Piper's Birth Day

After our 37 week checkup last Wednesday, we were praying that our little girl would make her arrival within 24 hours.  Not only were we praying, but many of you were praying as well.  I know that God heard the cries of all of our hearts because at 5:50am on Thursday the contractions started!

I had been having a few contractions off and on during the night, but nothing that had kept me awake.  But after I got up to use the bathroom at 5:50am and came back to bed, the contractions just kept coming.  I had 6 semi-painful ones that were 6-7 minutes apart before I called Chris, who was staying at the hotel for camp.  I explained what was going on, and we decided that I should take a shower to see if that would help ease them.  I showered which did help some, and then began getting ready.  I made sure that all of the last minute items were packed in our hospital bags before heading downstairs.

Wednesday night I had been running around the house "nesting".  I made sure that all of our cloth diapers were washed and all of the baby items were in the proper place.  I charged the camera and video camera, and just gathered up everything that we would need in case we were going to make a sudden trip to the hospital.

Around 7am, I headed downstairs to feed the boys and try and eat a little something.  As soon as I made it to the kitchen, my first painful contraction hit.  I literally had to stop, lean over the island and breathe.  It only lasted about 45 seconds, and then I was ok again.  I kept doing what I had come downstairs to do, but 6 minutes later another painful contraction hit.  After about 5 of them, I called Chris to come home.  He had just dropped off some of his teammates at the facility, and was heading my way.  I let the boys outside and started bringing all the hospital stuff downstairs.  It wasn't really registering that we were going to have a baby soon, but it would.

Chris arrived home around 8am, to find me bent over the island in a contraction.  He quickly gathered up all the stuff and loaded the car.  I put the boys in their crates, told them I loved them, and that when we returned I would have their new little sister with me!

We drove the 15 minutes to East Jefferson General Hospital.  Chris and I nervously chatted the entire time, unless I was having a contraction and then we were focused on breathing.  Once we arrived at EJGH, we parked and walked into labor and delivery.  At the desk we explained that I was in labor.  "Is this your first baby?", one nurse asked me as if she didn't believe that I was in pain.  "Yes!", I answered somewhat annoyed.  They asked us a bunch of questions and took us to a triage room for an exam.  I changed into a hospital gown, pausing as the contractions came, and laid in the bed.  We waited for what seemed like forever.  Finally, a super awesome nurse named Erin came into the room.  She hooked me up to two monitors, one that watched the baby's heartbeat and one to track the time between contractions.  She watched the monitors and realized that I was in fact in labor.  (Seriously...didn't I say that when I walked in the door!)  She checked my cervix, and I was already dilated 5cm...half way there!  She quickly left to get my labor and delivery room ready.

When Erin returned, the contractions were 3 minutes apart.  She walked us to our room (#8) and hooked me up to the monitors again.  At this point I was definitely ready for the epidural!  Erin said they would be here as soon as they could...they needed to hurry!!  In the meantime, she started my IV and drew some blood to check my platelet level.  Chris coached me through the contractions as we waited.

Finally I was able to get the epidural.  Chris had to leave the room, so he went to the car and grabbed all of our stuff.  The epidural was relatively painless...I only felt a pinch.  And the best part was that it started working immediately!!  The next few contractions grew less and less painful until I couldn't feel anything...well on my right side.  The anesthesiologist returned and worked his magic...finally both sides were numb!

Once I was good to go, Erin checked my cervix again...7cm!!  Yay!  I was continuing to make progress.  She let me know that Dr. Bone would be by soon to break my water.

Feeling good after the epidural

Erin repositioning the monitors to get a better reading on baby's heartbeat

 
Dr. Bone came by and broke my water.  All I felt was a little pressure and a gush of water...such a crazy feeling.  Then we just waited for a while to see if I would continue dilating.  Good news...I kept dilating!!

The next time Erin checked me I was about 9.5cm.  We waited about 30 more minutes, and she checked me again...10cm!!!  We started pushing a little bit to see if we could get baby girl's head to come down into the birth canal.  After about 10-15 minutes, she was almost in the right position.  So we rested a while to wait for Dr. Bone to come and deliver our precious little girl.

I was super excited when Dr. Bone arrived!  She and Erin set up the room, and we chatted a little before getting down to business.  Ok, it was go time!  They positioned my legs for delivery...I couldn't move them because of the epidural, so Erin had to move them up into the leg rests.  Then, we started pushing.  We would push three times during a contraction, then take a break.  I seriously felt like I was running a marathon...pushing is hard work!!  I would close my eyes between pushing and lay back to rest.  After about 20-30 minutes of pushing, we heard Piper Mae's first cry at 2:09pm!  As soon as she came out, Dr. Bone suctioned her nose and mouth, and Erin put her on my chest.  I teared up a little as I held our little girl!  We had waited so long to have a baby, and she was finally here!  It was such a sweet moment holding our baby girl!  After they toweled her off on my chest, they let Chris hold her on his chest while they cleaned me up.  Once everything was clean, Erin took Piper for her first foot print.

Once her footprint was finished, Erin gave her back to me for some skin to skin time.  Erin snapped the picture of our new family and left the three of us alone for about an hour.

Our family of three

What a cutie little smashed face

After some family time, Erin came and took Piper to the nursery for a bath and some measurements.  Chris was able to go with them and take pictures.

Piper weighed 5 lbs, 13 ounces

She was 19 inches long

Sleepy girl

While Piper was in the nursery, Jake, Allie and Addie Smith arrived.  They had brought us Chick fil A for dinner.  I was starving since all I had eaten was a banana and a piece of toast, but I had managed to throw that up right before the epidural.  We ate, and then Erin moved us to our room where we would stay for the next two nights.  We said goodbye to her and thanked her for being so amazing!!  

Soon after we were settled, the nursery nurse brought Piper to our room.  She was so clean...I love the smell of baby!

Her eyes were gooey from the stuff that they put in to help prevent infection

Holding her felt almost surreal.  Everything had happened so quickly, and I hadn't really had time to process the fact that we were now parents...I was a MOM!  What an incredible experience giving birth was.  I am so thankful that God allowed us to go through this process.  Piper truly is a miracle and a huge blessing!

Still in awe

She's already daddy's girl...

...and mommy's too!

Our beautiful little girl!

Piper, you are already such a blessing!  We are so thankful that you are here!  We look forward to all the incredible things that we will be able to experience as you grow up!

Pin It