Birth Novel...

***SUPER LONG*** feel free to just look at the pics I wont be offended

Time to write out the Ol' birth story... looking back it sort of was sucky hahaha but it was so much better then Miley's so in my mind it was really good!

My mother in law arrived the day before my due date because we were SO sure Lola was going to come early or at least on time. We thought wrong. We spent the next couple of days going on very long walks. I did lots of chores. I ate spicy food. Nada. I was starting to worry that the baby wouldn't come on its own and then Carol would be leaving and I would have no help or someone to watch Miley- so I was starting to contemplate induction even though I REALLY didn't want to. I desperately wanted to go into labor on my own in hopes that I could stay at home longer, be able to walk around, not be hooked to the monitors, be more distracted, take a shower, head in when things got  unbearable and possibly do it without an epidural. No such luck.

 On the Monday following my due date I had them strip my membranes. I vow never to do that again- it didn't help and was HORRIBLE. We discussed getting induced on that thursday at my appointment but nothing was confirmed because the hospital didn't have room. However if they did have room I was supposed to show up at 6 am to get induced...

On tuesday I tried to be a fun mom and take Miley swimming. Our car got towed at the pool. I cried. Wednesday still nothing and I sort of came to terms with the fact I probably was going to be induced again. I wasn't as emotional as I thought. Wednesday night I tried to go to bed early but I was pretty nervous.

Thursday- I was confused about what was going on. No one from my Dr's had called me so I woke up at 6 and tried calling my doctor. The doctor on call was not the doctor I thought was going to be on duty so I was super confused... so I just went back to bed ha! At 7:30 my phone rings and it is the hospital asking me if I am coming in for my 6am induction that I am 1.5 hours late to... I start apologizing and telling them how no one ever confirmed it to me and begging them if its not too late can I please still come, I also tell them I can be there in 30 mins. I jump out of bed and wake up JT by saying- we are gonna have a baby today!!! I was actually super excited and just plain ready to be DONE being pregnant. It was a funny feeling because I never got to that point with Miley's pregnancy. We rushed around grabbing last minute stuff and woke up Miley and Carol and kissed them goodbye!

last picture as an only child

We got to the hospital around 8:30 and started our paperwork then finally got into our room around 9. I had sort of forgotten/blocked out what labor and delivery was like... let me tell you when I walked into the hospital room it all came FLOODING back. weird.

Last shot with baby on the inside

We were in room 6 and it was pretty nice. I filled out medical information and changed into my hospital gown which had weird holes/cuts for nursing- I am not a fan of the gowns.

Around 9:15 I got my IV... I am hesitant to say this because the contractions are so horrible but honestly looking back I swear the IV was the WORST part. oh it was terrible. I seriously wish I could labor without one. Anyway. I have pretty crappy veins in my arms, and that might be an understatement. The nurse finally got one and I did the usual and looked away while they did it. After everything was in place I looked over because it was still hurting and super uncomfortable and usually at this point it doesn't hurt so bad as it is just irritating. This was hurting. Also when I looked over the towel that had been under my arm had some blood on it... not a ton... but not a little. Usually blood doesn't phase me in the least but today it did I guess?

Within like maybe 3 minutes I start feeling SUPER dizzy and start telling everyone that I think I am going to pass out or throw up. They quickly get me laying down all the way. I am now sweating PROFUSELY. seriously soaking this gown I am in. They get a cold cloth for my head and start taking my BP... it is something like 60/40. I felt absolutely horrible for like the next 30 mins. They start giving me IV fluid and I chew some ice chips. All I keep saying is "I am SO hot, I feel so horrible, this has NEVER happened to me before" ha ha. Finally I am able to sit up a little. I am not even in Labor yet and I'm complaining.

Dumb IV and me starting to feel normal

Hospital gear- I am great at picking hospitals that give lame pink pitchers instead of cool nursing mugs. boo.

 I was super happy that I didn't have to have any sort of catheter dilator or medicine this time around. Once I am not feeling dead the nurse turns on pitocin and little contractions start up. They are not bad just annoying. At this point I am still thinking maybe just maybe I can do it without an epidural. They have the Nurse Anesthetist come in and talk epidurals with me in case I do want one later.

Around 10:20 my doctor arrives and tries to break my water. it doesn't work (re-occuring theme here- nothing goes right ha ha). She tries 3 times. This is less then comfortable. I was at 1.5cm  when I checked in am now at a 2. The doctor decided to try putting a fetal monitor on to see if that will break the water. This also doesn't break it yet she manages to attach it?? I am confused too- don't worry you aren't the only one. While we are doing all these things baby's heart rate drops and I am put on my side and given oxygen for maybe 5 mins (according to my medical bill statement that 5 mins cost $654... didn't know oxygen was so pricey did you)

 Doc leaves and says some instructions like call when her water breaks or something else blah blah I forget.  5 mins after the doctor leaves I make a joke to Jt and the nurse that I must have super strong amniotic sac's and so I don't have to worry about them ever breaking when I am like at the grocery store or something. As I laugh after saying that I start GUSHING fluid. Super disgusting. All I can say is that I no longer wish for the whole "water breaking at home, I must be in labor" experience. I will take my disgusting leakage at the hospital thank you. Luckily it was all clear unlike with miley how it was pea soup green from meconium. I then proceed to soak towels. and more towels. and then the nurse leaves and Jt changes the towels two more times. That is a true test of husband love... is he willing to put new towels under your butt and take the soaking wet ones to the laundry basket- then you know its true love. Oh man the gushing fluid made me laugh because I felt so awkward/embarassed by how much there was.

