Here you go!
I was so disappointed after our dr appt on Thursday because there had only been a tiny bit of progress from the last week. I was really down feeling like I was never going to have this baby. DH and I went for a mile and a half walk Thursday evening, and I had a couple of "real" contractions during, but after we got home, they completely went away. I went to bed, and woke up suddenly to what I thought was thunder and rain outside at 2:30am. Strange because it hasn't rained in a while around here…so I sat up and looked out the window, trying to figure out what had awakened me. Then I realized, I was having b/h, but they were feeling more crampy than usual. I thought I'd get up and have some cereal because I always seemed to be hungry in the middle of the night during my last month. J

After being up for about an hour, I realized that I was having contractions about 5 min. apart, and they seemed to be getting much stronger than what I'd ever felt before. I waited another ½ hour before I woke DH to tell him I "think" I'm in labor. I told him I didn't want to get my hopes up, so I'd try a warm bath to see if the contractions stopped. They didn't, but they didn't feel any harder, so I got out of the tub, and DH and I and our dog went for a walk. After only a few minutes, I knew I was in labor, because the contractions were coming steady and getting stronger. We cut our walk short and got back home around 5 so DH could take a shower before we decided to leave for the hospital. I debated about waiting longer, but my dr had said when the contractions were 5 min. apart to go, and since they started out at 5, I thought I'd just wait until they got really hard. By 5:30 I was ready to go, and I'm glad we went when we did, because by the time we got to the hospital and settled into my room, I was
really hurting. The nurse asked, when we first got there, if I wanted the epi, and I said I didn't know yet. LOL Little did I know I'd be begging for it 2 hours later.

I was a little worried at first, because when they checked me, I hadn't had any progress besides what the dr saw at our appt. However, they left me alone, and the dr came at 8:30, said I was dilated to 2, and broke my water so I could be officially admitted. After that, the contractions were unbearable and only about a minute apart. My parents were there, and my dad was so fascinated by the monitors that showed the contractions, that he felt the need to tell me "Here comes another one, Di!" like I couldn't feel them. LOL The epi dr came about 9:45 and hooked me up, and I felt nothing afterwards. It was incredible! I slept most of the afternoon, but woke a few times to puke, because apparently the epi or the labor itself didn't agree with me. The nurse gave me phenergan(sp?) for the nausea, but that gave me the jitters, so I wasn't real comfortable, but at least I couldn't feel the contractions, which were still going strong.

Finally, at about 4:15pm, the nurse said I was ready to push, so everyone left except DH, my dr and the nurse, and I started pushing. It didn't hurt, but I could still feel the pressure, so I could tell when I needed to push and could feel the baby's head moving. I was just having trouble because the nurse was counting SO SLOW, that I couldn't catch my breath before she telling me to push again. But, after an hour and a half of pushing, Gwendolyn was born. As soon as they suctioned her, she started screaming and I was so happy to hear that sound! She scored a 9 then a 10 on her apgars, which we were quite impressed with. Daddy cut the cord, then went with her to the little warmer when the nurse was cleaning her, and she calmed down immediately when she heard his voice, and was even looking for him. I had some 2nd degree tearing, which my dr stitched while DH took Gwen to meet her family, who was waiting right outside the door.

We would have come home Saturday evening,
but the machine they use to do the hearing
test was broken and they had to do the test before
Gwen could leave, so we both spent another night.
The dr was also monitoring her for jaundice because her blood type is B and mine is O, and apparently her bilirubin (sp?) levels were a little high at birth, but they went down each time they redid the test. Anyway, we got home Sunday, and both of us are doing very well. She took to breast feeding so well, although my milk didn't come in until yesterday, so we supplemented with a little formula.

Sorry this turned out to be so long. LOL Anyway, we are so in love with our little girl, and all the discomforts during the last nine months, including the labor were all definitely worth it. I look at her sweet little face each time I nurse her and thank heaven for giving me such a wonderful, healthy little baby. I just love being a mommy, and hope each one of you finds the experience as wonderful as I do.

Love and ((HUGS))
DianeTX & Gwendolyn Anna (7/21/00)

She is a Y2K Baby!

We were scheduled to be induced at midnight on December 30, 1999l. At 10pm, the evening of December 30th, we rec'd a call from a nurse at the hospital canceling our induction due to no beds available. Everyone must have been trying for that Millenium baby. The nurse advised us to call in the morning to see if any beds had become available.

