{Our daughter’s birth story} Introducing…

We welcomed our second daughter into the world the morning of October 15th, 2015. It’s already been 4 days of her being here. What a whirl wind her arrival was, we’ve been calling it fast and furious. It was a very different labor and delivery when compared to our first born’s. We are so thrilled, and so thankful that she is finally here with us. What a blessing, and miracle she is. Our second rainbow baby. How we longed for this child to arrive.

Things seemed to start on the evening of October 14th. I started to feel really odd during dinner, which was really the only similarity I would end up having to my first experience with labor and delivery. I made sure to finish preparations, and thankfully I had got the diaper bag, and hospital bag all packed and ready to go the day before. During dinner I felt crampy, it was almost like I ate something that just was not sitting well. Maybe it was those labor inducing cookies I had made a couple nights before? I continued on with the evening, and was focused on getting Evie’s closet switched over to her new room. For now her clothing is still sitting on the couch where I last folded it all. 

I swear Evie knew something was up, as she was not wanting to go to bed that night. She had demanded to get to hear baby sister’s heart beat on the doppler that friends of ours had lent us to us during this pregnancy. She had not asked to hear this in awhile. It was lots of “I hear baby sister one more time!”, I guess looking back I should have taken that as a hint things were going to be changing. Evie knew we were pregnant, and that it was a girl before we all did. Why wouldn’t she suspect baby sister was coming? That night we tucked her into bed, and we made sure to sneak into her room to get a photo of her sleeping. What we thought might be the last night of having only one daughter. To check on her one last time, our first born. The one who made us parents in the eyes of those around us. Little did she know she would soon officially be a big sister. 

I warned my Mom that things may be happening, and that she was now on standby. I headed off to bed after making a final check list of last minute things we may need, such as grabbing the camera and newborn car seat. By 2am I couldn’t sleep, and I actually kicked my husband out of our room so that he could try to get some rest without my disturbing him. Contractions were starting but still really far apart, but oh my were they ever intense. I called the birthing unit to ask them if I should be coming in. I had been keeping track of my contractions, and had two while on the phone with the nurse who promptly told me to get in there. By now it was 4am and we were trying to get a hold of my Mom to have her come over, and be home with Evie while we headed off to the hospital. She was not answering her cell phone, and we ended up calling the home phone… sorry if we woke anyone else up there. My mom got to our house just before 5am, and we were out the door.

I greatly disliked every bump in the road, speed bump in our complex, and read light on our 15 minute drive to the hospital. I was seriously debating yelling at my husband to run the reds because I was in so much pain with each contraction and hated that I had to be sitting, and locked in with a seatbelt. Once at the hospital I felt like no one was believing me that the contractions were as intense as they were. It was taking awhile to have someone come and check me, and see if I was dilated. One nurse finally did, but wanted another nurse to check too. I had progressed really fast while waiting to be admitted. I was also already asking for an epidural because it was hurting so much. Thankfully they soon got me into a private room, and told me to try taking a shower to ease the pain. Little did I know til later, but it was shift change for the staff, which included the anesthesiologist. This would explain why I was not getting the epidural I wanted. The shower was NOT helping, they brought in the laughing gas to try and have that ease the pain and to help me focus on my breathing. Yeah, that was not taking any edge off.

By this point, I was that lady in the maternity ward who was crying out in pain with each contraction. Each one was getting worse. At one point I know I cried out “Please! I needed the epidural yesterday!”. One nurse finally suggested that I be checked again for progression, and I was now already at 8-9cm. 10cm is go time! After realizing this, the staff seemed to kick it into high gear and flagged down the anesthesiologist from another room, and told the person to come to me first in hopes of trying to take the edge off the pain. One of the nurses was trying to encourage me to continue to use the laughing gas, and I was having none of it. It was not helping what so ever. At this point all my body wanted to do was move, and let me cry out if needed. While waiting to get the epidural placed I had 4 contractions, got mad at my poor husband and told him not to touch me. Sorry honey. The first attempt at the epidural ended up hitting bone, and with the second attempt unfortunately the epidural did not take, it was too late, I was at the point of no return. With Evie things took forever to progress it felt like, it was not like that this time. Things happened much more quickly.

