Baby Adelyn's Arrival

Adelyn Sophia Miller
5 lbs 8 oz 19 in
March 16, 2010

Adelyn has finally arrived! We have a new sweetheart (or sweet pea as Zachary says) to love and enjoy.

The Labor Story
Labor did not go as expected and was actually kindof abnormal. I had been 2.5 cm since I was 25 weeks. I stayed at that for many more weeks. I know for sure up to 31. As I progressed through the later part of the 3rd trimester I noticed a lot more soreness. As it turned out, I was 5 cm dialated at 37 weeks. I remembered contracting on walks just a little bit, but it had not been anything to put me into active progressing labor. I knew from my good friend that there are some women who walk around for a couple of weeks like this so I was only half way concerned about getting to the hospital on time when I did actually go into labor. The Dr. and I decided I should go into the hospital, but on the way I did some thinking (like a 2 minute drive) and decided it wasn't the right day for this and I wanted her to grow another week. Dr. was fine with this. Scott and I talked before my appointment the following week. If I was at a 7 or 8 we would go ahead and have the baby that day. I didn't think I had dialated any more although looking back I should have thought otherwise because I did experience more soreness especially after walking on the riverwalk that Saturday. So when I got to my appointment at 10:30 AM on March 16th, 2010 I found out I was almost 8 cm. I called Scott and drove myself to the hospital. Dr. has time to deliver babies in between morning and afternoon patients.

My mom was with Zachary which worked out nicely. She was on her spring break. Dad had driven in on his way home from Laredo the previous week but had taken off the day before to get some things done at his house which was quite understandable after not being home for 3 weeks.

At the hospital I had to park on the roof of the parking garage. Busy day in labor and delivery. That gave me time to start contracting some more. Dr.'s exam and the walking was enough to stimulate the contractions to put me into that active labor (finally). I buzzed into labor and delivery and they opened the doors for me to come in. I was assigned a nurse and immediately taken into a room. There were 2 nurses and one student nurse. One seemed to be in a hurry. I guess being nervous that I was almost to a 10?? I was given my hospital clothes. Afterward the hurried nurse anxiously tried to get me to sit down in the bed. I first, feeling a bit anxious myself, asked her if I could just walk around to progress a little more. She kept telling me no and that the best thing to do was sit down so they could get the IV going. When I finally got through to her that I didn't know what exactly the procedure was and that I would be a lot more comfortable knowing, she stopped and explained to me. So I grabbed my IPOD and while I was getting hooked up I started to feel frustrated because labor had not gone how I expected it thus far. My Dr. came in to check on me as I was tearing up. She rubbed my shoulders and told me it would be okay and thankfully the baby was 38 weeks. I've always been thankful for her encouraging words when I do need them. She stepped out to go next door to deliver another baby while I progressed. I knew it would be fine. I think I was getting more nervous about the pain getting suddenly bad after not experiencing any. The nurse told me to ask questions for anything.

Scott wasn't long before he arrived. I was very glad he was there to listen to me vent feelings. He was also encouraging with words and held my hand as the contractions progressed. He was also very excited because there was a monitor with data for the contractions! A computer with data. His second language. So he enjoyed himself saying, "that one was a 6! or that one was a 9!". It was also nice for me to have numbers to compare to pain. So good teamwork there. He and my IPOD were the best comforters. And the ice chips were nice to avoid that dry mouth which was definitely there.

The nurse asked if I wanted any drugs or epidural and let me know that it was the final offer. I was hoping to avoid a catheter. That was the main motivation for going natural however ridiculous some people may think that is. Last time I had the epidural and of course a catheter. Unfortunately I couldn't urinate for 6 hours afterward b/c of muscles spasms. That was extremely annoying. And I had three close friends who went natural and had very good experiences which was also another motivation. "So just so you know, if you're screaming at me later to give you something I can't" the nurse said. Yes yes...

Getting to a 9 was not so awful. Contractions to me feel like extreme gas pains X 10 that almost seem never ending but soon subside. I was able to bear it but going from that 9 to a 10 is the real questioner of why I thought natural might be a good idea. Pains change to jabbing sharp feelings that are almost constant. So I ask what I'm suppose to do as I move my head from side to side. It's at that point that you're like, "oh wait....how do those breathing techniques go? I think I'm suppose to be breathing". Next time I will request a reminder ahead of time. The deep breaths actually help. I guess they relax your muscle tension. I wish I would have remembered that when I first arrived. The nurse said I could push at a 9 1/2. "Do you want to push?" Did I want to? I didn't want to do much of anything at that point. "Am I suppose to?" "Tell me when you want to". "I don't know when I want to". "When you have a contraction" Well everything just hurt."Was that one?" "No" "Okay tell me when I have one". And none of my words were calm at this point so you can picture them more angry or frustrated. So the nurse gave me instructions. Over time pushing helped the pain slightly subside for a few seconds. I guess Adelyn was coming faster than she though b/c then at one point she said, "English don't push" which makes you want to kick them in the face. I'm sorry but at some point after you progress with pushing your muscles feel the contraction and automatically go. So the second time she told me not to push (b/c the doctor was not there yet!) I yelled "I can't help it!". And in my head thinking, I'm in a labor and deliver room in a hospital. Someone here has to be able to catch the baby. From what I understand my Dr. was finishing up and was running down the hall to come deliver Adelyn. She gave very good instructions to Scott and the nurse to help me push and also to me. When she was out the pain completely left and I could hear her beautiful little cry. And Proud Daddy Scott cut the cord this time. I was impressed. We had signed up for cord blood donation. There wasn't a lot but it hopefully will still be used for research.

The whole thing started at 12:00 and she was here at 1:52 PM.

We got to enjoy her for an hour before the nurse had to take her to the nursery. Scott asked to hold her before she had to go. He comforted Adelyn by singing to her and carrying her around the room. Mom and Zachary missed seeing her by about a minute. They looked through the nursery window. I got to spend time with Zachary briefly in the delivery room and then in our recover room upstairs. On our way upstairs the nurse grabbed my tray for lunch. It was pizza! "Oh yeah, it's pizza Tuesday isn't it?" I said. She laughed remembering that I had been here for 3 weeks in December.

Zachary had his new "Big Brother" shirt on. He was very anxious to see Adelyn. He also was very excited about his new "Big Brother present" he got. Harold the helicopter to add to his Thomas the train collection. I knew he wouldn't make it in my hospital room for 3-4 hours while Adelyn was in the nursery. Zachary shared my pizza lunch with me. Scott took him home in the evening and later the plan was when my mom got home he would come back for a bit.

I had 3 great nurses for recovery the whole time I was there. Kristan, Rachel, and Jennifer. It's especially necessary to have a good night shift nurse. Mom took lots of pictures while she was there after they brought Adelyn back. They had given her the first bath in the nursery. She looked very comfy swaddled in her hat. I thought she looked like Scott. My very good friends Mollie and Sally came by after their own children were in bed. It was great to have good company during recovery. It was especially helpful to ask all of those questions I had forgotten since I had Zachary. Scott came back while they were still there, but they left shortly afterward. It was nice for the three of us to have some quiet bonding time. Part of me wanted him to stay but part of me wanted him to go home and get a good nights sleep to help me the next day. Who can sleep well in a hospital bed let alone the fabulous pull out couch for the husbands/family?

That was the first day of Adelyn's life. We've begun our new journey as a new family.