Introducing Ms. Ivy Lynn M.
And what an entrance she made into this world!!! My birth story is unbelievable, even to me, who lived it LOL
Now most of you who actually read this have heard/read the birth story. I edited it a bit and tried to make it as detailed as possible. So if you have 5 minutes, are bored, or are interested- here is the birth story.
February 22, 2011- I had an OB appt and was 3 cm dilated, 50% effaced, -3 station, cervix mid position. Basically things were progressing nicely and my Dr felt confident that I would go into labor before my next weekly visit. Later that evening I lost a bit of my mucus plug and had some cramping.
February 23, 2011-
Lost another chunk of MP in the morning. But otherwise felt fine & normal.
6:15 PM- Still no contractions, but had some bloody show- got excited that maybe I would be having a due date baby on the 24th!
6:30- had 2ish contractions, was still not sure it was not just more cramping, but they were a bit more painful (not bad though) and with the bloody show... well, I called Eric and said to skip his dinner thing.
7-7:45 I put B to bed- did bath, songs, reading, etc- Was contracting/cramping during this- but like painful menstrual cramps, no biggie. Again, I was not positive I was in labor- but with the bloody show figured this was it.
Once he was down we called my parents- they were packed all ready so were able to hit the road within about 15 mins of the call. They would arrive around 9:45.
8pm, we decided to start timing contractions. It was too hard to consistently do so with Brooks awake and before Eric was home. We saw contractions were only about 6 or so mins apart- however still not terrible, and only about 30 seconds long. B/c B arrived so fast we called his dad to come over as a just in case. In the interim I picked up a bit and took a shower and just walked through them. When I had B my contractions were insanely intense and lasted 1.5 minutes or so, so these seemed like very early labor stuff to me.
8:50- My father-in-law arrives at the house. I am upstairs just walking through the contractions and enjoying the wall unit a/c LOL. They were definitely painful, and we were sure by now that this was labor, but they were still not bad at all.
9:10ish- I tell Eric I think we should go. They get more intense- nothing like the screaming-bloody-murder type contractions I had with Brooks, but I felt more pressure and was no longer easily able to walk through them. So we decided to head in right away since we knew I labored fast last time.
9:30 - We left the house. Took 15 minutes to leave b/c Eric got the car, father in law walked the dog, etc.- We put the suitcase in- and hit the road to the hospital that is 2.5 miles away and about a 7 min drive. Even when we left even though I was definitely feeling them- I was still fine enough that we were sniping at each other about how the dumb suitcase was fitting in the trunk.
1/2 way through the drive- (right around Broad & Vine streets LOL)- my water bursts all over the new car (thank goodness we brought a towel for me to sit on in case). It was a gush- I now concur that I had a lot of fluid this time around.
As soon as my water broke I felt things go nuts down there. It was a complete overload of intensity. While I was in active labor and pain before- now I felt like I was being split in half and wanted to push. I told Eric I felt like I had to push- he was calm and collected and saying just breathe, don't push, etc. Then I chanted 'just don't push, just don't push' nonstop b/c I latched onto that part of the reply.
We are now within 1/2 mile of the hospital- but it is the city, and we hit red lights. I was telling Eric to run the lights because I felt such pressure that things were happening NOW. My chant changed to 'go back in baby go back in' because I could feel the head coming down the birth canal and the beginnings of crowning. Trying to hold that baby in was the hardest thing ever- my body was on instinct and automatic to do what it was made to do, not listening to my mind at all. We finally pull up and I told him I could feel the head.
Now Eric thought i was nuts and didn't believe me- and I don't blame him at all- he thought I was just in a ton of pain. This whole time I was fighting my mind vs my body. I could not stop myself from instinctually pushing, even though mentally I was trying as hard as possible not to do so. Physically I had no control over what was going on.
When I had B I was in a delirious zone and he understandably thought I was there again- seriously who would believe that this was really happening how it was.
So he ran in to grab a wheelchair b/c I could not move. He helped me out of the car, but another contraction hit and I needed it to pass before I could step forward to the wheelchair. Once again I felt the crowning, I stood there and stuck my hand down my pants and told him again I felt the head. He was supporting me physically & emotionally, but still thought I was just in extreme pain. He went to help me to the wheelchair, hands on my elbows facing me, when another contraction hit hard - I could not stop it- my body pushed and she came out. I was standing on the sidewalk with my hands down my pants and my husband holding my arms and delivered my daughter. I caught her- thank God- pulled her out of my pants and held her- in shock, I guess it was a good thing I felt like my jeans were too restrictive at home and changed into velour maternity sweatpants.