The next morning, December 31, 1999, we called the hospital and again there were still no beds. My OB called us an hour later and said we would have to reschedule the induction for Tuesday, January 4, 2000. I hung up the phone and sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. We were just so anxious to meet our little girl and the waiting was...UGH!

I headed back to bed, emotionally drained from sobbing. Guess who decided to return to bed...my DH...and he was frisky. Guess what? An hour after playtime we were having contractions...WOOHOO! DH rented a couple of movies to watch as we recorded the intervals btwn contractions.

5hrs into labor, we were consistently 4-5 minutes apart and decided to head up to the hospital. At 430pm, I was dilated to 3cm and 80% effaced upon admission. By 9pm my OB came to have a looksie. Just as she was inserting her hand, my water broke (btwn 4-5cm & 100% effaced). Epidural PLEASE! I had the BEST anesthesiologist in the world. He worked quickly and effortlessly. I didn't feel a thing. At 1am, I was STILL 4-5cm, so the Pitocin drip was turned on. Around 3am, after upping the dosage of Pitocin, our little gal decided she had had enough and her heart rate fell. Still only 4-5cm and not progressing at all, our only option was a c-section. DH put on his hospital uniform and off we went to OR. The nurses and doctors were so happy, for being up at 4am on New Year's Day, and music was playing.

*Drum roll please*

Our #1 gal, Ayla Grace, came into the world blowing bubbles at 420am...LOL! She was a chubb, weighing in at 8lbs 2oz and 19.5". We are so tickled to have her in our lives.

Smooches :o* Ayla! Mommy & Daddy love you Oodles!!

Last time I posted, I had just gotten back from the dr's and had interviewed our family doctor for our little guy. Well Thatcher Steel decided to come into the world that night.

Thatcher Steel Crist was born September 15th at 10:09 pm. He weighed 7lb 3oz and was 19 3/4" long.

I was at work when my water broke at 2:00 (in the bathroom thank goodness). I was leaning forward to empty my bladder when I heard and felt a small pop. I knew what that meant because someone else here said that was what they experienced. I drove home called Mick (DH) and we were off to the hospital.

After the hour of monitoring they checked (I had never had an internal before then) and I was 4cm and 100% effaced - yipee. No real pain yet, so we started walking and then used the whirlpool. When I got to 8 cm, I laid down and was there the rest of the way. I got to start pushing at 8:00 pm and thought it would never end. They ended up using a vacuum to help Thatcher out at 10:00 and I was relieved when they decided to do that. He was here 9 minutes later.

I made it without any drugs at all because that breathing really did the trick for me and Mick was WONDERFUL.

Thatcher had jaundice, as a lot of babies do, but he dropped a pound in 3 days and we could not wake him to nurse. He was admitted back into the hospital and they had to put a tube through his nose to his stomach. I cried so much at seeing this but knew it had to be done. That next day things picked up and now he nurses like a pro!

We are just so amazed and thankful for the gift God gave us. Good luck to rest of the October mommies!

Cindy

Arielle’s Birth Story by LoriR/LAR
Born on October 23, 2000

Since I had been in preterm labor for 7 weeks - I didn’t rely on contractions to tell me that labor had started - I mean how can you if you’ve been having them almost solid since 30 weeks? So here’s the run down...

6:30 am - got up to potty - after I pottied - I felt a small gush and heard a plop in the toilet. I turned on the light and saw blood and water - in the toilet and running down my leg a bit. (I had asked God to give me a sign more than just contractions to let me know that labor had begun.)

I told dh that he wouldn’t be going to work today - called my mom and then at 7 we headed to the hospital. I was having mildly painful contractions at first - they grew more painful. I told dh to floor it half way to the hospital. I really wanted to try for a no-drug birth - however the pain was getting steadily worse - so I decided to go ahead and ask for an epi.

8:15 am - we arrive at the hospital - I told the admissions guy I wanted an epidural - and he told me to head up to L& D and get it there - LOL!

We arrived at L&D and I had a nurse who acted like I was bothering her by arriving. She checked me - 3-4 cm - 80% effaced and VERY posterior she said I’d have to be anterior before the baby could come out. Hooked me up to monitors and left. At 9 am she came back shaking her head "You’re only contracting every 7 min - your doc should be here soon." She acted like I was going to be sent home - my contractions were hurting worse and worse. She just shook her head and said "I don’t know"

If she had tried to send me home I was going to pitch a fit.

