I could tell early on that this baby was going to be big. On more than one occasion strangers made comments about me being ready to pop (at 26 weeks), asked me if it were twins and finding out it was just one asked me if I was due soon, and twice asked if it was a boy because of the way I was carrying. Nope, all girl, just one.
My original due date was July 17th, but I had two episodes of bleeding, once in the first trimester and again at 34 weeks that landed me in preterm labor and an overnight hospital stay, so I was scheduled for induction on July 10th. My mom came over the night before to stay with Amelia and Alyssa since we were to be there at 7:15am. I got a call at 5:15am saying that they had no room for me and to call back at 9. I called back, still no room, call back at 12. Still no room, call back at 3. Then at 3:45 they called me and said to come in at 4:30 and they would have a room ready for me. Elliott shook his head and said there would be no way we could make it to the hospital in time, my mom had left for awhile and hadn't made it back yet and it was rush hour traffic to the hospital which is in the city. I told him we had been sitting on our hands all day so they could wait for us! We made it there at 5pm and still had to wait for my nurse to be ready. By the way, look what I made for each if my nurses.
Little coin purses! Each nurse got one with little goodies inside. They all really liked them and luckily I had made enough!
When we got into the room I was hooked up to the monitors. I was contracting pretty regularly and I could actually feel a lot of pressure already, as a matter of fact I contracted regularly throughout my whole pregnancy and these felt stronger but didn't feel quite real yet. I had one contraction that I swore to Elliott I thought my water would have broken with because there was so much pressure, but it didn't.
My nurse then set me up with my IV, but she blew out my vein.
Twice.
My doctor came in and checked me, I was 2-3 cm and 50% effaced at 6:25pm and he broke my water and they started me on potocin at a 1. The contractions came rather quickly, but weren't too bad at first. Elliott and I joked around and watched tv. Not long after Elliott asked me when I get my epidural and I told him whenever I wanted. He suggested that I get it pretty quick and just like that the contractions picked up and I almost couldn't stand it, we called my nurse and she ordered the epidural for me. When the anesthesiologist came in and they sat me up I could feel her head, I almost told them to check me again because it felt like too much!
I was able to get the epidural though, through tears and contractions, Elliott supporting me the whole time by standing in front of me and letting me squeeze his arms. Once the epidural was in I was laid back and was checked for dilation again, I was a 7!! I almost missed my chance to get the epidural! If you don't know they won't let you get it passed 8 cm. My nurse rolled me over on my left side to get the epidural working and after a few minutes (the epidural hasn't taken full effect yet) I told my nurse, "this is going to sound stupid, but can you check me again?" Having had two kids already I knew the feeling I was having. It feels like she's trying to come out of my butt and the amount of pressure is unbelievable! She turned me to my back and checked me, she said there was only a little bit of cervix left but I would be ready in the next few contractions.
My doctor was called and my nurse set up the room, put my legs up and let me practice push a little. The epidural was enough to take the pain away but I could feel all the pressure and burning that accompanies the stretching, I never got to experience that with the other two, when I got epidurals with them I was completely numb and couldn't feel anything! When my doctor got in he commented on how she wasn't another red head, that she had dark hair, a lot of it. I laughed and said what are the odds! Elliott and I joked about having a dark headed baby since we're both lighter, though the older I get the darker my hair gets.
The nurses grabbed my legs and held them back for me, which I didn't care for I wished I could have held my own legs back, I would have felt more in control but I couldn't get my hands down enough to grab them because of the wires and things attached to my hands and arms. I started pushing, I could feel it all! It was awesome!! Her shoulders got stuck a little but through some harder pushes she was out in less than 5 minutes. I saw and felt her leave my body, she was humongous! All gray and slippery, but she wasn't making any noise. The nurses took her from the doctor and were rubbing her with blankets and towels getting her warm and clean, but still no noise. The doctor sort of forced Elliott to cut the cord, because he had refused to the last two times (blood makes him uneasy), but the doctor put the scissors in his hands and made him cut it! I loved that and my doctor for doing that, I think he might of regretted not doing it for his last baby, at least!
The NICU was called in because she still hadn't had a really good cry and I was so anxious because I thought something was really wrong and no one was really telling me anything. Later I asked Elliott what happened and he told me he really didn't understand it either because she was awake and alert, looking around at everyone. That made me feel better about it because no one told me she was fine besides not crying.
She made her grand entrance at 8:15pm, an hour and fifty minutes of labor! The nurses all joked that I would not have made it to the hospital had I went into labor on my own. I'm ok that I didn't labor on my own knowing that! She was 9 lbs even and 20 inches long, bruised face and all! Poor girl came down and out so fast that it bruised her face (looks like her hand too), she had some trouble with congestion and the spits because of it for a few days. The girls absolutely adore her and love to hold and kiss her. They have this unspoken game between them of who can kiss her the most before mom makes them stop.
Daddy is smitten with his new little girl, but she seems to be turning out to be a mommy's girl like Amelia, but that's ok because Alyssa is daddy's girl.
This was our first night at home without daddy. It was a sad night and we missed him dearly, but it was fun to be home with them by myself. Some nights are better than others though, from all the girls.
And I think she looks the most like me, sans the hair. And she's constantly milk drunk! We all adore her and its like she's always been here with us. My little family feels like its complete with my three girls and my bearded husband.
We all love our little Georgia Anne.
