Shaylee's Birth Story

Shaylee Dawn arrived on Wednesday, January 5, at 1:50 am. She was 7 lbs., 12 oz. and 19 1/2 inches long. (At least that's what Ben told me, but the nurses wrote it down as 19 inches, and I haven't taken the time to measure her myself).

The story...Ben and I went to my doctor appt. on January 4 for my routine check-up. I was still dilated 3 cm (same as the week before, and I was SO disappointed!). Dr. Meredith stripped my membranes and we scheduled an induction for the coming Friday. My appt. was in the afternoon--2:15, or something. After the appt., we headed home and I took castor oil (I still gag just thinking about it). I started having some contractions throughout the afternoon / early evening, but nothing time-able. So we had dinner, got the kids to bed, etc., just our normal school night. Around 9-9:30, I started having more contractions, but they were still pretty far apart. I fell asleep on the couch for a little while. Around 10-10:30, we started timing the contractions and paying more attention to how long they were lasting. They were more consistent by this time, but still spread at out odd intervals 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 7-8 minutes. Then, around 11, we really started paying attention. The contractions were getting harder and closer together--3 minutes apart...but I wasn't sure what to do because some of the contractions were really short (like only lasting 20 seconds), but hard at the same time. I went and lay down around 11:30. Ben wanted to know what I wanted to do, but with some of the contractions being so short and them being so oddly spread out, I didn't know what to think just yet. We decided to wait it out until 12:30 and see what happened. Around 12:05, I got up to use the bathroom and in the short distance to the bathroom and the small amount of time that I was up, the contractions were getting even harder and closer! We needed to go NOW! Ben took the already packed bag out and started the car (I had high hopes for the dr. appt. and took it to my appt. earlier that day) while I called the neighbor to come over and stay with the kids. On the way to the hospital, I was trying to really focus on my breathing--that helped me get through the contractions. My hands were feeling a bit numb. We arrived at the hospital around 12:50. I was dilated to a 5, almost 6, 75 % effaced, & baby was +2 station. They got me situated in my room, Ben answered almost all of their questions, and Dr. was called. When Dr. Harling arrived, he checked in with us and ran to change his clothes. When he came back, he was going to check to see how dilated I was and break my water. Well, he checked me all right and I was dilated 9 cm, so they got the table broke down and ready. He turned around to get the hook to break my water, I said I needed to push, I pushed, and my water broke...all.over.the.doctor! Poor guy! (That's what they get paid the big bucks for, right?). I pushed once more and her head was out (as well as the rest of the water--which also went all over the doctor), but she was quiet. It took a minute for them to get her mouth cleaned out enough to make any noise. Then she was officially here! I got to see her / hold her, but couldn't do much because I was so shaky. They ended up having to suck her stomach out. I think she got 7/9 for her apgar. She was ready to eat shortly afterward, though, and has done well ever since.

We went home on Thursday morning.

We are enjoying our sweet baby girl! She is a sweet addition to our family and we love her so much! She has had a bit of colic, and acts like she might have some reflux, but she seems to be doing okay.