Samantha's Birth Story

On March 11th, I had my 40 week prenatal appointment. It cracked me up when the nurse told me "You're 40 weeks and three days along, okay?". I (not) jokingly responded with "I'm painfully aware."  I was due for a NST (non stress test), which monitors baby's movement and contractions, and a biophysical profile, which is an ultrasound to check on baby's activity, fluid levels etc. My OB was also going to check on dilation and effacement, to see if I'd made any progress since my last appointment. My sister in law came along to keep me company, which was great and very much needed! As far as dilation and effacement went, I was still just a fingertip dilated and still only about 80% effaced like I was at my last appointment. And unless I was laughing, Samantha wasn't very active during the NST. I felt a couple twinges, that I wouldn't have really called contractions, but they were just barely popping up on the paper. Everything looked okay on the ultrasound, but she was again not very active, just sucking on her fingers. One of the things the doctors want to see is the baby practice breathing, which she didn't during the ultrasound. 

After this was all done, the doctor came in and said that I am to go to the hospital tomorrow at 4 PM and I said HANG ON. What? Why?? He said that because her activity wasn't where he'd like it to be, he wanted to induce me the next day. Um - could you not have just initially said that?! I had made it pretty clear a month or so prior, that I did NOT want an induction unless absolutely medically necessary. I tried to argue with him (as kindly as possible), asking lots of questions, which led to him finally explaining everything I mentioned above. Basically, I didn't have much choice in the matter and my gut told me I needed to just leave it in fate's hands and trust my doctor's judgement. After he gave me my paperwork and left the room, I had a meltdown. My biggest fear with the induction was that it wouldn't work and lead to a c-section. If you know me, you know I'm terrified of surgery and the thought of a c-section scared the living crap out of me. And especially after having such laid back and relaxed midwives during my pregnancy with Vince, it had been a bit nerve-wracking that I'd felt more like a chart than a pregnant woman with my OB. 
Thanks to my sister in law, I calmed down, took a deep breath and we decided to go run a couple of errands. I was having some light contractions and they seemed to have a pattern, but I could walk, talk and drive through them, so I didn't pay them much mind. When we got back home, we decided to order some Olive Garden for dinner and I took some time to make a couple of phone calls, to let family know what was going on. I was starting to lose bits of my plug, which excited me, but there was no "show", like there was with Vincent, so I didn't get my hopes up. While eating dinner, the contractions picked up a little and they were getting hard to talk through. I put Vincent to bed and hopped in the shower afterward. I decided to try and go to bed early, since I knew I'd likely not be getting much sleep for a while after that! 
Well, I never went to sleep....at 11:30, I started having some ass kicking contractions. I had to moan through them. I started timing them. First 8 minutes apart, then 6, then 4, then 2, lasting about a minute or more. After about half an hour of these, I woke up my mom and husband and told them that we needed to go to the hospital. My sister in law immediately came over to stay with Vincent. By the time we left the house, the contractions had been two minutes apart, lasting a minute for over an hour. We got to the hospital just after 1AM. I was admitted immediately. My nurse checked me and I was 5cm dilated!! Woohoo! I was in so much pain, that I asked for the epidural pretty quickly, since I knew I was progressing fast and it takes a while for them to actually get it ready. The only way I was able to get through the contractions without losing control was to moan or weirdly breathe through them, grab onto either Mike or my mom's hand and stare them dead in the eye. Later they both told me that I looked like I wanted their death! xD

Nurse waited to finish placing my IV, because I was in the middle of a contraction!

These were the only photos my mom was able to get of me in labor, because of how quickly everything happened!

