Ayla's Birth

Ohhhkay...I figured it was about time to sit down and start writing about Ayla's birth...it took me a few days to feel like I wasn't going crazy!! :) Dean (reluctantly) went back to work yesterday...I think he was pretty bummed to leave his little girl.

SO, on Thursday October 2nd, I was feeling really uncomfortable...Marla came over and we went on a walk through the neighborhood...it was nice to get out of the house and move around since I didn't work that day. Dean came home from work and we did the usual thing...dinner and Grey's Anatomy. The whole time, I thought "geez, TWO more weeks of feeling like THIS?!" I was crampy, tired, feeling a lot of pressure and just plain done with being pregnant.

We went to bed and around 3:oo in the morning, I woke up for my regular bathroom run. I laid there for a second and when I moved, I felt something a little weird...this is probably too much information, but whatever...I had that feeling like I just started my period. I hurried to the bathroom and peed and a few seconds later, I felt something else...honestly, I wasn't quite sure where it came from. I was wide awake at this point and just sat there and wondered if my water had broken! I opened the door and called out to Dean. He got up and we both just sat there wondering what to do! I got up and laid back down in bed and looked through some books and the Internet (I know I said I wouldn't do this, but I needed answers). It said to lay there for a little bit and go back to the bathroom and see if any more fluid comes out. I did that and yes, there was more. I called Dr.Bishop and described what had happened and at first she seemed a little iffy as well but ended up telling me to go ahead and go to the hospital. We gathered some last minute things, changed and headed out. It was all so surreal! We still didn't know for sure if it was IT or not. I think I knew that it was, but Dean was still questioning it.

We got to the hospital a little after 4:00am and once I was checked in, they tested the fluid and indeed, it was amniotic fluid...my water did break! :) Game on! They hooked me up to an IV and had me walk laps around the hospital floor. We circled around for a little under an hour and went back to the room to do some tests and hook me up to the heart and contraction monitor. I was only at 1 cm! We figured we were there for the long haul. It's all a little fuzzy from here on...so the details may be a little off, but you'll get the picture. They started pitocin to speed things up a little bit. The contractions were getting stronger and stronger...another doctor checked me and said I was in between 3 and 4 cm and could get an epidural if I wanted to. At that point, my contractions were a minute and a half apart, so I decided that I did want one...and let me tell you, epidurals are my best friend. It was amazing how we could see the contractions on the monitor but I couldn't feel a thing. I was worried about getting the actual epidural and how much it might hurt, but it was nothing! I totally didn't need to get so worked up about it!

So I'm feeling great, they eventually stopped the pitocin...not sure what time and why. Dean and I watched tv, texted/called friends and family, and listened to one of our favorite cds...Kenny Chesney "Be As You Are"...all the songs are about the Virgin Islands, which happens to be where we went on our honeymoon. It was really calming to close my eyes and listen to the songs (before and after the epidural.) They checked me again and I was at 6 cm and 90% effaced...

Not too long afterwards, I started to feel some pressure and when the nurse checked me, I was already at 10 cm and ready to push!! Holy crap! This was around 2:00 or 2:30pm (about 10 hours after we arrived at the hospital). I pushed for almost four hours...the baby was head down, but she wasn't facing the ground. She was trying to come out forehead first. Dr.Bishop tried to rotate her, but it didn't work. So around 6:00pm, she said I would have to go in for a c-section. She didn't want to have me keep pushing and end up getting her too wedged in there and at that point, it had been over 13 hours since my water had broken and there could be a risk for infection. I had mentally prepared myself for the idea that I may end up having a c-section...I wasn't thrilled, but we had to do what was best for the baby and me.

We had to wait a little bit for an operating room to open up...they got me all ready and gave Dean scrubs to wear and wheeled me in. I was surprised at how bright the room was...I think I've watched too many episodes of Grey's Anatomy. :) They pumped up the epidural so I felt like I didn't have legs anymore...put up the sheet in front of my face and began. I was a little freaked out, so Dean was holding my hand. I heard Dr. Bishop say, "Incision."...that totally weirded me out!! After the incision was made, Dean asked if he could video the rest of it and I said that was fine. I felt a lot of pressure and could feel my body being jostled around and pushed on. They said she was totally wedged in there and there was no way I could have pushed her out. Within minutes, she was out and I think she came out crying! It was one of the most amazing moments of my life...to know that she was finally here. Dean went over to the weighing table to see her...7lbs.11oz. and 20inches long! He brought her back over to me and we decided that her name was going to be Ayla Ming.

While they were sewing me back up, Dean went out to tell our families that she had been born...after he came back in, they wheeled me to a recovery room where I stayed for about an hour. I developed a fever, which long story short, kept me in the hospital for 5 1/2 days, hooked up to an antibiotic IV nearly 24/7. We went in early Friday morning and didn't get to go home until Wednesday evening. The fever really only lasted a little while, but I had to go a full 48 hours without going over 98.9 degrees...I had a 99 one day and that kept us there. The day we thought we'd go home, they took my temp while I was underneath a couple blankets and nursing Ayla right after I had used a heating pad...99.6 degrees. We made them come back to retake it! 20 minutes later, all was well. :)

Dean has been absolutely amazing with Ayla...while we were in the hospital, he changed nearly every diaper and he was the one who had to get out of bed over and over again to tend to her because I was stuck in bed hooked up to a variety of things...IV, catheter (sp?), leg cramp massager thingys...etc. And I couldn't just hop out of bed quickly because the incision hurt so much. Not only did he have to take care of Ayla, he had to take care of me. I started to get really bummed out because I wasn't as hands-on with Ayla and felt like I was missing out on things. Dean really got to know her quickly. Now that we're home, he is still doing as much as he can. I know not every dad is as involved as Dean...I'm so thankful for him...I know I couldn't do this by myself.

When we finally did go home, we almost didn't know what to do with ourselves. I felt like we had to start all over again. We had somewhat of a routine down at the hospital and we've had to figure out a new one for being at home. There have been several rough, sleepless nights and I'm sure there are plenty more to come...and yes, our lives have been completely jostled around...we're tired and we don't always know what the heck we're doing but when I look at that sweet little face, even when it's 4 in the morning, it's all worth it.

She's only been in our lives for 11 days now, but I already can't imagine what it would be like if we didn't have her. She is the one thing that is truly mine...she is my heart, my soul, my life.