 Then they crank up the pitocin and the contractions hurt but I am dealing pretty good using some cleansing breaths. Go me. I then just wait around and Jt goes to get food and at 1:45 the nurse checks me and I am at a 4. Last labor I got to a 4 then I went to 4+ and for the next like 5 hours nothing happened. So I was a bit discouraged and told the nurse I probably wanted the epidural since it probably was going to be awhile.


Around 2:15 the nurse anesthetist(N.A) comes in and I sign away my life. He does the epidural and I feel something dripping down my back which is odd (pretty sure it was blood dripping)... turns out he stuck into a vein (no hard feelings towards the guy, I completely understand that they are doing the procedure by feel and every back has different blood supply paths) so yeah he has to do it again. I am not a happy camper and also the contractions are sucking. The second time he does it the head anesthesia guy is also in there and it appears to work but they have to give me a practice dose of meds and I have to watch for all these creepy signs incase the medicine is going to my blood stream. Yikes. It didnt go in my blood so we are good there. He gives me the real meds and tells me that in 15 mins I should be good, so I wait. and wait. and wait.

At this point my legs are getting pretty numb and yet I can feel every contraction. I felt like having my legs numb made it worse since the only sensation I could now feel was the contractions. I keep pushing my button but nothing is changing. The N.A. gives me extra regular epidural meds. It reeeeally is sucking. Finally at 3:30 the N.A. comes back and I am still hurting so bad so he gives me a new drug that according to what JT looked up on the internet "Fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine" its the good stuff. They also turned off the pitocin and I switch from side to side to try and get the medicine going everywhere. Finally at 4pm I am feeling ok. oh and pretty numb. waaaay more numb then with miley.

we watched the olympics while we waited

pushing my button like crazy

Finally getting some relief

At 5pm the nurse comes in and talks to me and I say I am feeling weird, she asks if it feels like pressure to go #2 ahahah I say no I just feel weird and she says ok well let me know if you want to be checked. She leaves but then I change my mind and call her back in- she checks me and says I am at 10 cm and its time to have a baby!!! She calls the dr and 15 mins later the doc is in and suited up. I pushed through two contractions and she was out at 5:33pm. I still can't believe how fast it was. I pushed for 1.5 HOURS with miley and this one was like 5 mins for something. Unfortunately because of how fast she came I tore right where my episiotomy was last time and will most likely tear there with every future delivery since the tissue is weak. Lame.

black and white so its less gross for everyone :)

they put her directly on my chest

It was pretty cool because as I was delivering her my doctor told me "look down, Look down" and I actually did and it was an awesome experience I didn't have last time. They tried to get JT to cut the cord but he wouldn't have anything to do with it hahaha

Love love love this one

Inspired by Naomi,  I had JT take this- my dr is hilarious and was like "wait wait let me make sure its the cool side showing"- I didn't make it bw because it wasn't nearly as cool or gross.

cute face and not squished head!

7lbs 11 oz and 20 1/2 in long

Dr. Thirumlai with all of us, she then grabbed the camera and was taking tons of pictures like having the nurse pretend to put Jt's wristband on again and snapping ones of me getting my baby wristband and us as a family. She is the best!

 It's crazy what a different experience it was then Miley's birth. After Miley was born it was tons of commotion, nurses checking things and us texting, calling, taking pictures and saying "Oh my gosh we are parents" "I can't believe we have a baby" etc. This time within probably 30 mins of delivering Lola I realized all the doctors and nurses had left the room, they had dimmed the lights, and it was just the three of us in our little room. It was so calm and quiet. Lola just brought this immense amount of peace with her and we all just soaked it up. I was able to nurse her and we waited for Carol and Miley to arrive. I can't even really describe how I felt, it was just a completely different experience doing this whole bringing another baby into the world. I actually am really grateful they were so different, I guess I had been expecting it to be the same and was worried it would feel sort of... repetitive- I know that sounds horrible hahaha but I was feeling so guilty that I might feel that way. Luckily I was wrong. Also right before Miley and Carol got there we got our dinner which was Turkey and it was delicious and they always gave us enough for two people since I was allowed to order "double portions" niiiice.

Miley LOVED meeting Lola. She brought Lola a little Minnie toy and Lola gave her a toy camera!

GG also loved meeting her but miley was a little rambunctious and I was super tired so they didn't stay too long

First family photo with all 4 of us! CRAZY we are a family of 4!!! looove miley's face in the second one.

 After Miley and Carol left the nurse came in to give Lola her bath and help me get cleaned up. Unfortunately after I finished getting cleaned up and going to the bathroom I started feeling really light headed again- yuck. One thing I loved about our hospital is that you have everything done in your room after the baby is born. They don't even have a nursery so I got to be there for her first bath. Lola really didn't mind the bath and loved the water on her head.  Then they had her do some sort of maintain her temperature check under an incubator warmer thing and she loved that. She just laid there super quiet and still with all her little limbs stretched out.

gorgeous little baby

 We were then left with just our little family and I realized how tired I was but didn't want to put this sweet little baby down. She rarely cried the whole time at the hospital which was awesome so we got a little rest. However she did choke and spit up blood in the middle of the night and it totally freaked us out and Jt went running out into the hall to get a nurse hahaha turns out she most likely was spitting up amniotic fluid and MY blood she had probably swallowed. Didn't know that was common, my bad!

*Interesting note- Miley was also born on a thursday evening (L-5:33pm M-6:24pm). I guess thursday at dinner time is when I like to give birth.


So that is the Novel of the birth for my own records. So grateful to have this little girl here. She is such a lovely baby and is SOOOO LOVED.