Birth Story

Thank you guys for all the love and support.  Things of course always turn out much different than you originally plan no matter how much you try.  Honestly I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Long story short: Our bean arrived after water breaking, 14 hours of labor and an epidural later at 6:01 pm Saturday night. 

Full version: Friday morning I was checked at my usual NST appointment to find that I was still at a -3 station (possibly -4) and only 1 cm dilated.  At that point, being 39w2d and GD they were concerned with her growth being too much to make it to a vaginal delivery before 40 weeks so they scheduled my induction for Monday morning.  

Saturday morning at about 4:30 am I woke to what was clearly not pee.  I calmly woke DH up so he didn't get too nervous and got the okay to shower and dress while he packed the car.  By 5:00 we were in L&D being checked out and admitted.  At that point I was still hoping to avoid pitocin but since I was still at -3 and and tight 2cm they were only going to give me a few hours to labor on my own.  I'm not sure at what point they came in and said that I would need to get my IV and pit line put in.  By then contractions were pretty mild and not really consistent.  

At 3:00 my pitocin was upped to an 8 and I had to use the restroom.  In the 2 minutes I was going pee I had 4 contractions without any break in between and knew that I wasn't going to last hours this way.  I was checked again at 4:30 with the baby at a +2 station and 7cm dialated so the epi was put in and other than only feeling it on one side, it caused major relief.  About an hour later DH stepped out to grab a bite in the waiting room and I started to feel her descend.  As soon as he came back the labor team checked again and said I was ready to start practicing my pushing.  You could tell the Dr. didn't think he'd be back anytime soon so he gave me a few tips and left me with my l&d nurse.  In about 20 minutes the Dr. was called back and two sets of pushes later LJ was born, all 6lbs 11 oz and 20 inches of her.  

DH who originally wanted to stay by my head saw the entire thing (even I got to see her head) and said he doesn't regret it at all.  The doctor held her up and we saw the goods, she was all girl!  DH cut the cord and we both got to do skin to skin which was super special.  She's got jet black hair everywhere, is calm as can be and still getting the hang of feeding without falling asleep.  The first two 2 nights we cluster fed but we are slowly getting her to latch longer and have more time between feeds.  She's beautiful and I can't believe we have a daughter.  I'm so in love.