A little while later, I had the nurse check me again as we were getting closer to time for the epidural. I was 8cm dilated. Knowing I was most definitely in transition with the contractions helped me a little, because I knew it couldn't get worse than that. Shortly after, my nurse had me sit up and face Mike, who was sitting in the chair next to the bed, because the lady administering the epidural was outside. I had a very strong contraction and had to hyperventilate through it. Mom and Mike told me to breathe slowly and I found myself telling them "STOP. TELLING ME. HOW. THE MOTHERF*** TO BREEEEATHE." and I screamed. The nurses came running in and out of nowhere, I felt this wickedly strong urge to push. My nurse told me not to push, but to lie back; my doctor was almost there. I told her that I couldn't help it - my body was pushing on its own!! She checked me again and sure enough - Samantha was crowning!! At that point it was clear that my doctor was not going to make it in time and the nurses would have to deliver her and my plans to get the epidural flew right out the window. I freaked out badly. 
My nurse was an angel sent from heaven! She got right up in my face and said "Hey! Stay in control. You are doing this. Your body is doing this. I am right here and we can do this together!" I needed to hear that coming from her SO badly. I guess it was different hearing it from her, because she was my nurse, I felt she had everything under control and she had authority. (I wish so badly we had taken a photo with her - I absolutely adored her and am so thankful for her!) There were probably about 6 nurses total in my room and around my bed during the delivery. One was holding an oxygen mask up to my face and I remember mom asking if I wanted my glasses off. I said NO, otherwise I wouldn't be able to focus on anything! They had me lying completely flat on my back as well and didn't want for me to be in any other position, because they'd lose the heartbeat on the monitor. It was SO hard for me to push in that position - I wanted so badly to squat or be on my hands and knees, but it just wasn't possible at that point. It is honestly really hard to say exactly what time anything happened, because it was all so fast. Mike and my mom weren't watching the clock either, so it's really all just a guesstimate! But my mom is guessing I pushed about 10 times before she was born.
We arrived at the hospital just after one and Samantha Ruth Neergaard entered the world 1.5 hours later at 2:39 AM! She weighed 6lbs 8oz, was 19 inches long and her head circumference was 34cm! The nurses whisked her off pretty quickly - it was all extremely chaotic, since my doctor wasn't there. I remember stopping the nurse who was about to cut the cord and telling her to let Mike do it. It seemed like forever before I was able to hold her, but I knew they were trying to properly suction her out and make sure she was okay first. I was MUCH more aware of birthing the placenta this time around, since I had no epidural. Because of my history after Vincent's birth and having lots of clots left, I was given pitocin and the nurse reached in to pull out clots, while pushing on my abdomen very hard. It was SO painful, but I knew it was necessary to help avoid another infection and D&C. It was beyond me how much came out after the placenta!! Meanwhile, my doctor walks in and says "Okay, are we ready?", then hears Samantha cry, looks over and goes "Oh..." xD I was in so much pain, but internally, I was laughing hard! It was absolutely priceless. So he basically arrived just in time to stitch me up, shake my and Mike's hands and tell us congratulations. I can't help but chuckle every time I think about it! I had a second degree tear, which I really didn't notice getting during pushing. (As a matter of fact, I don't really remember feeling the ring of fire either) I received a numbing shot before getting stitched up, which helped tremendously with the pain and I hardly felt getting the stitches.

Samantha was crying something FIERCE during most of the process, until Mike was able to hold her. It amazed me how loud and demanding her cry was!! I remember Vincent's being so tiny and polite. Not Samantha's. Her's screamed "HELLOOOO HERE I AM! FEED ME." As soon as she was placed in my arms for the first time, it was beyond clear to me that she wanted to nurse. She latched immediately! xD Well hi, nice to meet you too! Here's some dinner! I was given some pretty hefty pain medication afterward, which nearly knocked me out as I was trying to use the restroom - I had to lean forward and touch the floor to get the blood to rush back to my head! Once I was finally able to use the bathroom, I was taken upstairs to the maternity ward, where we stayed until we were discharged on Sunday.

