A nurse came and got us and walked us over. As the doors to l & d opened I saw a group of nurses at the nurse station. Many of who I knew and liked a lot. Then I saw my Kacey! :) She was the nurse that I met when I had Molly Caroline. She was my amazing labor nurse then and is now a friend! She's been to my house, our daughters share clothes, and we text a good bit. She actually texted me a few weeks ago telling me she was working my induction date. I asked if she would want to be my nurse again and she said that she would be honored and would request it. I didn't want to get my hopes up but was praying it would happen. Well they led us straight into the exact same delivery room as when I had MC and then Kacey walked in and said she would be with me today!!! Since I had been induced before I expected my labor and delivery experience to be very similar and hopefully faster. A lot faster. :) hahaha! I was wrong!
I expected my Dr to break my water right away, Start pitocin aggressively, labor without an epidural again, and have Anna Claire at least a few hours earlier. MC was born at 3:54pm.
Well it was different from the start. Kacey couldn't (or any other nurse) start my IV. Bad veins. So no pitocin at first. I was only dilated to a 3. My Dr did an ultrasound to make sure AC wasn't breech b/c she couldn't feel her head at all. Turns out she wasn't even engaged in my pelvis yet. So my Dr made the decision to not break my water. But start pitocin. Usually the highest level of pitocin they will give you is maxed at a 20. My Dr have orders to max it to 40. Unheard of. Kacey didn't want to do that Bc she has never seen that done. And oh how I love my Dr. She told Kacey to get me an epidural soon bc she wanted me to have one this time and enjoy my labor. Of course, I protested and said even though I wanted one I wasnt going to get one. As long as this labor was shorter than last time.
I had to laugh when Kacey asked where my pink pillow was! She has a good memory! Matt ran to get my pillow and while I'm thinking about it I was wearing my newest push present during delivery...citrine and diamond earrings. They will be Anna Claire's one day, just like my "pushing pearls" are Molly Caroline's.
Ok. Back to my labor. Well the pitocin was high! My water was in tact and I just enjoyed talking to Matt and Kacey. We caught up on everything! We discussed our favorite little girl fashions, and I did some online Christmas shopping. The other nurses were convinced I had a really high pain tolerance bc I was handling the big contractions so well. Really I didn t feel much pain, I couldn't believe it! It was almost too good to be true. I think it was because she wasn't engaged in my pelvis so I didn't have a lot of pressure on my cervix and I still had that water cushion. Kacey agreed with my theory. I basically was making no progress. My Dr was in and out a good bit between surgeries and was kind of getting frustrated and surprised that my body wasn't responding like she thought. She wanted the contractions to help push AC into position. She also wanted me to sit on the birthing ball for a while which I thought was hilarious. It was actually really comfortable and I knocked out many thank you notes that way. Kacey was highly impressed!
All I know is that around lunchtime I still wasn't making any progress dilation wise, but My Dr walked in eating her lunch and put in a monitor which in turn broke my water. She could feel AC's head which was a good sign. After that I started feeling the contractions. We were kind of watching the Kardashians, which made us laugh, because we were a little bored. I'm just not one to watch tv or listen to music in the delivery room. I can't focus on that. All I can think about is having my baby. Matt left for lunch, and my parents were in and out visiting with me.
Kacey had to leave around 3 for a Dr appointment bc she was trying to pass a Kidney stone. We joked that we were both in labor together. At the beginning of the day she was scared that she would miss the birth. But now we both new that AC wasn't going to be born anytime soon.
The contractions hurt badly, but I still didn't think they were bad enough to get an epidural. But I knew that I should t wait until I couldn't bear the pain either. Kacey said she just thought I was afraid to get one. She was right on. She had all 3 of her boys natural, then had an epidural with her last child. Both she and my dr thought I should get it because this labor was dragging on and on. All I could think about was pitocin at a 40. Ha! I agreed to call the anesthesiologist. Matt and I discussed it and if he couldn't do it, we just knew we were supposed to have another natural birth.
Kacey had me empty my bladder per my Drs request and then got me sitting up and in position for the epidural. I'm thinking this was close to 2pm. They told me the name of the nurse anesthetist and I wasn't pleased and wanted to change my mind, then lo and behold Dr Bragg, the only anesthiologist I wanted walked in with a student behind him. I wanted to cry tears of joy! What a surprise! He is who took time from his lunch a few weeks back to meet with me, look up my birth history with MC, and felt my spine and determined he thought he could do it. I was so thankful! Kacey joked that she was glad we were friends bc she didn't mind getting my bodily fluids on her. I'm glad that after my last delivery, I feel like nothing can phase me. Labor and delivery is a miracle, but also gross.
