Disclaimer: This will be a long post and I probably will be too lazy to fix typos. Also, it's a birth story so there will be talk of mucous.
Amelia Fae's birth story as told by her Mother.
I had an appointment the morning of Friday, April 20 with my midwife. At this point I was overdue and miserable. My friend Lauren came with me for moral support and I remember telling her while waiting to be seen that this appointment was useless and they were just going to tell me I have not made any more progress. I was right. I had been dilated to a three for a week now and hadn't progressed. The sweet midwife, Mary Lou, swept my membranes again, this made it the third time since my due date. I left and went about my day. Kory's friends planned a little going away party for him that night so I made plans with my friend Jana while the husbands were away. I was at Jana's and we decided we wanted slurpees and a redbox. I drove to 7-11 at about 8pm. I was filling up my slurpee when I felt a little wetness in my pants. I assumed it was a little mucous from the membrane sweeping so I continued. As I was grabbing the chocolate donuts I felt an ever bigger gush in my pants. I hurried and paid for the snacks and drove back to Jana's. As I pulled in her driveway I felt another gush. I called Jana and asked her to bring a towel outside. She was so excited, but I didn't really think anything of this. I refused to get my hopes up that I could actually be in labor. I sat on her couch (on a towel) and called Kory. I told him I think my water broke but not to leave yet. I still didn't believe it was my water.
I called my midwives office and the secretary said the on call mid wife would call me back. Jana suggested I take a bath to clean up so I hopped into her tub with my slurpee in hand. I felt no pain. The midwife called me back and suggested since I wasn't having contractions that I go home to sleep a few hours until my contractions came. I called Kory back and he was in the middle of a Halo game (he won). I told him to finish and then bring me a change of clothes. I got off the phone and Jana and I were just talking when the first contraction came. It didn't hurt super bad but about two minutes later I had another one. After about ten minutes they went from not too painful to holy hell painful. Jana was timing them and they were about a minute apart. She suggested I go to the hospital but when Kor arrived with clothes and I stupidly insisted we go home to get all my stuff together and so I could say bye to the dogs. When we got home I couldn't even walk I sat on the couch trying to direct (and by direct I mean yelling) Kor to gather all the things I wanted to take to the hospital. We arrived at the hospital at about 9:30pm. The drive was brutal. It was the turns that killed me. Poor Kory, I was that typical movie wife telling him to " slow down! stop turning so hard!". Jana and Lauren were driving behind us. I knew I wanted and needed them with me during my delivery. It is hard not having my sisters and Mom near, but I am so lucky to have some sisters here in Washington.
We pulled up to the ER and Kor got me a wheel chair. He was pushing me and asked a man where to take me and said to him, "Alright where do we get this squeezed out?" and again, poor Kory, I looked up at him and said, "Seriously, no jokes." He wheeled me to labor and delivery and they put me in a room and I really don't remember too much of what happened in that room. My contractions were still only a minute apart and I could barely breath in between them. Mary Lou, my amazing midwife, checked me and I was still only a three. I do remember saying over and over, "Every TV show I watch on birth I swear the women have five or more minutes between contractions", and, "I thought I'd have more time in between" My plan was to try to go as natural as I could but that went out the window. My hands were shaking and I couldn't even look at Kory. I told myself if I was going to make the whole delivery miserable for Kory it wasn't worth trying to go natural. So I got the epidural. Right after getting it my mid wife checked me again. This was about 45 minutes since she checked me last and she said I was at a 9, and the baby was right there. I was in shock. I was expecting that since I got the epidural I had really slowed things down. But my sweet baby wanted out, finally.
Mary Lou said I could start pushing when I felt ready. I thought I had gotten the hard part out of the way with the contractions. I was wrong. First I want to note that during this time we were trying to get my Mom and sisters on the webcam so they could be a part of it. The internet sucked big time. Also, no phone service. So lame. We were only able to get my mom on the webcam. I was so glad she could see the birth! Back to the pushing. I pushed for three hours. I don't think I have ever been so tired. After about an hour I was falling asleep in between contractions. I don't really remember too much, I was so, so, so tired. I do remember throwing up about five times. When I finally did manage to push her out, Kor, with a little help from Mary Lou, actually delivered her. He put her on my chest and I remember my first thought was how heavy she felt on my chest. At this point we were all sobbing. Even Lauren :) It was such a special moment. My sweet baby didn't really cry when she came out and I asked if she was okay many times. They said she was fine and just the right color. My next question was to make sure she was a girl. I got to hold her on my chest for a few minutes and I couldn't stop crying and kissing her little fingers. She is a healthy little girl and I cannot be more thankful.
I cannot express my appreciation enough to my mid wife. She didn't leave my side the entire time I was pushing. She was so tender and encouraging. I know a lot of girls whose Dr's wouldn't have let them push that long without receiving pitocin or being cut or even threatened with a C-section. Those options were never brought up, and I am so glad. It couldn't have been more perfect. Also, to my amazing friends Jana and Lauren. They were my cheerleaders and I am so happy they were there to photograph all those special moments.
It is crazy how much more I love my sweet, sweet Kory after this experience. I am so glad he is my husband. Everything he does, he does for his girls. We are such lucky girls. Not to mention our little lady is the spitting image of her daddy. I could not be more happy. He is about as cute as they get.
We honestly could not be more happy. We truly are so blessed.
Mommy and Daddy love you Amelia Fae.