Samantha's weight dropped down to just a smidge under 6lbs by the next day, so they kept us another day, to try and get her weight back up. They were going to have me supplement with formula, so while my mom tried to get her to take the bottle, I pumped to make up for the formula feeding. I was able to pump enough to give her the breast milk instead of the formula! It turned out that the reason of the significant weight loss was because of a bad latch. Which made sense, because I was cracking and bleeding and nursing was SO painful - completely different from how it was with Vincent. When trying to give her a bottle or a pacifier, she would gag and spit it out immediately. She wasn't latching deep enough when she nursed either. After a couple of good, solid meetings with the lactation consultant, some bottle feedings and pump sessions, we were able to fix the latch issue and she jumped back up to 6lbs 2oz!

Sally, one of my favorite nurses during our hospital stay - she was so incredibly sweet and helpful with Samantha and very emotionally supportive. She was able to get Samantha to finally take her bottle and helped me find a good way to keep her awake through feedings. Despite having other patients to tend to and other things to do as well, she always took lots of time with us and made sure we were well taken care of! :)

Here are a few more photos of our hospital stay:

Proud daddy! <3

First time she took a binky, which was a huge deal after having issues with gagging!

Vincent meeting his baby sister for the first time! <3

Proud big brother!

She kept leaning forward while I gave her kisses - it was so, so sweet!

We were finally able to go home on Sunday at around noon. It was wonderful to be back home with Mike and Vincent again! It was SO hard to be away from Vincent for so long, even though Mike and our family brought him to the hospital several times to visit. I had never been away from him for so long and it was hard on both of us. But, I will say that I had fantastic experience at the hospital where I delivered and I loved each and every one of my nurses!! Since I've been home, I've gotten two calls from the nursing staff to check up on me and answer any questions I may have. I've felt so cared for through this whole process and if we decide to have another baby down the road, I am most definitely going to deliver there again!! 

Finally home! Exhausted; but home! :D

The first two weeks back have been going great! I have been so thankful for my mom, who has been an incredible help to me, especially with Mike having to go straight back to work the day after we were discharged from the hospital. I am also beyond thankful for my sister in law, who cared for Vincent the majority of my hospital stay and has done everything in her power to provide help and support these past several weeks. I unfortunately ended up having to have another D&C about a week postpartum, like I did after Vincent was born and she stayed with me at the hospital, while my mom was at home with the kids. I know it sounds very cliche to say, but I am so incredibly blessed to have such a loving and caring family and sweet babies! My heart is truly full. 

What's In My Hospital Bag? - Round 2!

It was SO much easier and quicker to pack my bag this time around!! After the experience with Vincent in the hospital, I got an idea of what things were necessary and which things weren't so necessary. It of course depends on your hospital as well and what they provide, so I highly recommend checking with them first. Luckily, a friend of mine delivered at the same hospital where I'll be delivering Samantha, so I was able to make a list and get everything I need into a single bag. I'll be able to gather a little more information during the tour, but with this baby being my second, I wanted to have the bag packed by 35 weeks! :)
I purchased this bag at Target several months back with the hospital stay in mind! Last time, I actually regretted packing several smaller bags, because it ended up just making more to keep track of and carry. 

For Samantha, the hospital will provide diapers, wipes, a hat and a booger sucker. So for her, I've packed her going home outfit (onesie, pants, bow, socks & shoes), two newborn sized onesies, one pair of pants, two pairs of socks, two pairs of scratch mittens, both a newborn and 0-3 month sized hat, a newborn sleeper and a pair of baby clippers (which I totally forgot to include in the photo lol!). It's not pictured, since it's not purchased yet, but I'll also be packing a SwaddlePod, which is basically knock-off Woombie. This hospital won't send us home with a receiving blanket, so I wanted to have this on hand. The minky blanket I made her was also a must, since it may be a little chilly and I'd like to cover her with it once she's strapped into her car seat. 

For myself, I packed two nursing tanks, a pair of comfy yoga pants, a pair of boxers, two pairs of socks, two pairs of mesh underwear (not sure if this hospital provides them), slipper socks, a hairbrush, straightener and a cosmetic bag. Then of course a box of thin mints, because...well I shouldn't have to explain why. ;D 

In my cosmetic bag, I've got mini shampoo, conditioner and body wash, two small hair care products, moisturizer, nursing pads, gum, hair ties and bobby pins. I've also got a small makeup bag. In it, I've got face wipes, deodorant, Q-tips, a toothbrush and toothpaste, dry shampoo, hand cream, lip balm, powder, concealer, blush, mascara, eyeliner and a couple of brushes. As I did last time, I won't actually add this to the bag until we're about to head that way. 