Getting the epidural was the only time I broke a sweat during labor or delivery. Kacey held my hands and I held the pillow for dear life. Matt was asked to leave and I was shaking and sweating! Kacey was wiping my sweat! Gotta love your nurse! And encouraging me with her eyes. Especially when I heard the student say "is that spinal fluid?" And heard Dr Bragg say that we had a complication. My heart sunk. And Kacey said she could see me freak out by my eyes even though I didn't say a word. I didn't know what was going on, but he finished and I had the epidural. It took about an hour. Kacey left and Courtney came in. Another nurse that I really like. As soon as I laid down I felt like my back was all wet. They all said shoot, freaked out a bit, and sat me back up. They thought all the medicine was leaking out of my back. But it tuned out to be fine, the bandage just came untaped. So then the anesthiologist explained that he had given me a wet tap. It's rare and he hadn't made that mistake in years. He said he punctured the spine on his first try and that spinal fluid leaking could cause me to have really bad headaches. I didn't think much of it. But, he was very sweet and checked on my several times throughout the duration of my labor. He also explained what happened to Matt and my family. The epidural was amazing though. Although it only worked on one side. My left side felt pretty numb but my right was still feeling those contractions. It made it bearable though. Half the pain. I could still feel my legs and feet and move them on my own which I liked too.
After that my friend Carrie Beth came back and say with me some. My parents came back in. It was just a really fun time! I also finally dilated to a 5. And Kacey made it back! And said she would stay past 7, when her shift got over as long as I was not still at a 5. Haha it was already almost 5, well past the time that I had MC. The contractions did hurt enough that I had to hold my breath through them. And eventually they got bad enough that I told Kacey I was going to get sick and that I couldn't do this. Kacey handed me a bag to throw up in.
She said she was going to check me and when she did we were all mighty surprised bc she said I was at a 10 and it was time to push. She called my Dr. It was about 5:20. I went from a 5 to a 10 in about an hour!
My Dr lives a few minutes from the hospital and ran home to get her charger bc she figured it was going to be a long night and her phone was dead. Well when she got the call that I was about to push she raced back and sprinted up the stairs to my room! I would've loved to see that! She even broke a sweat! I was amazed that I still wasn't the least bit warm!
Turns out I didn't really know how to push with an epidural. My body just knew what to do last time. So my sweet, sweet Dr told me to take a deep breath, put my chin down and push. She would count to 10. Then I'd push twice more during that same contraction. Kacey joined in on counting for me, and Martha, another nurse we loved from last time came in to hold my other leg so Matt could take pics. It was crazy because my contractions had been huge. Not even a minute between them and lasting longer than a minute, and then they just kind of stopped. It was calm, peaceful, amazing, quiet. We just chatted and laughed. I told them at one point it was so clam that it was scaring me. My Dr would tell me when she felt a contraction building and I could feel it to by then and I would push, then rest. She was so encouraging and saying how great I was doing. The only sassy thing I said to Matt was that I loved him and was so glad he was there but still don't touch me. Haha everyone laughed!
She did start whispering and I heard her state my blood type. Apparently she was realizing that little AC was face up. Matt could hear popping and my Dr said it was my bones moving (then she looked at me and said, thank God for an epidural). She told Matt to come see the head, then said one more push and I think it kind of surprised us all, but AC kind of flew out! She was indeed face up. My Dr literally caught her. She was born at 5:57pm! Dr McCollum's first words were "what a chunk"! She asked if I wanted her on my chest and I of course said yes! Matt cut the cord and we were just overjoyed at our second little baby girl miracle! I felt like she cried more than MC but they said that was a good thing! She was sooo bright eyed! They weighed her right away and told us she was 8.1! I think it was at that exact moment that I proclaimed to everyone that I was ready to have another baby! Hahaha
After my Dr. stitched me up, I delivered the placenta, which tore the stitches. So she had to re-do them!! After my Dr helped clean up, she gave me kiss on my cheek and told me she was proud of me! I am sooooo thankful for my Dr. and my nurses. I feel like it was the biggest blessing to have all the exact same nurses and of course my Dr. deliver both of my babies. I will be forever grateful to them working things out to be with me again. And if there is a baby #3 in the Lords plan for us, I will need them all again.
After I nursed Anna Claire and had some skin on skin time, Molly Caroline came back with Matt and met her new best friend, her baby sister! She looked kind of surprised at first, but then smiled and said, "Oh! Look at her cheeks." She immediately gave her a kiss and then squeezed her cheeks. It was precious!
