Welcome to the world Baby Peach!

Warning: this post is for journaling purposes so that I can always remember this day. It is long, detailed, and has lots of pictures. So don't read it if you don't want to.

Last night we got to the hospital a little before 8:00. We got checked in, they gave me my IV, checked to see how dilated and effaced I was (still dilated to a 2 and still 80% effaced) and they started me. They inserted a tablet to induce me - that was probably the worst part. It hurt really bad. We ate sandwiches for dinner and just kinda hung out. Mom came down and spent the night with us. When mom got there, she said that she was thinking about grandpa (her dad - he passed away a few years ago) before I called her and said that she thought he is probably playing with Peach before she comes to earth. Then I told her my room number was 14 and grandpa's birthday is Jan.14. So, I thought that was kinda cool. They kept checking on me throughout the night and inserted a tablet about every 3 hours - nothing was really happening. I was having pretty bad, constant contractions, but couldn't get my epidural until I was dilated to a 3. It was a long night and I didn't sleep much. They gave me some pain medicine through my IV and it didn't really help until early in the morning, when they gave me a full dose. Then I was able to get a couple hours of sleep. I don't think mom got any sleep either, but Steve sure slept like a log!

The nurse came in at about 6:00 am to check how far along I was and I was finally at a 3. They told me it takes about a half hour to get prepped for the epidural, so I asked for it at about 6:30. While we were waiting for the epidural, they gave me pitocin through my IV to help move things along. Within a couple minutes, Peach's heart rate dropped to like 50 bpm. The nurses were just changing shifts, so both of them were in there. They stopped the pitocin, threw the oxygen mask on me, and were rushing around trying to get Peach's heart rate up. They weren't really telling us anything and they kept moving me around on my sides to get pressure off the baby. I was looking at Steve and didn't like the worried look on his face, so I started bawling. They rolled me to my left side and the baby's heart rate started to recover. It was about 7:00 am now and in rolled the epidural cart and the anesthesiologist. They sat me up on the side of the bed and had me kinda hunch over. Steve came over and held my hands while I got my epidural. I was nervous about getting it because I tried to watch Angela get hers when she had Max, but had to leave the room. It gave me the willies big time! It wasn't bad at all, but I was still pretty upset about the baby's heart rate. It all happened so fast. The anesthesiologist was really good and he was making light of the situation, so it helped a little bit. He said, "It must be a girl because she's causing you problems already." It was pretty funny. After the epidural was done, I calmed down and it was smooth sailing from there!

At 8:00, the nurse came in and I was dilated to a 4. Dr. Craig came in and broke my water. They said it was like a steel bag. It didn't hurt, but I could feel a little pop and a gush of fluid. Steve asked about how long it will take for me to get to a 10 and the nurse said it would probably be early afternoon when I delivered. The nurse said she'd let me rest for an hour and then come back to see if I was a 5 yet.

Just hanging out, waiting to have my baby

Mom and me

The nurse came back at 9:00. While she was checking me she was like, "Are you kidding me? You're a 10 plus 2" (the plus 2 meant the baby was 2 inches down the birth canal, I think). Then she said that I was ready to push. They brought in all the delivery supplies, transformed the bed, and I started pushing. I could not feel a thing - it was wonderful!

Dr. Craig came in at about 10:00. They don't call the doctor in until the baby is crowning. Then at 10:09 am, baby Peach was born! I was really glad that Dr. Craig was able to deliver the baby. I thought I had to push the placenta out, but she just kinda pulled it out, it was weird feeling. I had a second degree tear, so she stitched me up.

Steve debated for a couple hours whether he wanted to cut the umbilical cord or not and decided not to. He did really well with delivery. I was kinda nervous that he was going to pass out. They asked him if he wanted to see her head before she was all the way out, but he just stayed up top by me (which was fine). He is kinda squeamish! He did cry after I had the baby, it was really tender. I got a little teary-eyed.

When the nurse first put her on the scale, she totally flipped to her side and had her arm dangling off the side of the bed. It was pretty funny, but kinda scary too!

She weighed 6 lbs 4 oz and was 19 in long. She pretty much looked perfect after she came out.

After they got her cleaned up, they came and put her down my gown to be skin on skin. They said that it kinda helps get the baby adjusted faster, and had some other benefits too like steady the heart rate, level out the blood sugar levels and stuff like that. They asked if I wanted her on my belly right after she came out, still gooey and everything, or if I wanted her cleaned up first, so I had them clean her up first.

The proud daddy giving her her first bottle.

Melanie, Monica, and dad were all waiting outside while I pushed. They came in as soon as they could.

Aunt Monica

Not long after, they moved me upstairs to my new room.

They came and gave her a sponge bath on the bottom of my bed and then Steve got to wash her head.

She was bawling during the sponge bath, but Steve said as soon as her head hit the warm water, her eyes rolled back, she stopped crying and was totally loving it.

Then they took her to the nursery to take her picture (which I never saw). Steve picked out a pretty pink plaid bow for her hair.

They checked her blood sugar level and it was good.

They brought her back to my room and Grandma Oliver finally got to hold her.

Her temperature went down a little bit, so they put her under my gown, skin on skin, to get her warmed up.

Aunt Amberly

Grandpa Oliver

I didn't get a picture, but Steve changed her first diaper and it was the tar-like poop. It took him quite some time and 8 wet wipes, but he did awesome for his first ever diaper change! Last night, he was telling me that he wanted to buy latex gloves to change her diapers. I thought it was pretty rude, but he thought he was quite clever. So I was really proud of him for changing her diaper with his bare hands, he even got a little poop on them and didn't even wig out! He was a total natural and couldn't put baby Peach down (when she wasn't in someone else's arms).

Grandma Gwen

Aunt Natalie (Uncle Josh came up after Natalie, but I forgot to get a picture).

Aunt Lindsay

Grandpa Vaughn - this is who Peach got her furrowed brows from!

Cousin Alexa

Cousin McKenzie

Aunt Angela

I love her tiny chicken leg and long toes

McKenzie, Me, Alexa, and Angela

We took the baby to the window so the kids under 14 years old could see her since they weren't allowed back to my room.

Brooklyn, Monica, Alex, Brinlie, and Melanie

Uncle Rich

Aunt Melanie

We had a lot of visitors. It was fun to have everyone come visit.

The nurses checked on me and baby throughout the whole day. My epidural took quite awhile to wear off. My left leg was especially bad. Not too long after delivery, the nurses came in and tried to get me to go to the bathroom. Steve got a kick out of watching me walk to the bathroom, my left leg was still totally numb, so I hobbled to the bathroom with the nurse's help. I couldn't go to the bathroom and apparently my bladder was full, so they had to cath me. Luckily I was still numb so I couldn't feel it. Melanie asked me if I was embarrassed when they helped me in the bathroom because she always was. But I wasn't at all, I quite enjoyed the help and them taking care of me and changing my pad for me!

We took the baby to the nursery for the night so that we could get some sleep. Steve missed her really bad after the nurse took her.

We are so grateful that everything went well and that baby is here and healthy.