As far as extras go, I'll also be bringing my phone charger cable, iPod, earbuds, Samantha's binder for all of her paperwork (pictured above with the rest of her things), two copies of my birth plan, my DSLR, the Boppy pillow and a plush Tiger. The tiger will actually be for Vincent from Samantha; we figured that might be a nice gesture to Vincent when he meets her for the first time. :) I also got an idea from a couple of mommy friends to make little gifts for the nursing staff at the hospital, so I'll be bringing those as well once I have them finished! 

I'll be using some twine to tie these around peanut M&M baggies!

I'll go ahead and add a list of the things that I packed last time around and didn't end up needing:

- The birthing ball. I got to the hospital and immediately labored in the tub for a bit and was in transition pretty much straight after. I was too busy screaming to even think about the ball. Hahaha
- The baby medical kit, vaseline and diaper rash cream. The hospital provided all the vaseline we really ever needed with Vince and never really needed diaper rash cream until he started solids! The only thing in the medical kit that I'll be bringing this time around is the pair of baby clippers. I didn't use them in the hospital with Vincent, because I was TERRIFIED, so I bit them to trim them instead. This time around, I'm much more confident in my infant nail trimming skills. And those baby nails are LONG when they're born!! - The sleeping gown. I actually never ended up liking them at all! Mike picked up a sleeper from home instead when he went back to get cleaned up and that was much more useful. So I packed a sleeper this time instead. - Maxi pads. The hospital not only provided a better version of those, but also a squirt bottle, TUCKS pads and dermoplast.
- Regular underwear. The mesh underwear are a million times more practical and comfortable after delivery and the hospital will likely provide some on top of the pairs I packed.  - A nursing bra. I ended up not being a huge fan of them - I preferred the nursing tanks, so I made sure to pack a second one of those instead of the bra.
- My Medela pump. The only reason I brought it last time, was because by bringing it, the hospital was able to provide me with a free new set of pump accessories. Since my pump was handed down by a friend, that was important, but unnecessary this time around.

On the flipside, here are the things I'm bringing this time that I didn't bring last time:
- The Boppy. I was told by several people that I would not need it in the hospital. Well, Mike ended up having to bring it back to the hospital with him after he went home to get cleaned up! I swear by that Boppy. - A 0-3 month hat. Vincent ended up having such a large noggin, that the newborn hats never fit him! It's hard to say how big Samantha's head will be, but I figured it would be a good idea to pack a second larger hat just in case. - A SwaddlePod. I ended up liking this type of swaddle a million times more than a traditional one or the velcro SwaddleMe, because it keeps baby so much more snug without being too warm or bunchy. It's also lightweight and not much bigger than a sleeper.
(These three things were all things Mike ended up having to grab when he went home!)
That's it! It's so crazy to think that almost exactly two years ago, I was starting to pack my first hospital bag! (You can check that post out here) :D I'm so incredibly excited to meet this little Miss! 

Pregnancy, Labor, Delivery and Postpartum - What You May Not Know

I'm a first time mom - the whole experience of pregnancy, labor and delivery and life postpartum was completely foreign to me and I had no idea what to expect. I had never been around pregnant women growing up and had only ever held a baby a few times. So the time spent between the bed and the toilet, especially in the first several months of my pregnancy, I spent doing my research. Pregnancy groups and forums, blogs, books, apps...I looked just about everywhere and just spent a lot of time reading and asking questions.
But even all that research didn't fully prepare me for what was in store! Some of the things on this list I was aware of; others came as a complete surprise. So here are the things I came up with, that you wouldn't think to expect while you're expecting! 