Then, all of our friends and family came back to meet Anna Claire. Carrie Beth gave Molly Caroline a birthday cake cupcake to eat. Which she did on the floor of the delivery room! They all watched Jessica clean her up and give her a bath.
Of course it was super late by the time we made it to our room back in mother/baby but we gave Molly Caroline her big sister present, which was a shirt, a book, and a take care of me Lambie that she had been wanting forever. Then Anna Claire got her gifts from her big sister. She got a blanket, since Molly Caroline loves "bankets" and a pack of her very own paci's. The brand big sis prefers. :) We celebrated with Publix subs and "fall" Birthday Cake cupcakes!
What a whirlwind! November 23, 2015 was the best day ever, just like June 4, 2013....so similar, yet so different! Thank you, Lord! He is so very faithful to us. We are filled with thankfulness.
I expected my Dr to break my water right away, Start pitocin aggressively, labor without an epidural again, and have Anna Claire at least a few hours earlier. MC was born at 3:54pm.
Well it was different from the start. Kacey couldn't (or any other nurse) start my IV. Bad veins. So no pitocin at first. I was only dilated to a 3. My Dr did an ultrasound to make sure AC wasn't breech b/c she couldn't feel her head at all. Turns out she wasn't even engaged in my pelvis yet. So my Dr made the decision to not break my water. But start pitocin. Usually the highest level of pitocin they will give you is maxed at a 20. My Dr have orders to max it to 40. Unheard of. Kacey didn't want to do that Bc she has never seen that done. And oh how I love my Dr. She told Kacey to get me an epidural soon bc she wanted me to have one this time and enjoy my labor. Of course, I protested and said even though I wanted one I wasnt going to get one. As long as this labor was shorter than last time.
I had to laugh when Kacey asked where my pink pillow was! She has a good memory! Matt ran to get my pillow and while I'm thinking about it I was wearing my newest push present during delivery...citrine and diamond earrings. They will be Anna Claire's one day, just like my "pushing pearls" are Molly Caroline's.
Ok. Back to my labor. Well the pitocin was high! My water was in tact and I just enjoyed talking to Matt and Kacey. We caught up on everything! We discussed our favorite little girl fashions, and I did some online Christmas shopping. The other nurses were convinced I had a really high pain tolerance bc I was handling the big contractions so well. Really I didn t feel much pain, I couldn't believe it! It was almost too good to be true. I think it was because she wasn't engaged in my pelvis so I didn't have a lot of pressure on my cervix and I still had that water cushion. Kacey agreed with my theory. I basically was making no progress. My Dr was in and out a good bit between surgeries and was kind of getting frustrated and surprised that my body wasn't responding like she thought. She wanted the contractions to help push AC into position. She also wanted me to sit on the birthing ball for a while which I thought was hilarious. It was actually really comfortable and I knocked out many thank you notes that way. Kacey was highly impressed!
All I know is that around lunchtime I still wasn't making any progress dilation wise, but My Dr walked in eating her lunch and put in a monitor which in turn broke my water. She could feel AC's head which was a good sign. After that I started feeling the contractions. We were kind of watching the Kardashians, which made us laugh, because we were a little bored. I'm just not one to watch tv or listen to music in the delivery room. I can't focus on that. All I can think about is having my baby. Matt left for lunch, and my parents were in and out visiting with me.
Kacey had to leave around 3 for a Dr appointment bc she was trying to pass a Kidney stone. We joked that we were both in labor together. At the beginning of the day she was scared that she would miss the birth. But now we both new that AC wasn't going to be born anytime soon.
The contractions hurt badly, but I still didn't think they were bad enough to get an epidural. But I knew that I should t wait until I couldn't bear the pain either. Kacey said she just thought I was afraid to get one. She was right on. She had all 3 of her boys natural, then had an epidural with her last child. Both she and my dr thought I should get it because this labor was dragging on and on. All I could think about was pitocin at a 40. Ha! I agreed to call the anesthesiologist. Matt and I discussed it and if he couldn't do it, we just knew we were supposed to have another natural birth.
Kacey had me empty my bladder per my Drs request and then got me sitting up and in position for the epidural. I'm thinking this was close to 2pm. They told me the name of the nurse anesthetist and I wasn't pleased and wanted to change my mind, then lo and behold Dr Bragg, the only anesthiologist I wanted walked in with a student behind him. I wanted to cry tears of joy! What a surprise! He is who took time from his lunch a few weeks back to meet with me, look up my birth history with MC, and felt my spine and determined he thought he could do it. I was so thankful! Kacey joked that she was glad we were friends bc she didn't mind getting my bodily fluids on her. I'm glad that after my last delivery, I feel like nothing can phase me. Labor and delivery is a miracle, but also gross.
