On Wednesday, September 5th, I headed home from work to pick Tyler up so we could head to my 38 week appointment at 3:15pm. Two weeks prior, at my 36 week appointment, I was 3 cm dilated and the baby's head was far down. At my 37 week appointment I wasn't measured, and I really hadn't felt any real discomfort and was never really sure if I was having contractions or anything. I was going to head back to work after my appointment, after getting ice cream with Tyler.
At the appointment on September 5th, the doctor asked me if I was ready for the baby to be here...to which I replied "she'll come when she's ready I suppose." I laid back as the doctor proceeded to check me to see if I was progressing at all. Right before the appointment Tyler and I made a bet, Tyler betting that I was still at a 3, and me saying that I was maybe a 4. The doctor performed her exam..."Oh my, you are going to have this baby today. You are 7 cm dilated. Have you had any discomfort with these contractions?"
Ha, to be honest I thought that contractions were just my baby sticking her back and bottom out. I never felt the beginning or the end of a contraction, but sometimes thought maybe I was having one because my stomach was tighter than normal. Tyler and I looked at each other wide eyed and asked if we had time to go home and pack. The doctor said yes of course and said she would meet us at the hospital in a little bit.
As we exited the doctors office I couldn't help but laugh at the fact that I was 7cm dilated and hadn't felt a thing. We called my mom so she could start driving from Oregon, and then proceeded to call the rest of the family members on my side and Tyler's side. We then went to the credit union where my sister-in-law works and asked her if she was ready to meet her niece today.
Once we were home it started to sink in that we were going to meet our little girl that day. I was hot and a little sweaty as I tried to pack for a hospital stay where I had no idea what I was going to feel like or what would be considered comfortable after giving birth.
We arrived at the hospital where the nurses asked me what my pain management plan was. I said "Well, I am 7cm so aren't I out of options?" They said that I still had time for an epidural, to which I explained that I wanted to just play it by ear. Tyler and I walked the halls while the nurses waited for orders from my doctor. They monitored the baby's heart beat and my contractions, to which I was still clueless that I was having contractions unless I looked at the monitor. The nurse said that the doctor wanted to break my water. Once the doctor arrived she said "this will feel like a normal exam" and she wasn't kidding. I had no idea that she had just broken my water until after she left and I sat up in bed...I started laughing as warm water went everywhere. I couldn't stop laughing. I asked if it was ever going to stop. The time was 5:45pm.
Tyler and I got up to walk the halls more, but within the first lap I had to rest again the railing during contractions. I think we only made it two laps before I was having heavy contractions that were getting closer, so we headed back to the room. It took me about two more contractions to figure out that I needed to sit on the bed with my legs on the floor. Tyler sat facing me and I put my hands on his knees as I tried to relax through my contractions. I 'rug burned' his knees from my grip, but he didn't say a word. The nurse checked me, I was 8 cm dilated. I had been told by friends that at 8cm I would want an epidural, but that if I could focus it wouldn't be too much longer. Man were they right. In my head I wanted these contractions to stop so badly, but I never said a word to anyone but Tyler about it. I kept working through the contractions, gripping Tyler's knees tighter and tighter. I continued on without an epidural, I was going to do this naturally. I don't have anything against epidurals and always thought I would have one. Not this time, but I will still claim the 'let's play it by ear' method for future pregnancies. Shift change, we were introduced to our new nurse. I had the urge to push, Tyler let the nurse know. The nurse checked me, I was 9 cm dilated. The time was 7:20. She called the doctor to let her know that I was ready to push.
I spent the next hour and ten minutes pushing. What a relief it was to push. Contractions were hard work. I was surprised by how exhausting the contractions were. The doctor and nurse were absolutely perfect, they encouraged me in the exact way that I wanted to be encouraged. Tyler was amazing, giving me water and placing a cold wet washcloth on my forehead between each pushing session. I was a hot, sweaty mess with blood shot eyes as I focused on pushing correctly in order to meet my little girl. I prayed a couple of times between contractions, sometimes they were prayers with full sentences, sometimes I was just saying "come on baby girl" over and over again in my head.
The time was 8:37pm, about 3 hours after my water broke, and my little girl was placed on my chest. I am teary eyes just typing about it. She was beautiful, she had the biggest hands, I loved hearing her big healthy cry. She didn't have a name yet, but I said "hi baby" over and over again. Tyler cut the cord and then headed over with our baby girl and a nurse as she was cleaned up. She weighed in at 8lbs 3oz, 21 inches long, blonde hair, blue eyes, and features of both mom and dad. We were in love.
Over the next two hours Tyler and I took turns holding her. I had the shakes pretty bad, I guess that is to be expected after going through labor and delivery. It isn't something that your body does everyday, so a little bit of the shakes seems appropriate. We discussed names for her, and of course chose a name that wasn't on our list until that same day. Daley Jane Crow. How perfect.
Tyler's middle name is Dale, and Daley is the female version of Dale. I love that she is named after her papa. Tyler's best friend, Todd, passed away in 2007, and his mothers name is Janie. Since Todd passed away Janie also lost her husband. The middle name of Jane is after Janie, a strong woman that loves that Lord and has endured the unthinkable.
We are blessed!
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