I went for my 39/40 week midwife appointment on Wednesday, March 17th. The week before I was 3cm and 50% effaced so I was hoping labor was not too far off. I got another cervical check and was now 4cm dilated! I couldn't believe I was 4cm and not in labor! At least things were moving along though.
We decided to spend the night at my parents house that night instead of driving the hour and a half home since they live only about 25 minutes from the birth center. I had my membranes stripped at my appointment and since it worked when we did it with Lochy I thought there was a possibility I would go into labor that night. If not we'd head home in the morning and continue to wait. My Mom and sister were supposed to be there with us at the birth center and my sister decided to spend the night at my parents' house too after she went out with friends for St. Patty's Day that night.
After my appointment I was contracting but it was no different than the contractions I had been getting for the past few months (just more Braxton Hicks nonsense that started when I was 17 weeks) and by dinner time I was feeling fine. This was a completely normal daily occurance for me so I was sure that night was not the night and we'd be heading home in the morning.
I was watching a show with Ian at 10pm and was ready to head to bed at 10:30 when it was over. I was laying on the couch and at 10:15pm my first contraction hit! I knew this was it and that this contraction was different. I told Ian that I was heading up to bed and that if he wanted any sleep that night to go to bed now because this was going to be it. I kept having to go to the bathroom after every contraction so neither of us got any sleep. At 11:10pm (55 minutes after my first contraction) as I was sitting on the potty my water broke everywhere! Every time any medical professional felt my belly they always commented on how much fluid was in there and boy were they right. The fluid just kept coming and coming and it was everywhere. I yelled for Ian to get me a pad and to call the midwife. The pad was completely pointless because as soon as I stood up it was completely soaked. I knew from my labors with the boys that when my water breaks in labor I have about 45 minutes til I'm holding a baby, so the clock was ticking! Our car was blocked in by my Dad's work van as well as my Mom's car so I got into her car and waited and waited. My Mom had lost her car keys (again!) and it took them a good 10 minutes to find them. The whole time I'm contracting and am completely soaked because the fluid just kept coming. I have no idea how far apart the contractions were at this point because I was so focused on them finding the darn keys and getting going!
Finally Ian found the keys and we were off. Things were getting more intense now and I was starting to panic that we weren't going to make it in time. Thankfully it was late so there was no traffic to contend with. The ride there though was pretty awful because I couldn't relax and couldn't focus on my hypnobirthing because I was so panicked we were going to be delivering her on the side of the road. We arrived at the birth center at about 11:45pm and as I walked into my room (the same one I delivered Lochy in!) I started pushing. My whole body was shaking and I couldn't catch my breath. Everything was just so intense, so much more so than it had ever been with either of the boys. After that contraction I got my wet clothes off and got on the bed so they could listen to her heartbeat with the doppler and check my cervix. The midwife said I was 8cm and completely effaced. They were going to administer a heplock just in case I needed an IV since I had hemorrhaged after I had Lochy but there was no time. They told Ian that if he wanted to catch her to go wash his hands now because she was coming. There just wasn't time so he stayed with me and held my hand. The next contraction came and I tried not to push because I was only 8cm but I had to, there was no holding back and by the end of that contraction her head was halfway out! With the next contraction, Lila Agnes was born at 11:52pm completely covered in vernix! She weighed 8lbs 14oz and was 21 inches long. It only took 1 hour and 37 minutes from first contraction to holding her in my arms--she really wanted that St. Patty's Day birthday!
I was so surprised at how fast she came. I was expecting about a 6 hour labor since that's roughly how long the boys' labors were. Boy was I wrong! And I'm so glad that we decided to stay at my parent's house that night because if we had come back home there is no way we would have made it to the birth center in time and Ian would have had to deliver her on the side of the road. We both agreed that next time would absolutely have to be a homebirth (like we wanted this time) just so we wouldn't have to worry about going anywhere! LOL
I am so thankful to have my little girl here and she is such a wonderful and amazing baby! She nurses excellently and has from the first moment, she sleeps great, and is just so easy going and serene. She is quite the Daddy's girl too and loves to snuggle up with Ian which is something our boys would never do. We are truly blessed and very lucky and love her so much!
New pictures to come as soon as I find the camera cord.