Pregnancy
1. Morning sickness is not necessarily just in the morning. It can hit you like a freight train at any time of the day and it can be ruthless. And unfortunately for many women, the saying that it "goes away after the first trimester" is a lie. An evil lie. For me, the vomiting lasted until a few weeks into my third trimester, then picked right back up during the last three weeks, lasting until the day I gave birth.
2. Don't rely on the heartbeat to determine the baby's gender. My son's heartbeat was 160 bpm at my first few appointments, making me think he might be a girl, then it dropped to the 140's after we found out the gender! The heartbeat really depends on how active the baby is at the time. 
3. Honestly, lack of sleep does not start when the baby is born. It starts much, much sooner. If you're lucky and aren't dealing with a lot of pregnancy symptoms in the beginning that are preventing you from sleeping in the first trimester, you will be able to take some serious hibernation-like naps, all with drool and crazy dreams. Otherwise, you'll begin to get up just about every hour at night to use the bathroom. Even when decreasing your fluid intake, you're still going to be getting up often. (And you really shouldn't decrease your fluid intake anyway.) It tends to get a little better in the 2nd trimester, then get worse than ever before in the 3rd. I got to where I could actually partially sleepwalk to the bathroom with my eyes closed, just to make it easier for myself to fall back to sleep when I got back to bed. 
4. Acid reflux. It haunted me for the entire second half of my pregnancy, finally letting up a tad once the baby dropped. Acid reflux just plain sucks. It seriously does. There were times that it was so bad, it would keep me up all night and cause me to throw up. It wasn't until I started stacking my pillows up high in the bed, cutting certain "trigger foods" out of my diet, that it became tolerable. Drinking a glass of milk or eating a yogurt also helped take the edge off for me. 
5. Just because you didn't see a single sign of stretch marks for the first 8 months of your pregnancy, does not mean they won't show up in your 9th month! Happened to me. 
6. Let me sing you a little song about something called "diastasis recti" or "abdominal separation". I did not even know it was even possible for your abdominal muscles to split apart until I went to lay back on the table at my midwife's office and saw my stomach shape itself into a pyramid, which was basically my uterus bulging out between my muscles. Just the thought of it makes me cringe. Apparently it's very common, but I had never heard of it before! I am guessing the cause of mine was likely due to poor posture.
It won't necessarily happen to you, but it's definitely something to be aware about. Unfortunately, once you have it during pregnancy, there isn't much you can do to help it until after baby has arrived. But there are precautions you can take and several exercises to do postpartum to assist the healing process. I wish so DESPERATELY I had seen this pin on Pinterest several months back, but I of course didn't think to look until after I was aware. This page has some great exercises and tips: http://www.inspiredrd.com/2012/06/dear-diastasis-recti-im-so-over-you.html 
7. Besides a growing belly, you will notice lots of other changes! A few unexpected ones for me were: I only had to shave my legs once every two weeks, because the hair stopped growing! However what didn't grow on my legs, began to show up in other unexpected places! Haha! Another was that my hair would not get greasy very often at all, so I didn't have to wash it as often. 
8. Your sense of smell is heightened during pregnancy. So things that you normally might find pleasant smelling (perfume, candles etc.) can become way too strong. I also found my sense of taste was heightened. So I would have to brush my teeth about 4 or 5 times per day to help get rid of the nasty taste in my mouth! 