10 am -my doc arrives checks me - 5 cm and 100% effaced - said that yes my water had broke - he had to break it the rest of the way - ordered my IV and epidural and told me to hang in there - he seemed kind of put out with the nurse - she mumbled something about "How can her waters be broken and then seal off" he told her it was common and was the forewaters.

The epidural lady came in close to 11 am after the IV fluids had a chance to run through me and put in the epidural - by then the contractions were horribly painful and I whimpered through them - I had 2 while getting the epi and had to make her stop. I tried the relaxation/focus thing - didn’t work for me - the only thing for me was to tense up my body and squeeze the bed rails - LOL! Finally about 20 min later - RELIEF!!! I told the epi lady that she was my most favorite person. LOL! I recommend epidurals - if you can’t handle the pain - I couldn’t and I’m not going to beat myself up over having one either - it all happened so fast anyway I suppose if I had just hung on - but I was in such pain I couldn’t focus, think, concentrate on anything. After the epi took effect the nurse (a new one - very sweet!) checked me - 8 cm!!!!

Sometime around 12:15 the nurse comes back in - I’m still waiting for my dear friend to arrive to take the photos of the birth (she thought I’d be there for a while). The nurse checks me - 10 cm - complete. Contrax were coming every 2 min - I didn’t even realize this! She then straps an oxygen mask on my face and has me do 3 pushes through the next contraction. Her eyes get big and she runs out to get the doctor - "She’s crowning - get in here" The doc runs in and gets suited up - my friend arrives finally - and then my doc tells me to push - "Look the baby has LOTS of dark hair" I push 2nd time - I had to have a small episiotomy because I was about to tear. The head comes out with the 3rd push and my baby cries before her body is born!!!! What a blessed sound! My friend starts crying as I do. I push the 4th time during the contraction and felt her body slide out of me at 12:36 pm. The nurse exclaims "You’re right" to my husband who has insisted the entire time that we were having a girl. They dried off Ariel le and wrapped her in a blanket and handed her to me. I was utterly amazed. It was the easiest birth I have ever experienced and a successful VBAC at that. It went so quickly I didn’t have to have the internal monitors placed in me. And only 7 pushes - with my son I pushed for over 2 hours! My doc said that it was the most perfect birth he’d ever seen and my nurse said I was the easiest patient she’d ever had!

And to boot - I actually made it to full term!! By one day! I ate lunch less than an hour after delivery and was up walking by 3 that afternoon.

The after birth pains were awful - I did accept the pain medication for that and 4 days later I developed mastitis (sp) which antibotics took care of. Other than that we are both doing great - I love Arielle - though I miss being pregnant - I can’t imagine life without her!

Stats - 6 pounds 11 ounces - 18 3/4 inches long.

Thanks for being such wonderful friends - I truly enjoyed sharing this journey with you all - and I’ll be keeping up with you!!!
See ya on the baby talk board!

Just wanted to drop you a note to let you know that
on 12/13/00, Our Daughter Elizabeth Ann made her
appearance. Mom and Baby are doing well now. It
was a rough 8 weeks prior to delivery. Beginning of
October I was being seen twice a week for Non-Stress
Tests (NST) and Dr's visits (both Days), then
beginning of November I was pulled out of work with
Pre-Eclampsia. Then visits to the Dr twice a week.
On the 12th of Dec at Dr's visit, NST was not as
reactive as Dr would have liked. Sent me for U/S
which showed low amniotic fluid. Dr sent me to
Birth Center for monitoring (which was 4th time).
They decided to induce me. Labor was awful as my
pelvis had not started to separate as it should have
and my blood pressure dropped during contractions
and delivery was not that bad (thanks to Epidural) I
started pushing at 12:40 pm and Elizabeth was born
at 1:10 pm 12/13/00. She weighed in at 6 lb 3 oz
and 19 3/4 inches long. She is perfect. Please
feel free to check out our family web site

I will remain a avid reader of your absolutely
wonderful site, as we plan to have another in the
future, and your site was a BIG help to us!!!!
Thanks for making this a wonderful experience with
your support and guidance. Keep up the fantastic
work!!!

Positive thoughts and lots of love,

Heidi, Rob and Elizabeth