Nora's Birth Story

I can not believe I haven't shared this yet. Scratch that, I can believe it because I was not about to spend my 6 short weeks of maternity leave blogging. I soaked up every possible second with my sweet baby even if she was asleep 1/2 the time! So this post is coming to you a little at a time from my pump breaks at work. Better late than never! Just a forewarning there are some tmi moments in this, I really want to remember every detail. It is also very long so if you just want to read about the actual "birth day" scroll wayyy down. Also, the pictures don't flow from the story but we (unfortunately) didn't take that many during the day.

At Cody and Lauren's wedding 

When we found out I had to be induced (due to high blood pressure) I had very mixed emotions. On one hand the planner in me loved having a set date, on the other hand I was nervous because almost everyone I know who has been induced ended up having to have a c-section after laboring several hours and sometimes days. I really didnt want that but I knew at the end of the day it was in God's hands and all I wanted was a healthy baby! 

Pre epidural selfie 

We went to the doctor on a Friday which is when they told us we would have to be induced the following week because my bp was still up. Nora was still perfectly fine but they didn't want to risk anything. It didn't hit me until my doctor said "let's go schedule a birthday!"and all I could think was Oh my gosh it's really happening! The schedule was full on Monday so we chose Tuesday (which I liked better anyway because it was an even number, weird I know). Then it was set, we were to be at the hospital at 4am Tuesday June 10th (5 days before her due date)!

"Let's have a baby selfie"

 You would think with this news we would've went home and spent our last weekend as a family of two doing absolutely nothing but we didn't have time for that! Our two best friends were getting married the next day and we were over the moon we would get to be there! We left the doctor and headed straight to Lauren (Peach State Of Mind) and Cody's rehearsal dinner anxious to tell them the good news. Ever since we found out I was pregnant and realized what the due date was we stressed about not getting to be there on their special day. I already had to relinquish my role as a bridesmaid which I was so bummed about and I just couldn't imagine at least not being there. So it was a very big deal! The next day I got to witness the most beautiful wedding I have ever seen and managed not to go into labor mid vows. Huge success! The next two days were filled with last minute preparations and (mostly happy) tears as it sank in that we were about to meet our little girl! I say mostly happy because I did have one more major meltdown about not having my mom here with me. As hard as it is without her Nora reminds me so much of her and I know that God sent me a little piece of my mom when he sent me her! 

Fast forward to Tuesday morning, 3:30 am. The car is packed and we are headed to the hospital! I had every intention of making a sweet video of the whole day but that didn't happen. We pretty much sat in silence, holding hands, lost in our thoughts. This was it, our final car ride as a family of two. The next time we would be in the car there would be a baby in that car seat! 

So we checked in, got to our room, took a few pictures and got ready. My best friend Jordan was on shift so she came and sat with us For a while and I completely freaked her out showing her what she had coming in about 6 months! They didn't waste any time. I got started on my pitocin and was told that the doctor would be in at 6 to see where we were. So we both took naps waiting on the doctor. Right around 6 am my doctor came in and said he was going to break my water. Honestly that was the worst part of the whole day. After several minutes of gushing (sorry tmi but it is a birth story..) the nurse asked me if I needed to use the bathroom. So we get up and it just keeps on gushing. When I looked down at the towels that were soaking the water up I noticed something yellow and called the nurse in. She said it was a little bit of meconium (baby stool) and it was a good thing I noticed it because that meant they would have to bring a special team in to immediately check Nora in case she had swallowed it. Insert freak out moment! But I kept my cool and went back to my bed.

After they broke my water my contractions progressed very quickly. They ended up having to turn down my Pitocin because I was contracting so quickly but not dilating. Honestly, the contractions were not bad at all but I do have a really high pain tolerance. The only issue we had throughout the day was that Nora's heart rate would drop (more than normal) when I would contract. So they would make me turn over on my side, well when I turned on the side my blood pressure shot up. So I spent the whole day flipping back and forth between contractions and trying to keep my terrified husband from looking at the heart monitors! Let me stop right here and say I was SO blessed. I am so thankful to have had such an easy pregnancy and delivery so please don't think I am complaining about a little tossing and turning.

Paul & I made the decision early on that there would not be anyone aloud into my room during the labor/delivery process. Our hospital allows 5 visitors at a time into your L&D room (not during the actual delivery but during the labor process) and we decided that was just not for us. We wanted to keep the day intimate and relaxing. Not just a revolving door of visitors. It was a good thing we chose this because with all of the people that were there we never would have been able to have a baby haha. We are both so blessed with huge, loving families who all wanted to just be in the vicinity for support. And it's not that we don't love and appreciate them all, we just wanted the room to be calm and relaxing which it was. Anytime there was a change Paul went out to update our 30+ visitors (yes,really) and would then send a text to another 20+ that couldn't be there. My sister said they took up the ENTIRE waiting room and someone visiting made the remark to the security guard that they must have been very busy to which he replied "no, this is for one baby!". No shortage of love for our sweet girl! 

