Michigan Roys: She is here! Our last little bundle of joy!

I had hoped to have her in October, but once Halloween passed I figured it wasn't meant to be. I guess I could have just sat back and waited but I was ready to have this little one join our family on the outside. I went to the YMCA on Halloween afternoon and walked on the treadmill for an hour. Then I went back to the Y on Wednesday night to walk for over an hour. I was ready to have this baby. I had a few contractions but nothing that sent me into full on labor. All day Thursday I had strong contractions but they were at least 10 minutes apart, and usually 20 minutes, so I knew that wasn't good enough. By dinner time, they were getting closer together and stronger in my back! Yuck! I hate back labor! Kevin came home and we talked about what to do and I worried about having my last labor without an epidural. We left the house at 6:56 pm - all the kids excited that we would be having the baby!

Once at the hospital, they put me in a room to check on the baby and my contractions. All the while the back labor was getting worse (so much like Camdilyn's that I was really scared). The contractions were 2-3 minutes apart and very painful. They started the IV and Kevin squeezed on the bag to get the fluids in me as quickly as possible. They drew my blood and then transferred me to a room. I laid in the bed and tried to control myself and tell myself that I could do this. The contractions were now 1-2 minutes apart and my back hurt so bad. I eventually lost it, slapped Kevin in the stomach with each contraction and said, "I can't do this. This is not good! I just want an epidural!" Finally at 9:10 the anesthesiologist came in and I was overjoyed. I didn't think I could sit up with the contractions coming so close together but I wanted that epidural so I did and I am so glad I did because it was almost immediate relief in my back! I was so grateful and it was so wonderful to have the relief so quickly. It was only a couple more contractions before I couldn't feel them at all and I was in a happy place once more.

Unfortunately, my blood pressure dropped and so they were concerned about the baby. They put an oxygen mask on me and added some medication to increase my blood pressure. I watched my nurse, doctor, and the anesthesiologist all stand there watching the monitors and making sure baby and I were okay. After a little while my body responded, the blood pressure came back up and the mask was removed.

Around 10:15 we decided to go ahead and push. (Hind sight we should have just waited and let the contractions push the baby down, but I was excited to have my baby.) I pushed four or five times and then she was coming. I pushed a couple more times and she was here! Born at 10:29 pm with lots of dark hair and covered in vernix!