Sally's Birth Story

This is Baby Sally's Birth Story

(I hope you do not find any of these pictures inappropriate, but this is my blog and I can post what I want )

I hope you are ready for picture overload :)

It all starts last Friday afternoon. We had our 39 week appt. and a list of to-do's for the weekend. We had an ultrasound and they were estimating her weight to be 5 pounds 10 oz. They said there was probably nothing to be concerned with but there was a chance that the placenta was not providing adequate nutrients for her. They said if this was the case, taking her now would be the best thing to do....so they said, "How do you feel about having a baby tomorrow?". I was in shock....tomorrow?? I had things I needed to get done this weekend. We were just there for an appt. How could we possibly have a baby tomorrow??!! They said they wanted us to go home, pack our things, eat a light dinner and come to the hospital at about 8 pm. Of course I started worrying. I worried that there was something that they weren't telling us. Joe cornered the Dr. and asked her if there was anything else that could be wrong. She said no....Sally was probably just a small baby. They were just doing this to be on the safe side. I cried on the way home. This was not how I pictured things to play out....I have since learned, with birthing babies, it's never goes the way you had planned. I told Joe that I was scared. Maybe I wasn't ready yet. He assured me that everything was going to be fine.

We came home and started packing. We told Hank that when we came home, he would have a sister :)
I took my last belly shot (39 Weeks) in the nursery.
We took one last picture of us together. The next time we came home to our sweet little house, we would be different. We would be parents....and our lives would be changed forever.

We ate Memphis Pizza Cafe and got to the hospital around 7:30....anxious much?! After getting checked in, I changed into normal people pajamas. I just wasn't ready for the hospital robe yet. I got an IV in my arm with fluids and anti-biotocs for the strep that I tested positive for. They put in the Cervidil to help me dilate and Joe and I settled in for a very sleepless night.
During the whole process, Joe was very excited to watch the monitor.

The next morning, they started my Pitocin at 7 am. The Dr. came by at 8:35 and I had not made very much progress. They upped the dosage of Pitocin. Around 9 :20, I could start feeling contractions....sorta like very mild menstrual cramps. Sister Kristy arrived from Nashville at 9:30 and we got the party started.

Here we are at 3 cm dilated...making progress...slowly but surely.

I got nauseous around 11:45. It probably had something to do with hunger. My dad thought it was fun to name all the foods that sounded good. Not fun for me. I was starving!! The Dr. came to break my water at 12:30. At this point I was 2 cm dilated. As soon as they broke my water my contractions got way worse. I decided I would wait 30 minutes before getting the epidural, but 3 contractions in, I decided that I needed it now...best decision ever! The lady who came to do it had a hard time finding a spot to put it. I think she stuck me a total of 5-6 times with that long, horrible needle....all while staying perfectly still. Luckily I couldn't see anything. Joe was very upset having to watch them do this to me.

After I got the epidural, I was a happy girl. They put in the internal fetal monitor and a catheter and I couldn't feel a thing....it was awesome! I will never understand why some women feel the need for pain. I did not feel like less of a woman for getting it. Having the epidural made the whole delivery process enjoyable.

Me in labor AFTER epidural....yay!!

I got a little nauseous again at 3pm and threw up. My legs felt like so heavy...I could barely move them. I was starting to feel better and starting to feel some pressure so I told Joe who told the nurse. Apparently we had a machine that was NOT picking up my contractions, but they were getting closer and closer together.

We had a pool going with what time she would be born at and how much she would weigh.

Me and Joe during labor.

Joe's mom and stepdad sent flowers to our room during labor...so sweet!

My dad waiting anxiously in the waiting room.

The nurse came in and checked me and I was at a 10. She said we could start pushing in about 30 minutes...oh my lord!!

4:20 pm and now we are at 10 cm and READY TO PUSH!!

Lindsey, Me and Kristy right before I started pushing

Everyone left the room except for Joe and Kristy. I was so nervous but excited at the same time. Right before pushing, I made Kristy draw a dragonfly on my wrist to remind me of my mom....the original Sally.

I started pushing at 4:45 and Sally came into the world at 5:37. It was the easiest delivery ever. I imagine it has something to do with the magic epidural and the fact that she only weighed 5 lbs. 3 oz. We laughed and joked between pushes and talked about how the Kardashians birth their own babies. It was actually pretty fun. I was determined to do it and concentrated when it was time for a contraction. The Dr. told me that I was making progress and Joe and Kristy kept looking and telling me that they saw hair! The Dr. got into her scrubs, face mask, etc. The other nurses came into the room to help. I pushed a few more times. I knew it was "go time" on the third push. I pushed that baby out. I could feel her coming and decided to keep going. She shot out of me so fast with no pain at all.

They put her on my belly and I helped to clean her off.

It was so amazing to finally see the face and body that had been in my belly for the last 9 months.

Joe and I were so excited. We both cried!!

Joe is super excited to be a daddy!!

Kristy went to get all of the people that were anxiously awaiting her arrival in the waiting room. My dad (Poppy) holding Sally for the first time. He was totally smitten with her!!

Me and Joe with a room full of visitors.

Me and my precious angel

Silly girl!!

Love this picture of us introducing Sally to her Aunt Patti and Lindsey.

Me and Lindsey

It was so amazing to have her look up right at me. It was like she was saying, "So your my mama".

The Godmothers with Sally

little baby feet ;)

I was so exhausted after labor and Joe was one very proud papa.

They moved us up to a recovery room about an hour later. We ate Chinese food and fell asleep talking about the crazy amazing experience that we had just had. We stayed at the hospital on Saturday and Sunday nights and came home on Monday.

Joe in the middle of the night...snuggling with Sally.

Joe was pretty proud of himself for staying in this bed for three nights.

Me getting ready to take Sally home from the hospital.

Joe and I in front of our hospital room.

Getting ready to go home...holding my sweet girl before her first car ride.

Baby Sally riding in the car.

We have been having so much fun with our sweet girl, but we are so exhausted. It is very hard staying up at night to feed her, change her, make sure she is still breathing, etc. But when she looks up at your with her sweet eyes, it is all worth it. I cannot wait to share pictures of Sally as she grows up with you.

I hope you enjoyed this birth story. I had a lot of fun writing it and remembering the special day. I realize that my delivery experience was not what I "had planned" but I think God had this whole thing as part of his plan. He knew what he was doing. I hope that my next delivery goes just as smooth as this one did. Like Joe said, "that was fun!".