Getting the epidural was the only time I broke a sweat during labor or delivery. Kacey held my hands and I held the pillow for dear life. Matt was asked to leave and I was shaking and sweating! Kacey was wiping my sweat! Gotta love your nurse! And encouraging me with her eyes. Especially when I heard the student say "is that spinal fluid?" And heard Dr Bragg say that we had a complication. My heart sunk. And Kacey said she could see me freak out by my eyes even though I didn't say a word. I didn't know what was going on, but he finished and I had the epidural. It took about an hour. Kacey left and Courtney came in. Another nurse that I really like. As soon as I laid down I felt like my back was all wet. They all said shoot, freaked out a bit, and sat me back up. They thought all the medicine was leaking out of my back. But it tuned out to be fine, the bandage just came untaped. So then the anesthiologist explained that he had given me a wet tap. It's rare and he hadn't made that mistake in years. He said he punctured the spine on his first try and that spinal fluid leaking could cause me to have really bad headaches. I didn't think much of it. But, he was very sweet and checked on my several times throughout the duration of my labor. He also explained what happened to Matt and my family. The epidural was amazing though. Although it only worked on one side. My left side felt pretty numb but my right was still feeling those contractions. It made it bearable though. Half the pain. I could still feel my legs and feet and move them on my own which I liked too.
After that my friend Carrie Beth came back and say with me some. My parents came back in. It was just a really fun time! I also finally dilated to a 5. And Kacey made it back! And said she would stay past 7, when her shift got over as long as I was not still at a 5. Haha it was already almost 5, well past the time that I had MC. The contractions did hurt enough that I had to hold my breath through them. And eventually they got bad enough that I told Kacey I was going to get sick and that I couldn't do this. Kacey handed me a bag to throw up in.
She said she was going to check me and when she did we were all mighty surprised bc she said I was at a 10 and it was time to push. She called my Dr. It was about 5:20. I went from a 5 to a 10 in about an hour!
My Dr lives a few minutes from the hospital and ran home to get her charger bc she figured it was going to be a long night and her phone was dead. Well when she got the call that I was about to push she raced back and sprinted up the stairs to my room! I would've loved to see that! She even broke a sweat! I was amazed that I still wasn't the least bit warm!
She did start whispering and I heard her state my blood type. Apparently she was realizing that little AC was face up. Matt could hear popping and my Dr said it was my bones moving (then she looked at me and said, thank God for an epidural). She told Matt to come see the head, then said one more push and I think it kind of surprised us all, but AC kind of flew out! She was indeed face up. My Dr literally caught her. She was born at 5:57pm! Dr McCollum's first words were "what a chunk"! She asked if I wanted her on my chest and I of course said yes! Matt cut the cord and we were just overjoyed at our second little baby girl miracle! I felt like she cried more than MC but they said that was a good thing! She was sooo bright eyed! They weighed her right away and told us she was 8.1! I think it was at that exact moment that I proclaimed to everyone that I was ready to have another baby! Hahaha
After my Dr. stitched me up, I delivered the placenta, which tore the stitches. So she had to re-do them!! After my Dr helped clean up, she gave me kiss on my cheek and told me she was proud of me! I am sooooo thankful for my Dr. and my nurses. I feel like it was the biggest blessing to have all the exact same nurses and of course my Dr. deliver both of my babies. I will be forever grateful to them working things out to be with me again. And if there is a baby #3 in the Lords plan for us, I will need them all again.
After I nursed Anna Claire and had some skin on skin time, Molly Caroline came back with Matt and met her new best friend, her baby sister! She looked kind of surprised at first, but then smiled and said, "Oh! Look at her cheeks." She immediately gave her a kiss and then squeezed her cheeks. It was precious!
Then, all of our friends and family came back to meet Anna Claire. Carrie Beth gave Molly Caroline a birthday cake cupcake to eat. Which she did on the floor of the delivery room! They all watched Jessica clean her up and give her a bath.
Of course it was super late by the time we made it to our room back in mother/baby but we gave Molly Caroline her big sister present, which was a shirt, a book, and a take care of me Lambie that she had been wanting forever. Then Anna Claire got her gifts from her big sister. She got a blanket, since Molly Caroline loves "bankets" and a pack of her very own paci's. The brand big sis prefers. :) We celebrated with Publix subs and "fall" Birthday Cake cupcakes!
What a whirlwind! November 23, 2015 was the best day ever, just like June 4, 2013....so similar, yet so different! Thank you, Lord! He is so very faithful to us. We are filled with thankfulness.
