Forty-One Weeks

I'm going to be pregnant forever.

Say it with me: FOR-EV-ER.

(Insert wicked laugh here)

Just kidding, y'all!  She's here---our baby girl has arrived!

After a very long, mentally and physically exhausting day, Reagan Elizabeth made her debut Monday night (July 29th) at 11:18pm via C-section weighing 6 pounds, 8 ounces and measuring 19 inches long!

I was going to try to give you the "short-n-sweet" version of her birth story, but you know me...I can be kind of wordy, so bear with me! ;)

We called the hospital at 3:30am Monday morning like we were instructed. They informed us that there were no beds available at that time and to call back at 6am if we didn't hear from them before then.  6am rolled around and, again, no beds available.  Just when I was starting to think our induction wasn't going to happen, we got the call at about 6:45am that there was a bed waiting for us and we were to hurry down there and snatch it up.  You don't have to tell me twice!  I don't think I've ever power-waddled that fast in my LIFE! LOL

We got set up in our room rather quickly and then things got hoppin'.  IV's, fetal monitors, contraction monitors---the works.  The nurse, Kelly (who ROCKS, by the way), checked my cervix and told me I was still 1cm dilated, 80% effaced, and Reagan was at a -1 station (which she said felt "very low" to her).  She said I was definitely having some contractions, although none were extremely strong or consistent.  Pitocin was started to get them more regular and increase their strength.

**Here's a picture of me at around this point (I call this "pre-pain"...lol):

Dr S came in shortly after, broke my water, and placed a monitor on the inside of my uterus to more accurately check the strength of the contractions.  He said I was at about 1.5cm and 80% effaced then.

Up until this point, the contractions weren't that bad.  They were definitely noticeable and made my stomach very tight, but nothing I couldn't handle.  Well, after Dr S broke my water, it was a whole different story.  Whew.  The only way to describe the pain is an extreme menstrual cramp type pain that started in my back and wrapped around to my lower abdomen.  There was no doubt about it: an epidural was in my future...and VERY near future, at that!

Luckily, it didn't take the anesthesiologist long to come to my rescue.  But, of course, I can't just do things by the book and be a model patient.  Nooooo...my body has to be difficult.  Once he put the numbing medicine into my back (the medicine prior to the actual epidural needle being inserted), my entire body seemed to go warm and numb and I started to feel very sleepy.  Somehow the medication had managed to find it's way into my spinal column (not the doctor's fault---it has more to do with my petite body frame and then size of the space he had to work with back there), completely numbing me, and dropping my blood pressure to 60/30 at the same time.  Yeah, I know, freeeeeeeaky!

No worries, though!  My nurse and the anesthesiologist were on top of things and managed to bring my pressure back up, let the initial numbing medication completely wear off, and then adjust the epidural to ensure I was pain free during the contractions.  Again, I can't do anything "normal", so instead of being numb from the waist down (like most laboring moms), I was only tingly (but comfortable) from my belly button to the top of my thighs.  I had complete control of my legs, and was even able to get myself on and off the bed pan without any issue.  (This was nice, because it meant I got to avoid the dreaded foley catheter---score!)  Weird, I know.  That's me in a nutshell! ;)

So, then the real wait began.  From then until roughly 9:30pm at night, after my Pitocin drip was maxed out and what seemed like a half-dozen checks were done, my cervix only made it to 3cm dilated, 90% effaced, and Reagan's head was at a 0 station.  Even though she seemed to be tolerating the labor great, I was absolutely exhausted, so Dr S suggested we go ahead with a C-section to get her out in a safe, timely manner.

Even though that wasn't how my "ideal labor" would've been, the hubs and I always knew in the back of our minds/hearts that a C-section was a possibility.  We weren't opposed to it---as long as our baby girl was okay!  Still, making that decision was a little scary (mainly due to the thought of a major surgery and having to receive more epidural medication in order to numb me properly) and a little emotional.  My husband, both of our families, and the nurse (a different, but equally awesome Kellie) all prayed together, asking God to guide the hands of Dr S and to keep Reagan and I both safe during the delivery.  Afterwards, I felt much more at peace with this little detour God was sending us down...and then it was go time!

I'm going to spare you the details of the C-section.  All I'm going to say is it's not what they show on TLC's A Baby Story.  The pressure they have to use to get the baby out is much more intense than they make it out to be.  But a mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do, right?

After about fifteen minutes of being in the OR, with my husband by my side holding my hand, I heard him say, "Babe, her head's out.  There she is!"  And I lost it.  Completely lost it.  I didn't even have to wait to hear her cry---I was a big, blubbering mess already! lol  The cord was wrapped around her neck once, which is always scary.  But Dr S was able to remove without any issues (PTL!).  Then came the most beautiful---and LOUD---sound in the whole wide world...our little girl's first cry!

They took her to be checked out and the hubs got to go get lots of pictures of her first few moments of life.  Then he was able to bring her over to me so I could smother her with kisses.  I swear, it just doesn't get any better than that: laying eyes on the child you've been praying and hoping for for soooo long for the first time!  Gah.  I'm getting all emotional again just thinking about it!

The rest of the night was sort of a blur...it had been such a long day, I could barely hold my eyes open!  I do remember they took me to recovery, then brought her to me so I could have some skin-to-skin time and try to nurse her (which wasn't their usual policy, so I was so very appreciative to the nurse for allowing me to have that time!).  We were wheeled to our post-partum room, and Reagan was allowed to stay with us.  Rather than waking up every hour or so because of vital signs, lab sticks, and feedings, I don't remember a whole lot! lol

**I don't have a good "first official" picture of Miss Priss loaded on my computer (yet), but here's one of our Mommy/Daughter snuggle time sessions:

**And here's one of her all dressed up in her headband (and outfit, which I failed to get a picture of) while hanging out in our room Tuesday:

We were discharged early Wednesday from the hospital.  This isn't typical, but I suspect we got cut loose early because of "good behavior". ;)  I had already been up walking the halls the day before, my incision looked good, and Reagan had been cleared by the pediatrician.

**Reagan Elizabeth headed for home (her car seat swallows her up! lol):

So now here we are, trying to get used to this crazy new life of ours!  I won't say it's not rough waking up every two hours (or earlier) to nurse her, or dealing with the pain of the labor plus incision.  But when I hold this little girl that we have been blessed with, it makes every single second of the last thirty-five months---infertility, pregnancy, delivery---worth it.  Man, what a mighty God we serve!!

Which brings me to the Verse of the Day... "You have turned my mourning into dancing; You removed my sackcloth and dressed me in joy; that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent; Lord my God, I will praise You forever!" (Psalm 30:11-12) What a perfect verse for a perfect life occasion!

**Here are just a few more pics of our little love...they're just too precious not to share!

Tiny toes...ok, long toes.  But aren't they adorable?! She gets those from me! ;)

I realized today there aren't too many pictures of Reagan and I actually together, so my sweet baby daddy snapped this pic for me:

That's all for now, folks!  I'll try to keep y'all updated when possible, but please be patient with me while I'm learning how to juggle Mommyhood and the rest of life's tasks!  Thank you all SO MUCH for all of the thoughts and prayers...please keep them coming!