Labor & Delivery
1. This is one thing I was not prepared for: Even though it may not be active, labor can last for weeks! I went to the hospital two times for false labor, prior to actually giving birth. I started having real contractions at around 37 weeks that stuck around no matter what I did, unlike braxton hicks, which usually stop if you lay down and drink water. These were close together and fairly intense, but would eventually end up spacing off.
2. Just because you're dilated, does not mean that you're going to give birth the next day or even several weeks. As mentioned above, labor can last for weeks and all those braxton hicks or practice contractions are actually dilating you slowly! Every woman is different - some women will not be at all dilated or effaced and go into labor the next day. I was 1cm dilated and 60% effaced at 36 weeks and went past my due date.
3. Your water doesn't necessarily break on it's own! And when it does, it might not be the only time it does! I was 9cm dilated when my midwife broke my water and she had to do it again not only once but TWICE after she did the first time! I had no idea your water could be broken so many times. Apparently it has layers.
4. Contractions aren't always several minutes apart. Once I got to about four centimeters, my contractions were one on top of the other, because I was dilating so fast. I barely had 30 seconds in between them to breathe. This is what ended up causing my decision to get an epidural, because I just couldn't take it anymore. 
5. You may choose ahead of time to get an epidural. However, be aware that you have to be at least 4cm dilated to get it.
6. Yes, you are going to poo in front of people. And no, you're not going to care. You will be so preoccupied with pushing something the size of a watermelon out something the size of a lemon, that you won't even have time to think about it. I'd say you wouldn't notice it, but I did - which actually gave me a much needed laugh!

Postpartum Recovery
1. Recovery can be pretty painful, especially if you tore or had an episiotomy. Witch hazel, tucks pads and dermoplast will be your best friends! Also a peri-bottle (used to squirt warm water on your lady parts while you do your business), which most hospitals provide and send home with you. 
2. You're going to bleed. A LOT. And it can last anywhere from 2-6 weeks. At nearly 8 weeks postpartum, I am still spotting a little bit. It's definitely a good idea to stock up on some maxi pads before giving birth, because the ones you will (most likely) receive from the hospital won't last very long!
3. Contractions don't stop after giving birth, because your uterus needs to contract back to it's normal size. You'll feel them especially while you're breastfeeding, which is why I put a heating pad on my abdomen every time I nursed my son for the first two weeks. It seemed to really help. Also ibuprofen. LOTS of ibuprofen!
4. Your belly takes a while to shrink back to it's normal size! You won't just pop out the baby and BAM - there's your pre-pregnancy belly. It took about a month for my belly to shrink back down to it's "normal" size and it can take a lot longer than that. And once it does shrink down, it will be pretty wrinkly and squishy, especially if you ended up getting stretch marks.
5. Breastfeeding is HARD. I am not going to lie. Especially in that first month, it is very painful and exhausting. And once your milk comes in, engorgement is an added struggle, until your milk supply regulates itself. This can take several weeks. There are SO many times I've wanted to give up, especially in the middle of growth spurts and Vince wanting to nurse constantly. And you can't just hand your boob over, so someone else can take over a feeding. You can pump your milk and have someone bottle feed, but you have to pump to make up for that missed feeding, so your supply doesn't drop. So it's still the same amount of work, if not more, because you have to wash the bottles and pump supplies. 
6. Breastfeeding does have a lot of pros though! One, it helps you lose the baby weight! I had heard this many times before giving birth, but had no idea to what extent. It REALLY helps drop the pounds. Two, no washing bottles or mixing formula in the middle of the night! You can feed in a side-lying position to where you can both just crash right out after the feeding. Three, it is said to help prevent postpartum depression, because of the release of oxytocin.
That's just about everything! If there's anything I left out that you didn't think to expect while you were expecting, leave me a comment below! :)

