Ginger's arrival!

Thanks to everyone for their sincere emails, comments, and phone calls regarding Ginger's arrival. I feel so blessed to have had such an amazing experience, and wanted to share the details as many have asked!

So, on 1/12/09, I had another NST scheduled at the hospital to follow up on the few weeks of low fluids found in my tummy. Again, the fluids were found to be low, at a 5.2, with that pocket being filled with umbilical cord. I was told that I would be induced today, and to go down to Labor and Delivery to be admitted. It felt like de ja vu from last Thursday, when I was admitted then discharged, but because I was already prepared to be induced the following day, I knew this was going to be for real.

I called Paul, who had been trying to stay at work as long as he could, as he and I planned on him taking 2 weeks off once Ginger arrived. At this point it was about 4pm, and he left work, went home and fed the dog, and arrived at the hospital. Of all days, I forgot my cell phone at home, so I couldn't send out any immediate text messages and the hospital phone only called out to a radius of 5 miles away (which is so lame, isn't it?)

Paul arrived and had called my parents, sister, and his mom, and his mom actually beat him to the hospital she was so excited (mind you, she doesn't drive, so she convinced her friend to bring her over right away) The doctor came and checked me, and put together a plan of cytotec first (a pill that is inserted to soften your cervix), then pitocin. I was 2 cm dilated at that point, and both she and the nurse prepared Paul and I for a looooong night, telling us that because this was our first and she was only 60% effaced, we could be looking at between 8-10am as "normal"...it was 9pm at this point.

So the cytotec was inserted and and 2 hours later, I was checked and was dilated now to 2.5 cm. Big whoopie :) Even so, they decided against another round of cytotec (YEAH!) and we went straight to the pitocin. Once administered (around 11pm), I began contracting pretty immediately every 1-3 minutes with strong contractions. It was 1am when the doctor came back and checked me again, and I was only dilated to 3.5 cm. I was advised by both doc and nurse to continue with more pitocin, as well as pain medication, vs. starting the epidural, as once that was started, it could slow down my labor progression even further. On the earlier advice I had been given by so many women, I decided to push for the anesthesiologist to be contacted because I'd been told that I shouldn't wait until the last minute and that I could miss my window. THANK GOODNESS that I did this, as it took about 45 minutes to get the epidural, which was complete by 2am.

Something was strange for me- so many women had shared with me that once I got the epidural, life would be easy street. No pain, numbness, and generally a return to good spirits. Not for me, within 30 minutes I was still feeling a strong pressure (although the worst pains of the contractions were gone) and I actually thought they hadn't given me a big enough dose of meds for the epidural. I asked my nurse about it at 2:45am or so, and she said let's keep an eye on the contractions, as no I should still feel a bit of pressure, it wouldn't ALL go away because then I wouldn't be able to push at all. I told her again at 3:15am or so that I knew this epidural wasn't working, as I was still feeling a ton of pressure when I was contracting. She said she would have the doc check me, and upon doing so, it was determined I was 10 cm fully dilated, and Ginger's head was already beginning to pop out!

The doctor actually had to ask me to hold Ginger in for a few seconds, she was not prepared to deliver and had to get her gear on, and call in the support crew. I literally felt the urge to push and it took everything in me to wait! Doc was ready in no time, and it only took 3 pushes for Ginger to come! In fact, on the first push, our nurse told us "you know, she's coming on her own, you really don't even need to push very hard...just try to get her going down there a little bit".

At 4:02am, Ginger was delivered, and was set on my tummy for some skin to skin time. Paul, Shanna and I were all crying and joyful and all of us couldn't believe my luck/blessings that it was such an easy exit. Other than the 2 hours of contractions on pitocin which required a focal point and breathing techniques, the rest of the experience was pretty darn normal, or easier than normal. She is 7 lbs, 14 oz, is 20 inches long, and is quite a beauty, if I do say so myself!

Here are a few pics of Ginger- she is now 2 1/2 days old and doing just wonderfully. She's taken to breastfeeding and we are experiencing no challenges there, which is another blessing I am so thankful for. She's a day sleeper, which has made for an interesting few nights with Paul and I, but luckily my parents have been staying over and my mom is a night owl, so she's been around for backup rocking, singing, and cuddling.

We are so blessed!