Emily's Birth Story

My Dearest Emily,

It was the day we'd been anticipating for months. Everything was squared away. We were packed, ready, and Ella was at Gigi's house. The alarm clock went off at an early 4:30am, but I didn't care. I was ready to see you. We had to be at the hospital at 7:00. And at 5:30 my cell phone rang.

"I bet that's the hospital telling us not to come in," I said, before answering.

"What?" your daddy asked surprised (and still in the bed).

And I was right. The hospital had no beds so they delayed my scheduled inducement time at least an hour, with instructions to call back in an hour before heading that way.

But I was already awake. And ready. So Daddy went back to sleep. And I was sat on the couch, frustrated, watching the clock tick slowly for one hour.

After an hour, I called again to find that the beds were still full, but soon to be vacated. I woke up Daddy (again) and we got everything loaded and in the car. We stopped for breakfast at Cracker Barrel and headed to the hospital.

By the time we arrived, checked in, I changed clothes, and got hooked up to Pitocin, it was already between 10 and 11am. I began the day at 2" but you were still pretty high up, so the midwife, Lynn, had me sitting and standing all sorts of ways to get you ready for delivery.

The day crept on and on. The medicine would work, causing contractions, and then stop. Nothing was too painful, so no one checked me to see how labor was progressing. Throughout the day, the nurses continued having problems keeping the heart rate monitors on your heart, so eventually they decided it was necessary to break my water and put an internal monitor on you.

 

After breaking my water, the midwife began experiencing problems keeping the monitor on your head, so she decided to do an ultrasound so they could get a clear picture of what was going on.

That was when they discovered you were breech.

The birth plan then changed. Preparations began for a Cesarean. I was shocked, a little scared, and then it hit me that I was sad. I got upset because I was so worried about your hips, and being breech is a main cause for hip dysplasia. After prayer and reassurance from the doctor, I was fine. Except for now I was having painful and regular contractions (with no epidural) and I had to wait. A long time. Daddy and I talked and laughed, and I breathed through the contractions that were very strong after my water being broken as we waited.

Once we were in the operating room and I received my spinal block/epidural (it was some sort of combination) I was fine. Except for I was ready to have Daddy by my side (he couldn't come in until I was completely ready for surgery) and to see your face.

It happened quickly, it seemed. All I could do was listen and watch Daddy's face as he peeked over the curtains. And I just kept listening...listening for your cry.

At 6:22pm on June 14th, 2011, I finally heard you. It would be several more minutes before I would lay eyes on you but I just kept watching Daddy's smile get bigger and bigger and listened to your cries.

And finally, after a very long wait (the doctors were tidying up things inside me to make sure our family is officially complete ;)) I got to see my sweet baby girl.

It took just a little while longer until I could join you and Daddy in the recovery room. But that's where it hit me, along with the pain. As you got your first bath I remember thinking how badly I wanted to just hold you.

What hit me, you ask? After a long day's completely unexpected turn of events, it hit me:

I was in love.

Emily Reese Shaddix

born June 14, 2011 at 6:22pm

7 lbs 13 oz, 20 inches

Much more to be continued...