Krissy's Birth

I was scheduled to be at the hospital at 6am, one week ago, for my induction.  I liked being able to plan ahead of time, so my house was clean, my bags were 100% packed and ready, and I got done everything I planned on doing.  I put the kids to bed that Wednesday night and started feeling a little emotional.  I wondered how this new baby was going to change things around our house.

My parents got to my house right around 5:30am so they could watch the other kiddos.  We loaded up Kevin's jeep and drove to the hospital.  We quickly got checked in and taken to our room.  I had a lovely nurse that started my IV and talked me through all the paper work.  Once all that business was out of the way, she did my first pelvic check.  That Tuesday before I got induced, I had seen Dr. Cave and she tried to stretch my cervix to get me more dilated.  I had been 1 1/2 cms.  My first check of the day, I was 3 cms!  At 7am my new nurse came in.  I'm always anxious to meet the day shift nurse because I know that is who is going to coach me through delivery.  I have always had great nurses, but this nurse, Laura, was exceptional!

Shortly after I met Laura, I met the student nurse that was observing.  Dr. Cave was supposed to be in at 8am to break my water, but it was 9:10 before she got there.  (She got held up in traffic).  After Dr. Cave broke my water, I was 4cms.  She said with all the progress I made since Tuesday, I would have gone into labor on my own that evening or the next day.  About 45 minutes after my water was broke, I got the epidural.  It was by far the most painful epidural I've had, but it was the best one I've had!  (With Hayden, I felt way too much and with Allie I was so numb I felt nothing!)  I could sort of tell when I was having a contraction, but never felt pain.  I know when you get to 10cms, you are supposed to feel like you need to have a bowel movement.  I'm getting ahead of myself...

So around 10:30, my nurse came back in and said it looked like I was making progress.  I was 6cms.  At 11:30 my nurse came back, and I was 8cms.  She drained my bladder and said it was so full she thinks the baby may have moved down with the extra room she freed up, so she checked me again and I was 9cms.  (At this point I'm calling my parents to tell them to get to the hospital!  I wanted the kids to be there right after the baby was born so they could be the first to meet her.  Then they told me they were at Chick Fil A finishing lunch, and I asked if they would bring me a sandwich since I'd be able to eat lunch soon!)  Laura called Dr. Cave and she had just finished up a surgery.  She stopped by the nurses station around 11:45 and said she was going to fill out her paper work but she'd be close if she was needed.  About 12:10 Dr. Cave came in to check on me, and told me I was 10 cms, the head was very low, and it was time to have a baby!  They called for all the other people that had to be in the room when I gave birth.

My bed was quickly taken apart.  All the staff got suited in gowns and masks, and now it was my turn to do my job!  Laura told me I was having a contraction and it was time to push, so I grabbed my legs, pushed 10 seconds, took a breath, and did that a few times.  One minute and about 20 seconds later, Kevin announced "It's a girl!" (I delivered her in one contraction - my quickest delivery yet!)  When she first came out, I couldn't tell who she looked like, but after they wrapped her up and brought her back to me, I thought she looked a lot like Hayden.  Laura said she thought Krissy looked just like me! :)

About 20 minutes after she was born, Hayden and Allie got to come in and meet their new little sis.  They both were very anxious to hold her.  Once they both checked her out, we let our parents come in.  Hayden told everyone "It's a girl".  Our hospital stay was fantastic!  We got a room that had one of the new couches that pulls out to a queen sized air bed.  I slept there both nights and really enjoyed it!  I really couldn't think of a thing I'd change, but when it was time to leave Saturday afternoon, I was ready!  We had several visitors stop by and we appreciated everyone that took time to come visit!  We also appreciate all the prayers that were said for a quick/safe/easy/healthy delivery and baby!