Our little family! (Sorry about the poor picture quality. We didn't have a digital camera back then, so this is a pic of a pic)!
Since blogging was not a "thing" 8 years ago I decided in honor of her birthday, I would just go ahead and write down her "birth story". Now...let's see if I can remember all the details 8 years and 4 kids later. :-)
Delaney was due on December 29, 2002. Sloan was nervous...she was either going to "make or break" us that year on our tax return...and of course, being that he is a CPA he was really hoping for her to come before Dec 31...BUT, she had other plans. I went to the doctors at 40 weeks and she went ahead and scheduled me to be induced the morning of January 6, 2003. If I remember correctly I was only dialated to a 1 and was barely effaced. Again, that appointment was before December 31, so Sloan had me literally out walking in the FREEZING cold to try and get me to go into labor...no such luck. We woke up Sunday, January 5, and just had a lazy Sunday morning (our church was meeting in the evenings at that point, so we were able to sleep in on Sunday am's...so nice). We were gearing up for the next day and the realization that we were finally going to meet our precious baby girl. After I ate lunch, I decided to take a shower and get ready for the day...we were planning on skipping church to go see a movie and eat dinner before the big day, the next day. When I got out of the shower I realized I was having contractions. I honestly, didn't think much of them since I had been having a few here and there towards the end of the pregnancy. This time, they didn't stop. I let Sloan know and he sat there and timed them for me as I finished getting ready. They really fluctuated, not one was "consistently 5 minutes apart for one hour"...I later found out that my mom's were never consistent (why she didn't tell me this before I went into labor, I have no idea). I had already decided that I wanted to wait it out at home for as long as I possibly could before going to the hospital...I had never stayed in a hospital and was semi freaked out about doing so, but excited at the same time. We hung out at home all afternoon and evening timing contractions and watching football and movies. Honestly, the contractions were never horrible or my tolerance for pain was a lot higher than I ever thought it would be. Sloan finally looked at me around 9:30 pm and said, "Let's go now, so we don't have to get up in the middle of the night and do it. I think you'll be able to sleep better there than at home."
So...off we went to the hospital. We go there and they checked me in. They checked and I think I was only dialated to like a 3 (so not much had happened at home all day). The contractions weren't all that bad still so I held off on the epidural, which honestly, scared the crap out of me (now I would say, YES PLEASE...LOVE those things)!!! I had a room with a tub, so I was able to relax in it for a little while, which was nice...the best part about it was that they gave you juice...so yummy when you can't eat anything! When I got done with that, they hooked me back up to the monitors and I was having some contractions that they said were off the charts...they still didn't seem to be that strong. My nurse was shocked that I still didn't want the epidural...she said most 1st time moms come in and demand it immediately...she said she was highly impressed and kept asking me if I was telling the truth about this being my first kid. Whatever...I was just seriously freaked out by it, so I wanted to put it off for as long as possible. They did give me some Stadol for the mild pain...which in turn knocked me out. I slept soundly for a few hours while poor Sloan tried, but didn't succeed at it so easily. The doctor who was on call that night for my doctor came in around 4am and told me that he wanted to break my water since it still had not broken...I was around a 6 or 7 at that point. He asked if I was ready for the epidural and I told him I still wasn't sure. He proceeded to tell me it would be better if I did it now, before he broke my water, rather than after. I straight up told him, I needed to think about it and tell them in a few minutes. Mind you, I was drugged up on Stadol and was not thinking straight...who tells an OB/GYN that they need to think about getting an epidural...NO ONE...again, in hindsight, I would've and should've said YES, right away. Sloan and I talked about it and I decided to do it before he broke my water. So, I got the epidural and while I'm getting it the anes. says, "Are you a gymnast? Or were you? You have a back like one." Whatever that means...apparently it's a good thing. And to answer the question, I took gymnastics for like a year when I was 4. Anyway, epidural was in and working, water was broken and we waited some more. Around 5:30 am the on call doc had called my doctor and she said she would come in to deliver me...so thankful she does this (she's delivered all my kiddos)! The nurses have me start pushing...I pushed forever. I got sick at one point and threw up...Sloan had to leave the room to get some air...he does not do well with that kind of stuff. Dr. Hubach finally shows up...around 6:30 or 7:00 am. I push...A LOT more. Delaney was face up(which explained my horrible back labor) and every time they tried to turn her back around, she would flip right back up...which is so her...she wants to be apart of everything. I pushed, and pushed and pushed. Sloan was exhausted(remember, he had a horrible nights sleep) and was barely able to help hold my leg up, so we called his parents and had them tell my mom to come in because I needed help and someone there to encourage me. I kept pushing...got an episiotomy and then Dr. Hubach got the vacuum extractor out and suctioned D's head out while I kept pushing. At one point she looked at me and kind of threatened me with a c-section if I didn't push harder and get her out...which was the LAST thing I wanted (little did I know that my other 3 girls would be c-sections). I FINALLY pushed Delaney out...we heard her cry and she laid her on my chest. I saw Sloan jump up from out of the chair he was sitting in (if this doesn't tell you how exhausted he was, I don't know what will...except the one picture we have of him where he looks horrible cause he is so tired) and he started bawling; it was so sweet. I was way too tired to show any emotion at all...I was just so thankful she was finally out and I could just lay there and not have to push at all anymore.
Delaney Abigail weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces and was 19.5 inches long. She was a sweet, round, bundle of joy!!! She is developing into such a precious young lady and both Sloan and I are so proud of her. She is a big helper around the house and with her sisters. And she is our soccer star!!
We love you, Delaney! Hope you have a special day today! (Lunch at school sure was fun)!!
Growing up.....
No comments:
Post a Comment