Mind you this is 9:40 pm in FEBRUARY in Philly- I am standing there with pants around my knees, cord hanging out and attached to the nudey baby I am holding against my chest.
I will never in my entire life forget Eric's face as he watched this go down- I could see tears and sheer bone deep terror in his eyes and he definitely cursed under his breath- oh shit- then he ran- screaming into the lobby of the hospital 'get a doctor, omg, get a doctor, she just gave birth, get a doctor'. He saw the baby come out because since my hands were down there and I must have buckled, he could see it all.
People were just staring at us. The security guard was radioing for help. One person on the street came to help and saw a blanket in the car to wrap us in- yeah, it's the dog's travel blanket we use to put her on because she has a tendency to puke in the car- GROSS. Eric stood at her back as I held her chest and we just were trying between us to keep her warm and honestly- we could not do anything else we were so worried and shocked. Eric was good in that he kept making sure I was not suffocating her by holding her too close, face too smooshed, into me.
The baby let out one cry, then stopped. We were freaking out- she wasn't making noise. I swiped her mouth a la TV/movies, not sure that did anything at all but it was all I could think of at the time, and she made a few noises, but still- she was very silent and it was so scary
Finally, about an eternity later, or realistically 2 mins later, an ER dr came out, but I couldn't move. I was in literal shock, and there was the issue of the cord. A min or so after that the OB on call came out. She clamped and cut the cord right there on the sidewalk- (yes, still naked on the street in February). They ran off with the baby and I was wheeled after. We roll in and they have the baby lying on a hospital bed in the lobby while suctioning her and checking her. I kept saying is the baby ok ,is the baby ok and they said yes- but it was super scary because there had to be 8 medical professionals around her and they kept wheeling me forward to go up to be checked so I could not watch what they were doing. I yelled to Eric to stay with the baby.
Oh- and at this point- I still had no idea boy or girl. In all of this that was the least importnat thing. They wheeled me up, and the baby was brought right to my room- no NICU or anything- so that was certainly reassuring. I still had not seen her really and they had to wait for the equipment to get all her stats. There are no apgars b/c she was well over a minute old. I called my parents to say come to the hospital, not the house (since my father in law was with B this was feasible). When my dad asked if it was a boy or girl- that is the first I realized I had no idea. The whole I just want a healthy baby, I don't care about the sex, is not a cliche- not at all.
The doctors heard me say I did not know, but I told them not to tell me until Eric came in (about 2 mins later) in all of this they made him move the car since it was not parked. In blind obedience because we were both in shock and just doing what we were told he did so. As far as finding out the sex- I just felt like in all this he needed to learn with me- we were team green and he was the one who was super excited about waiting to know. Plus after this long waiting- I wanted to hear it from him and hear it together. So he still got his moment to say 'it's a girl!"
He was in awe, and got to fuss over her, while I delivered the placenta and was stitched up. Apparently he got to cut the cord. Since outside they just cut to get her taken care of, it was not the right placement for healing, just an emergency cut, so he got to do the 2nd cut. I was literally in physical shock- could not stop shaking- and seriously just in shock. I had a 2nd degree tear that needed taking care of, and they were really aggressive in the exam to make sure no other damage was done since there was no doctor guiding things to know what happened where down there. My mom was in the room by this time helping calm me while Eric was with the baby. It took forever for them to clean me up. Not to mention I was in my street shirt and nothing else- my pants were just lying on the ground (now in the trash). They didn't fully numb me and I could feel stitches, it was horrible.
Finally finally finally they were done with me and her- I got to hold Ivy and BF her and she was a champ- latched on immediately and she is just amazing.
She is perfect- the little spitfire weighed in at 7lb 8oz, 20.25" long, 13.75" head- and she amazes me. If this entrance into the world is any sign of personality- we are going to have a handful!
Most people get pictures of their kiddo on the scale- we got this LOL
I know it is vain- but I love this picture. I was getting to see her for the first time since outside, which doesn't count as really seeing her.
Cheeks!
What do you mean we're taking her home?
