This picture is the last one I have of me being pregnant with my sixth child. It was taken
maybe 2 weeks before the baby came. Looking at the picture of myself it doesn't show me having all the aches and pains of being pregnant. Or how I felt humongous and couldn't wear a lot of my clothes. Nonetheless, I am still amazed at the miracle of growing a baby and feeling it move. I feel blessed beyond measure that this has been a fairly easy pregnancy and it has finally come to an end.
At one point I wondered if this pregnancy would ever end. With my other pregnancies I have delivered before my due date by a few days. I was hoping that would be the case with this one. Well, my due date came closer and when I had my last checkup 2 days before my due date I was still only dilated to 1cm. The doctor said she could induce me but as the date came I got cold feet. I decided I could go another week and the doctor scheduled me for the following week.
I was due on Friday June 20th but this little surprise didn't come. Mike was hoping something would happen. Come Sunday night I had a few little contractions in bed but nothing more. Mike took the day off hoping for something. Monday came and nothing happened again. I had a few more contractions in the night and Tuesday I started having maybe one or two contractions an hour. They were nothing to worry about except they hurt my back. Mike convinced me to call the doctor because I was hurting. The doctor said it was normal and that I could take a bath to alleviate some of the pain. After dinner my contractions came more frequent but still not too close. I refreshed myself on enduring your labor from google. And then I prayed. I prayed for the ability to endure and make it through. After that my back didn't hurt so bad. On the upside I did get to watch a favorite show NCIS while sitting on the ground because it was the only comfortable position I liked. Around 9 pm my contractions started getting closer and by close to 10 I was ready to be done. I had gotten my breathing down to where every time I had a contraction I made a fist with my hand. I don't know why but for some reason balling my hand up helped. Just after 10 I told Mike I couldn't do it anymore and he asked if I wanted to go. We said goodbye to my mom who was here and left the kids in her care. That alone was a great blessing because I was worrying about who would take care of the kids. We checked in to the hospital at 10:50pm and had to wait our turn behind another couple. During that wait I had more contractions and some nurses came to see if I was okay. Before I knew it they were asking me when I was due and how many kids I have had. When I answered that I was 4 days overdue and this was my sixth they rushed me into a room and got me ready. I was checked and dilated to a 5 1/2 almost 6. Being so happy that I was far enough along I immediately said I wanted an epidural and they got me set up for it. By the time the doctor came and gave me my epidural my contractions were very intense and long. I held Mike's hand and requested drinks of water often. I was a little worried about getting poked by the epidural but knew better things would come of it and turns out it was easier this time than I remember 3 years ago. The doctor said it should only be 15 minutes before things kicked in. Well those 15 minutes didn't come fast enough. I told my nurse soon after that I felt like pushing. She said if I wanted I could push but my doctor wasn't there yet. She didn't want to make me wait and neither did I. At this point I was not so concerned about the baby being a boy or girl, just to get a baby out. When I was ready the on call doctor broke my water and after 4 or 5 hurtful pushes the baby was out. I was so relieved and surprised when Mike got to announce we just had a baby girl. I really thought we were having another boy. They put her on my chest and Mike cut her umbilical cord. The nurses checked the baby and weighed her at 6 lbs 13 oz and 19 inches long. She was born on June 24th at 11:54pm. She wasn't breathing and I started to voice concern. They said everything was okay and the baby had pooped in my tummy and they were cleaning her out. It was a big relief when she finally started crying. My doctor showed up 5 minutes after the baby was born. Just in time to check the baby out. They gave the baby to me and within minutes Mike and I were left alone in our room. My epidural finally kicked in and I got to nurse my girl. I don't think she got any of the medicine because she was awake and alert for 2 hours after she was born. I have never had a kid do that before.
Here is the happy but tired daddy.
I told Mike after the baby was born and I was resting that he could go home and sleep. He said no and slept on the reclining chair in my room that really didn't recline.
The next day grandma brought Elliot and Camden to see us at lunchtime. Grandma stayed with me and Mike took the boys home so they could all nap. After the big kids got out of school Mike brought them to meet their new sister. This is our first family picture of 8.
I'm so grateful for my mom who came to help with the kids and for Mike who stayed out of my way when I needed him to and was there holding my hand through it all. I'm also grateful my kids left me alone and helped out with extra chores.
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