Clara's Birth Story {all two hours of it}

Don't women just love telling their birth stories?  Get a group of moms together and have the topic of birth come up, and I'll guarantee almost everyone will have told their story by the end of the night.  :)  Well, at least that's how it seems to go in my circles.  It's the equivalent of men showing their scars I think for women...listen to what I went through, I survived, and now I have this amazing child because of it. So you can ask me and I won't hesitate to tell you the story in as much or little detail as you like.  :)   But here it is, and here is Callie's birth story too.

So my due date came and went, and I started to get a little nervous- what if I am one of those people who go two weeks past my due date?  I can't handle being pregnant for one more day.  So I started looking up how to "naturally" induce labor- and let's just say I took just about every piece of advice I could find.  :)

December 28th, 2010...

5:00pm.  Did I just feel a contraction?  It felt like a stronger Braxton-Hicks type.  Wait a sec, they're about every 5-6 minutes.  Could I be in labor?  I'm not sure.

5:10pm Called Pizza Hut to order pizza (Kiley and Matt and my mom were coming over for a pizza party).  Still wasn't sure if I was in labor, but then I had a contraction while talking to the pizza guy and though it might be the real thing.

Called the midwife.  She said to take a bath.  If they stop, it's not labor obviously.  If they continue, come to the hospital right away (my history of labor was pretty fast- we just made it to the hospital in time for Callie's birth).

5:30pm Took a bath to see if the contractions would go away. Had Kyle sit near me to "time" the contractions.  They were still getting stronger (not too painful yet, but definitely made me stop what I was doing) and were getting closer together.  Nope, they were not going away. Got out of the tub to get ready to go to the hospital.

As soon as I did, my water broke (TMI, I was conveniently standing over the toilet).

6:00pm Left for the hospital.  Took this picture on the way out the door (in between contractions- if you're wondering how I could manage a half-smile).

On the way to the hospital, took a little "self-portrait" with my phone.  For memory's sake. :)  Still doing okay at this point but contractions are starting to get pretty painful.  Updated my facebook status (is that crazy?). Tried to do the little breathing things they taught us at birthing class.  I think I told Kyle to shut up or something like that when he started counting for me to breath (sorry honey!).  :)

6:30pm Arrived at the hospital.

6:35pm Made it to the hospital room - I didn't need a wheelchair this time!  Dark, quiet, not many people around.  Where is everyone?  I went into the bathroom in our room.  Kyle was sitting outside the door.  I finally sent him to find a nurse and told him to say that our first labor we were 8cm when we got to the hospital. And my water broke already at home.

Ouch!!!

6:40pm The midwife finally got to the room (okay, it had only been about 10 minutes or less but it felt like an eternity).

6:50pm Midwife checked me.  She told me I was 5cm dilated.  I freaked out and felt very discouraged (was hoping I was much farther along).

Can I get some pain medication please?  I can't do this.  I can't do this.  This sucks!!!!  {what was going through my head I think}.  I really didn't think I could do it.

6:53pm I started pushing?!?!?!?!?!?!??!

Is it possible to go from 5cm to pushing in like a minute or two????

7:03pm Enter the world, Clara Lucille.

Beautiful.

Perfect.

Not responding right away (took a minute or two to cry).

She's so pretty!

Kyle cried.

Tears of joy.

I cried.  

We're in love all over again!

Thank you Jesus for a healthy baby girl!

9:30-ish-pm, Clara meets the big sister! Callie climbed up, gave her a kiss on the head, and then wanted my apple juice (it was way past bedtime).  That will go down in history!

And there you have it!  Clara's birth story.  Short and sweet, just the way we like it!  :)