Mommy's Perspective

It was one week ago today that I looked at Mark and said, "I really don't think so, but it may be possible that my water has broke." After going back and forth for a few hours we decided it was better safe than sorry and called the doctor. We headed in for a quick check and the doctor confirmed, water was broken and I was 4 cm dilated. The doctor was shocked that I was that far along and wasn't feeling contractions yet. He sent us to the hospital and on our way we made the frantic phone calls to the grandparents. After all the waiting and wondering when they would finally get "the call," I'm not sure any of them knew how to react to the news that baby was really on the way. Mark and I went to the hospital and they monitored me and the baby for awhile. We were both doing well but contractions weren't regular so Mark and I started doinglaps of the 5th floor of Home Hospital. The walking seemed to help and by 8:00 we were staying in the birthing room with regular (and more painful) contractions. By midnight it was time to push. That's when what hadn't been so bad up until that point became not very fun. I pushed for three hours with Mark by my side counting, dabbing my head with a wet washcloth and feeding me ice chips (it's amazing how delicious ice chips can be!). The doctor kept checking in and there continued to be no progress so finally he gave us our options: 1) get an epidural, take pictocin to strengthen contractions, and then push for another 1/2 hour to see if the baby would move, or 2) skip that and go straight to the c-section. Being exhausted and frustrated and also fearing that number 1 would put undo stress on the baby Mark and I opted for the c-section. He donned his scrubs and then went into the waiting room where my mom, Mark's parents and his sister Amy had been anxiously waiting news for three hours (all the nurses could tell them was that I was "still pregnant" due to privacy laws). I meanwhile was taken into the OR and given a spinal block. The hardest part was waiting for them to do the block. I was still having regular contractions but was told not to push too hard through them and to remain perfectly still while I was having them so they could do the block. A few moments later Mark was allowed to return, surgery started and within minutes we heard the wonderful news--"It's a girl!" We were overjoyed. Mark went with little Grace as they cleaned out her lungs. All I could hear was her crying but couldn't see her because the doctors were busy trying to stitch me up. Finally the pediatrician and Mark were able to bring Grace over so I could see her. I was so thrilled to finally see the little person who had been living inside of me. I said "Hello Grace" and she opened her eyes for the first time. It's amazing how she could already recognize my voice. Mark and the pediatrician continued on with her to the nursery for more tests and I headed to the recovery room.

After about an hour in recovery they took me to my room. I was wheeled past the nursery and was able to see Mark helping give Grace her first bath. Finally at around 6:30 a.m. after Grace had spent some time under a heat lamp to bring her temp up, the nurses brought my sweet baby girl to me and I was able to hold her for the first time. It is a moment I will never forget!