Around 1 p.m. My contractions were about a minute apart and they made the decision to start the epidural. The epidural never would take on my right side so I was still feeling half of everything but it still wasn't too bad. I remember being EXTREMELY thirsty the entire day, I think I drank four or five large gatorades. My nurse was absolutely incredible! I heard from several people beforehand that it really doesn't matter who your doctor is but you better hope you have a good l&d nurse. Amen to that! She was absolutely incredible and I actually only saw my doctor 3 times the whole day. At 5 pm Lacey (our nurse) came into check me, I was 9.5 cm contractions were less than a minute a part and she says "if it's ok with you I'm going to get you to 10cm because I'm not leaving here without meeting MIss Nora (her shift ended at 7)". I told her to do her thing, I was ready to go. She called the doctor in and he said we would start pushing around 6pm. So they have me one more dose of pain meds to numb my right side (which finally worked) and started getting everything in the room prepared. When Paul came back from updating the family we said a prayer together and got ready to meet our daughter! For the first time I felt a little nervous. 

At this point it was just me, Paul, Lacey and two other nurses. At 6:10 I started pushing. Pushing was strange, it didn't hurt but it was exhausting! It was also hard to figure out exactly how I should push but after a couple different positions I got it figured out. Luckily I don't have a queasy stomach so I was allowed to have small sips of Gatorade (which my husband so sweetly gave me on demand lol). That was a lifesaver because I was so thirsty!! Lacey had asked me several times if I wanted to use a mirror (tmi warning) and I kept telling her no I really wasn't into that. She asked me one more time when I was pushing and said it will really help you focus, so I gave in. (Major tmi warning) She was completely right! Once I could see that head full of hair, I was on a mission to get miss priss here! Before I knew it my doctor was in the room suiting up and the neonatal crew was ready and waiting. One or two more big pushes and at 7:32 pm there she was! I'm not one who is usually into this stuff but actually watching my daughter come into this world was pretty amazing! The tears were immediate and uncontrollable. She was here! 

I really really wanted the immediate skin to skin but they had to check her and make sure she hadn't swallowed the meconium. Finally hearing that cry was the best moment of my life! And then there she was, my perfect 7 lb 4 oz 21 inch long baby girl bundled in my arms! The most beautiful thing I had ever seen! Our hospital has a bonding hour for the parents and baby were no visitors are allowed. We spent that tiime cuddling and staring.

 It felt like in no time it was over and we were being taken upstairs to our room. Our visitors had dwindled down just a little bit and they were told once we got upstairs they could come in two at a time for a quick hello. I really didn't want to feel overwhelmed by a bunch of people in there at once all over me and my brand new baby so two at a time I could handle. But the nurse that took us upstairs wasn't used to transporting so instead of taking us on the patient elevator directly into the baby wing she took us on the elevator that opened up into the waiting room. So the elevator doors opened to 20 something of our excited family members who immediately began to swarm. I felt slightly panicked and automatically pulled Nora tight against my chest. Of course I was excited for them to meet her but that was completely overwhelming. It was that moment that I feel my little sister truly became "Aunt Little". I didnt have to say anything or even look directly at her but she saw the panic on my face, stepped up and said "everyone back off and let them get to their room". Thinking about it now I have to laugh at the visual of my tiny 19 year old sister calling down a bunch of adults! Once we got settled Paul went and got the first two and this continued until everyone had came through and fell in love with our wide eyed angel! After that the next two days were filled with visitors and LOTS of cuddles! The only issue we had the whole time was getting her to latch correctly. Other than the excessive bleeding I felt great! On Thursday we headed home with a clean bill of health for momma and baby! 

I have to take a minute to brag on a few people. First off, my husband. He was so incredible and attentive. Watching him become a father has been truly amazing, I have never loves him more than I do now! Second, our nurse Lacey. She went above and beyond her job title to make our experience perfect. For one she stayed an hour after her shift to be with me. Shift change was 7 pm (home stretch of when I was pushing) and the other two nurses left. I frantically looked at Lacey and said " you aren't leaving me are you?!" To which she replied, "I'm not going anywhere". She could have left she had her own daughter to get to but selflessly stayed with me. There was a severe thunderstorm going on the whole time I was pushing and when 7 o'clock rolled around those other two nurses literally dropped my legs and headed for the door while the next shift came in but not Lacey..She also did something that was so small but I would never forget. Earlier in the day Paul had a coke and offered me a sip not knowing I couldn't have it. I made the comment of how good that sounded, I was talking to him she was just checking the monitors. After I had Nora, be for the doctor was even done stitching me up Lacey had went out and got me a coke to drink. In the middle of everything she remembered that and it just meant so much that she cared so much.