Vincent's Birth Story

So I am going to start off by saying that this is a BIRTH story. And as beautiful as birth can be, it can also be pretty gnarly. I'd spare you all the "TMI" details, but then that would kind of defeat the purpose. No, you won't be seeing any pictures of my privates or anything, but I won't go beating around the bush. So if the word "discharge" bothers you, you may want to just look at the photos. xD 
As many of you may have read, I dealt with several episodes of "false labor" (God I hate that term >.<) and ended up in the hospital, just to be sent home again. So I decided if I ended up having contractions again, I'd wait until I either had my "show" or my water broke. On the 6th, I had contractions all day. They were sporadic, random and not very strong, but they were contractions. After a few sets, I decided to stop keeping track of them. That night I couldn't sleep. At around 4 AM, I started having REALLY strong contractions. Stronger than I've ever felt. I would literally have to grip the side of the pack n play and huff and puff through them. At about 4:30, I decided to start timing them. They were between 10 and 15 minutes apart. I started spotting a bit, but I wasn't sure if it really meant anything. By 9:30 however, the contractions were 3 minutes apart and I had my "show" - I literally broke down crying in the bathroom, because I FINALLY had a sign that this was it!! An hour later, I called the midwifery and they wanted me to just come straight there. 
When I got there, I was checked and I was 3cm dilated and 90% effaced; 2cm more than the cervical check 2 days prior at my 40 week appointment. My midwife advised I eat a bite and then head to the hospital. We decided to just go through the McDonald's drive thru, because it was close and easy. It wasn't so easy. The contractions were so intense that breathing through them was becoming very, very difficult. My hips felt like they were splitting apart. (Which when you think about it, they kind of were xD) 

Last bump photo!

After picking up food, we went to the hospital and I was admitted around 12:30. After a bit of monitoring, I decided to jump into the jacuzzi, which was a huge relief on my back. 

The contractions were still very, very strong, but the heat definitely helped. After about half an hour of laboring in the tub, the contractions were so strong, I just wanted to get out. My original plan was to go all natural with no pain meds. The contractions started becoming so ridiculously close together and intense, that I didn't even have a minute to cry, let alone breathe in between. I had to get up to use the restroom. When I did, I was hit with another intense contraction. I tried to get on all fours. I started to feel really nauseous. I vomited and wet myself. This may sound over dramatic, but I seriously felt like I was going to die. I couldn't handle it anymore. I put away my pride and said that I wanted to get the epidural, which at that point, my midwife was even advising.
I was so afraid of the damn epidural, which was another part of the reason I didn't want to get it in the first place. But the anesthesiologist who did it was SO, so sweet and reassuring. The worst part about it was just staying still enough during the contractions while she inserted the catheter. Getting it inserted was really no big deal at all - a little sting and that was it. I had a few painful contractions after I got it, but then they completely disappeared. I felt WONDERFUL. It was the best decision I ever could have made. Right then, my midwife checked me and I was dilated to a whopping 9cm. I had no idea that I was going through transition when I decided to get the epidural. I am proud of myself for making it so long with no medication. My midwife wanted me to "labor down" for a while, so that I wouldn't have to push as long. This gave me a bit of peace and time to rest. 

Wearing my "labor beads" from all the ladies in my Lucky Charms facebook group :)

At around 7, I began to push. I pushed for over three hours. Usually, they have you stop at the 3 hour mark and send you off for a c-section. But my midwife Carol worked SO hard to stretch me out and work with the baby's head to get him out and avoid it. I am so, so grateful for her. She ended up having to give me an episiotomy, which finally allowed his head through.

At 9:52 PM, Vincent Paul entered the world! Having him put on my chest and hearing those first cries was the most amazing thing I've ever experienced. I birthed the placenta with no issue while they got his measurements and he was brought straight back to me and was put skin to skin. Getting stitched up didn't even phase me. All I could do was look at those blue eyes looking up at me. :) I am beyond grateful for Mike, my Mom and my Mother in Law Lura for being there with me and helping me through labor. I couldn't have done it without them. And of course my midwife Carol. Who knows if I would've been able to have a vaginal birth if it hadn't been for her!

Even though it was a really rough labor, I had the most amazing experience with the hospital and staff. Everyone was so wonderful and I couldn't have been more pleased. The lactation consultants were incredible and provided me with so much information. They sent us home with SO much - only just yesterday did I run out of the diapers and vaseline from the hospital. They also gave me a fruit basket and a BEAUTIFUL bouquet of flowers.

If we weren't moving, I would definitely give birth there again. We stayed a second night, because I gave birth so late and they keep you 24 hours after delivery. So we came home on Sunday afternoon.

Things have been going great since we got home! Vincent is an amazing baby and I could not be more blessed. :) I will write about how the first week went in my 1 week update entry, so stay tuned!