Lucy Elizabeth

I'm going to do my best to capture what has happened in the past 48 hours. Please be kind, as there may be many typos and run-on sentences....I'm going on about 4 hours of sleep since she was born!

For the past 2 weeks Matt and I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of our little girl. At my 38 week check-up I was 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced. My doctor was certain I would deliver just a few days later. Well, a week went by and at 39 weeks I had dilated to 3cm. She said again, she was certain I would deliver very soon. So when my due date came and past our excitement continued to grow and our patience grew a bit thin. We had both decided, though, to not ask for an induction. There was a reason our little girl was cozy in my tummy and we wanted to give her plenty of time. I went back to the doctor at 40 weeks and 4 days. We discussed my options and my doctor agreed to not schedule a medical induction but suggested to strip my membranes. I agreed since the countless hours of mall walking and spicy food hadn't made any additional progress. He said it can't hurt, but if it's effective I should notice some changes within 24 hours.

Well, sure enough, just 8 hours later my contractions started. It felt very different this time. With Carter I had horrible back labor, but this time it was mild and very crampy. I played with Carter, tucked him into bed and then Matt and I started thinking this could be the "real" thing! Matt took Carter over to our amazing nanny around 9pm so I could labor at home as long as possible without feeling the need to be quiet or possibly disturb a sleeping toddler. Right after Matt got back home the frequency and intensity increased. We spent the next 2.5 hours trying different positions and comfort techniques to see what might work once we arrived at the hospital. Finally, around 11:15pm we headed out the door. Luckily the hospital is a 2 minute drive from our house. I did have 1 contraction in the car but coped fairly well (knowing I shouldn't complain since many of my friends have labored in the car for a much longer time!).

When we arrived I was dilated to 4cm and a little bummed. I was hoping I was much further along. I knew I wanted to have a natural labor and had worked very hard throughout my pregnancy to prepare for that. Of course, the nurses wanted to get a 20 minute strip of my contractions and her heart rate. I did not cooperate. Before even getting officially admitted I was in triage on my hands and knees breathing and rocking as I ignored their request to lay still while they monitored me.

After an unsuccessful 20 minutes they agreed to keep me and we moved to room 16, just right across the hall from the main nurses station (more on this later!). They again tried to monitor me, this time for 1 hour. I just wasn't having it (and neither was baby girl!). The nurse had a hard time finding her heart rate and I had a hard time obeying requests. It was much more effective for me to slow dance with Matt and sit on the birth ball during each contraction and break. After an hour the doctor checked me and I was at 6 cm and fully effaced. She broke my water and we all agreed to get me in the shower for a little while.

Let me tell you, that was heaven! For the next 30 minutes Matt sprayed warm water over my stomach as I squatted and lunged with each passing contraction. At one point I got into such a funny breathing pattern I started lunging forward and hurling my body toward the opposite end of the bathtub (Matt later joked that it looked like I was in the middle of an intense work-out session on an elliptical machine). After 30 minutes I was starting to lose it. I left the shower and headed back to the bed for another cervical check. To much disappointment I was only at 7cm. At this point I lost it. I started to doubt myself and my ability to continue naturally. I begged for an epidural. Okay, let's be honest. I started screaming. Not the sad scream. Not the scared scream. But the full on moan/groan/scream "til it hurts and let everyone else know" scream. We later laughed that any other laboring mom coming into the Childbirth Center would run in terror when they heard me screaming since I was in the first room by the nurses station. I panicked and felt like a total failure. I even told the nurse I felt like a failure but desperately wanted relief.

As she quickly called the doctor my body suddenly began gently bearing down. It was the most fantastic feeling to actually cope with the pain (but yes, I still screamed). I had my eyes closed for the next 15 minutes but Matt said the room quickly became chaotic. As I continued to shout 4-letter profanities over and over again the nurse pronounced I was fully dilated and it was time to push. So I did!

Apparently at this point there was no delivery table in the room, no doctor and 2 hurried nurses scrambling to get things set up. I was completely unaware, eyes closed and focused on ending this pain.

4 incredibly fast minutes later I was holding my baby girl. It was the most intense, emotional moment of my life. The feeling of achievement, relief, love, excitement and pure joy overwhelmed my body and I just started to shake and cry. Quietly proclaiming, "I did it, I did it" and holding this beautiful baby girl was just too much. Matt's eyes teared up, nurses smiled and little Lucy Elizabeth Vance entered the world.

After about 2 minutes had passed my brain turned back on and I suddenly remembered all the screaming and cussing I had just yelled. I made sure to apologize time and time again for being "that girl" in labor. They, of course, all said "oh no, you were fine!" Haha....such nice hospital staff for lying to my face!

Lucy Elizabeth was born on 12/20/11 (5 days after her due date) at 2:12am. She weighed 7lbs, 7oz and 21 inches long. She instantly stared into my eyes, grabbed my finger and we fell in love. She is perfect. She is sweet. She is everything I could have ever imagined and more.

We are learning to adjust to a family of four. Day one was a bit hectic, as to be expected, but I think we will all learn our new normal. Carter was totally uninterested when he came to the hospital but since coming home he has loved giving her hugs and kisses and drinking big boy milk when she gets thirsty for mamas milk.

We now have one big chaotic, loving and exciting journey ahead of us and I couldn't be more happy.

(Pictures to come soon!)