly! I was dilated between 3 and 4cm. However, Dr. Leisy said that Harper was positioned transverse which was probably why I wasn't progressing. There just wasn't enough pressure on the cervix. She instructed me to go straight over to the hospital. She wanted to break my water and see if that would cause Harper to re-position. I was caught completely off guard! I called Stephen (who was home with Ella) and told him that we were having a baby THAT DAY! Of course, I had a mile-long list of last minute things to do, including packing my hospital bag:) Stephen had to be put in charge of that. Needless to say, my mom brought me lots of forgotten things later:) Poor Stephen! I know he was so flustered! Plus, he had to get Ella packed up and bring her with him to the hospital. I wish I could have seen him running around the house when we got off the phone!
Last picture as a family of three...well, technically, Harper IS in it;)
Mom, Stephen, and Ella all met me at the hospital. I got to give Ella hugs and kisses before things got crazy, then Mom took her back home. Dr. Leisy broke my water about 1pm. She instructed me to get the epidural (if I wanted it) whenever I felt I needed too. However, the best way to get baby to move is to move myself. So I waited....and waited...and waited! I walked and paced and bounced and flipped from side to side. FINALLY, she moved!!! At that point I had dilated to 8, and I begged for the epidural. I wasn't the least bit afraid of the contractions, but after having 4th degree tear with Ella, I wanted to at least be somewhat anesthetized for the remainder. Sorry if that's too much information...this is, after all, a post about delivery;)
Having a rough time!
Noting the time I was getting ready to start pushing
The epidural only partially worked, but I was grateful for it. I could feel everything, but to a lesser degree. I dilated to 10 in less than an hour, pushed about 3 times, and she was here! They had to call in a team from Children's Hospital due to the presence of meconium in the amniotic fluid. However, Harper came out screaming like a champ! Best. Sound. EVER!
The very first thing Harper did was to bite the doctor! haha She clamped down so hard on Dr. Leisy's hand while she was trying to suction that the doctor actually yelped:) Then, once she was completely out, Harper peed on her. oops! All I can say is, Harper is most definitely a feisty one!
Harper Olivia made her appearence at 5:09pm (Thursday, August 19th). She weighed in at 8lb, 15 ounces. Dr. Leisy made the comment that we could have rounded it up to 9 pounds if she hadn't emptied her bladder:)
I thank Jesus for my perfect, healthy girl. Looking back, there are always things that could have gone wrong. Logically, I probably should have considered a cessarian, but I'm so glad I didn't! I was told at some point that I might not be able to hold her at first due to the large amount of meconium and the need for rapid suctioning, but that just wasn't the case. I held her immediately and for a very long time:) Proud Daddy got to cut the cord as well.
Check out all that hair!
I worried Ella might be a little freaked out that I was in a hospital bed with wires and tubes, etc...Nope, she just wanted to get up in the bed and eat my food:)
On a side note...not sure when it happened, possibly while Harper was coming down the birth canal or maybe while pushing, but my catheter came out...on it's own. Still fully inflated. Those of you who know anything about that at all are cringing with me. The doctor ordered a consult with urology, but I ended up being just fine. Whew!
If I could sum up my delivery experience in one word it would be: protected. My strength was nothing, but I relied on His. I felt His peace throughout the whole experience. I had written several verses on index cards to have with me, and this is the one I repeated most: "You, O Lord, be not far off. O, my strength, come quickly to help me" (Ps.22:19).
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