The doctor very kindly told me that “Oh you may want to push on the 3rd of 4th contraction coming up”. Wrong, I was very quick to reply “I want to push now!” I remember hearing someone say “Don’t push yet” and I know that I snapped back saying “No! I am pushing now!” with that my water broke. Again I found myself snapping to have people not touch me, and I was given the prompt response that they weren’t, and that baby girl’s head was already out. With three more quick pushes baby girl arrived at 8:15am. During all of this I let out a very loud yell from the intense pressure and pain I  was feeling. My husband later informed me that he has never heard me cry out in such pain before. Those who know me, my reaction to pain is normally that I start laughing uncontrollably. Not this time.

It was a much more intense, fast, and furious labor than my first one. I was not expecting it to be like that at all. As soon as our little girl was out I felt such a calming peace come over me, and I was apologizing profusely to everyone in the room, my husband, and all the hospital staff. I felt so bad for being so snappy, blunt, and grumpy. I’m sure the hospital staff have seen it all, and then some, but I still felt terrible. Instantly upon having little girl out I felt so much better. I did have one little rip, but nothing compared to the second degree tear with my first daughter. That being said, since the epidural didn’t work this time, I felt every single one of those stitches go in. Don’t even get me started on the “ring of fire” I felt delivering her… ouch! That explains my yelling. 

During deliver, a bit of meconium was spotted so a paediatrician was called in to be present when our daughter arrived so that she could be checked over right away. Jason was able to get to cut the umbilical cord this time, and soon was over by our daughter’s side counting fingers and toes and informing me that she did not have webbed toes like I do. The paediatrician quickly informed us that she was perfect, and there was no need for concern. A few other checks were done, such as her weight and height, and then she was placed back on my chest for skin to skin time. I was so thankful for this as I didn’t get to have this time with Evie right away. Our second daughter was quick to try nursing, and has been nursing like a champ ever since. While I do have some challenges from my surgery last year, and do have to supplement, our second daughter is getting a lot of breast milk too. 

One of the fun, small world moments that happened this time is that one of the nurses tending to the delivery of our daughter, and to me is one of my blog followers! It seriously made my delivery. I could not thank her enough as she was such a help in making things happen and making sure I was as calm as I could be. My husband was also following her lead, especially after I yelled at him to not touch me. There was something very comforting and supportive in having her there. As soon as I saw her name tag when she came in I knew who she was, as she had emailed me a few weeks ago asking when I was due and after a few emails back in forth I was sure hoping, and praying she would be there at the hospital the day I went into labor. She even came back at the end of her shift to say congratulations again, and to encourage me that I was not the craziest lady in labor ever. I was also informed that I can say I have experienced “natural labor” because of none of the pain prevention methods working. Can’t say I ever want to experience that again. 

I will never forget this labor, and the moment of holding my second daughter for the first time. This time we wanted to take it all in. We didn’t get around to telling people that we were on our way to the hospital, or that she had even arrived until several hours after delivery. It was wonderful to get to just soak her in. She was finally her. Oh how I cherish the moments she first locked eyes on me. Forever filling the hole in my heart that was meant just for her. I will never forget the day my husband became father to two precious girls. I will never forget the day Evie became a big sister.

Evie came to the hospital later in the afternoon. Jason had to go and pick her up from our house since we had her car seat in our car. Oh the excitement that overflowed from her as she came running into the room. “Baby sister is out of mama’s tummy!” I had made sure to have Jason hold our daughter, as many friends has suggested that my arms and lap be open and ready for our oldest to be able to come to me since she was likely to have been missing us. Right into my lap she ran, and soon I remember Jason placing our youngest daughter into her big sister’s hands so that she could hold her for the first time. Finally, a family of four, all together for the first time. We have fallen in love hard with this sweet little girl. 

Introducing to you…