Pregnancy treated me so well.... I was never sick, I never had heart burn, I slept when I wanted, and my skin (that usually struggles) GLOWED!!! I absolutely LOVED it...
We were getting close to October 3rd, and my cousin Lara came out while I was 39 weeks, HOPING she would come. We toured Boston, did some shopping, went to the aquarium, the zoo, and everything else you can imagine... TRYING to get the time to fly by.. and lots of walking hoping that would help. Finally around 39 1/2 weeks, we started to get serious about her coming... I ate pineapple, I would bounce on an exercise ball, and finally convinced myself to drink castro oil. OHH that stuff is disgusting!!
Right after I drank it, we all went to bed, and I woke up around 4:00 AM and called my doctor because I was having contractions. He said I needed to go in because it sounded like I was in labor. My contractions were consistent but no progress was happening. We walked around the hospital for an hour, and after still no progression, we decided to go home and wait to out... WHICH bothered me... I wish they would have just induced me then. Anyways- went home, and contractions stopped and basically had a false labor.
Then 40 weeks hit... Oh I thought FOR SURE she would come a few days before her due date, if not the day of. I had a doctors appt that day, and the news they shared was, if she doesn't come this next week, we will induce you at 41 weeks on Sunday the 9th! TEARS flew down my face. This baby girl that we have waited soooo long for, finally ready, and STILL had to wait another week which by now, was MISERABLE!!! That week I was busy doing ultrasounds, and placenta testing, making sure all organs were working properly and she wasn't in any distress.
Sunday, the 9th finally came... still no dialtion and my cervix hadn't done much thinning. They started the cervidal (cervix thinning medicine) the first night. Woke up, not much progress. Decided to give me a pill, every 3 hours on Monday hoping for some progression. I was bitter, miserable, and emotional that day. I think I asked 5 times if I could call quits and do a c-section. They all laughed but that just made me more annoyed. FINALLY, Monday night, I had some light, but steady contractions. It was late, we were all tired, and decided to take a sleeping pill to have me get all the rest I can, and hopefully start labor in the morning. BOY, were they wrong. They gave me the sleeping pill with a light dose of pitocin to keep my contractions steady... By midnight, I was having full on contractions and in the worst pain imaginable... labor!! I asked for the epidural and they didn't even check me (one thing I regret) but they could see I was ready! The anastegologist did the best job on my epidural. I think I told him I loved him a million times and it still wasn't enough. I fell asleep, and slept suprisngly really well!
At 5:30 AM, I woke up, and they checked me. I was at a 10, and her head was pretty much there. The doc told the nurses to have me hold off on pushing, because he had a scheduled c-section at 6:00. Reality started to set in.. I got a little nervous. Around 9:00, I started pushing.. Felt like I pushed for an eternity.. Never saw any progress. I can remember seeing her hair, but that was all. 10:30 rolled around... I was getting tired. My nurse suggested I use a birthing bar... No progress. Finally around 11:40 AM, my doctor came in and talked about using the vacuum to help get her out. THAT made me nervous. All I could think of was a cone shaped head for the rest of her life!!! Plus, any risks of using it which he assured me that we were safe there.
I remember pushing so hard, with the help of the vacuum and FINALLY after 3 cuts, yes THREE (an episitomy all the way to the end) the relief of her head finally out... then her shoulders, and then her!!! FINALLY, after the longest wait of my life, I was able to look eyes into my sweet and most precious little girl!!! I lost it... J lost it! We had never felt such joy in our lives. She laid on my stomach for a short time, and then the nurses took her to the table to get all the meconium off her and do what they do. J went over to cut the cord, and was mesmerized by her precious self. She latched on to his fingers immediately. There's not a day that goes by, I'm not grateful for the long wait it was, the experience we had, and THE GIRL the Lord chose to come to our family. She is the best!!! We love you Elsie!!!! All 8.4 lbs of ya!!
