Where to begin?.........This pregnancy was different. Much different than the way I expected or was used to. From not being able to find a midwife I liked until I was like 7 months pregnant, to the nasty case of carpel tunnel (I am STILL experiencing).....this pregnancy was different and more difficult. That being said, I had to think differently-more open
mindedly. I was scared to deliver in a hospital-my experience with
Auri in the birth center was amazing almost to the point of being
indescribable-so to think that I was going to have to birth in a hospital really got under my skin.
Financially-the hospital was the only way, and it bummed me out, but for some reason, it felt right. I had come to terms with the fact that it just wasn't going to happen the way that I had planned and hoped that it would but that everything would work out.
A little before 5 a.m. Wednesday morning I waddled to the bathroom for my third pee of the night. Right after I was done, little Eden kicked the top of my stomach and I heard a little pop and then a gush....this was weird. I had to have my water broken with Auri so to feel it happen on its own was strange--- but very exciting! I kind of went into frantic mode after that and ran in the bedroom to tell Andy to get up. I called my mom and then the hospital and they told me to come right in. We dropped Auri off at our neighbors-lucky for us, her son is an early riser and Auri was excited to play with him.
The drive to the hospital was weird-I thought I would be freaking out considering I was in labor and the drive takes 30 minuets-but I was calm as could be. We checked in and they tested me to see if my water really had broken-indeed it had.
Labor progressed slowly....very, very slowly.....We were bored out of our minds. I was seriously bored to tears-my boredom was hurting me more than my contractions! One of the things that was making me the most crazy was all the monitoring they have to do in a hospital. Being strapped down, laying in a bed makes contractions way harder to deal with so every chance I got, I would be up walking or rocking my hips. I could tell I was kind of annoying the nurses-but I didn't care! I even read some of their notes and it said "refuses monitoring". :) Hey, if I was to get this baby out without drugs, I was gonna do whatever I wanted!
After about 7 hours after we got to the hospital my parents got there-they couldn't believe I hadn't already had her....little did they know it would still be like 9 hours longer. When I had been laboring for about 11 hours the talk of Pitocin arose. This is something I really didn't want to do. I know what if does and it really stressed me out that they were wanting me to try it. I had my midwife check me and I was only at a four...A FOUR after 11 hours!!!! Dang. She noticed though that I had what she described as kind of like a second water bag and asked me if she could pop it. I let her and couldn't believe how much water was still in me. After that, my contractions became stronger but they still weren't regular-they would kind of come and go in threes-which was weird. Also I was feeling tons of pressure in my sacrum both of which are signs that there was a good chance that Eden was posterior (facing up). After about an hour and a half of weird contractions and no real progress, they brought up Pitocin again-the reason being that I had been in labor for like 12 and a half hours with a broken water and it could be stressing the baby and the risk of infection was increasing.
At this point, I was torn. Do I continue my method- possibly causing stress to the baby and face an extremely long labor, or do I give in and let modern medicine help my body get my baby out. Meanwhile the pressure in my sacrum was hurting more especially because I had to stay in the bed for them to monitor me more closely.....I was torn....really, what should I do? I could tell that Andy and my parents were starting to get a little worried but they were still really supportive of any decision I made. I decided to say a little silent prayer. After, I felt like I knew what I was supposed to do but I was still hesitant on my answer. I was scared. Really scared.
20 minuets later I had my back curved and was getting the epidural. I wasn't going to have the labor I had envisioned and planned for, but I was completely o.k. with my decision because I knew it was the right one, and felt very calm about the choice it had made. It took two doses for me to be comfortable. Weird. I really didn't love not having control of my legs-it was a weird feeling.
An hour after the epidural I felt Eden kind of flip or squirm around and then a very strong urge to push. They checked me and I was at an 8. Oh man! When can I freaking push?!!! Two minuets later I told Andy I was going to push and to go get the nurse. She checked and I was to a 10-finally after 15 hours of labor! After about 7 pushes in 10 minuets Edens head was out-(her little hand was up by her face-thank goodness for the epidural for that reason alone). My sweet little baby had finally made her appearance and man, she is cute! The first thing I noticed was her little dimple chin just like her dads. I was smitten-instantly! The moment when you first hold your child is some of the best living of your life. I treasure those few moments where you're getting acquainted with something you instantly love more than yourself. Soooo much love...so so so much love! 
The rest of the hospital experience was even worse than before the birth. From almost passing out to having Andy get kicked out of our room at 2 a.m. only to be replaced by a whining Hispanic woman who snored all night-I did not love the hospital! But, we all survived!
Auri made me cry the first time she saw Eden. She came in so tenderly and instantly said...(in the sweetest voice), "Oooooh, I love her!" She pointed out every feature and said how cute it was and pinched Edens cheeks (after all, they are pretty darn pinchable!). I think she loves her as much as me and her dad love both our girls!
We are so happy to be home with our sweet little girl and have enjoyed being pampered by our parents and family. Recovery for me is going great and Eden is a super little baby. Auri is spoiled rotten by her grandparents and Andy is loving all his girls. We are happy. We are family. We are so grateful that we have another sweet, beautiful daughter to raise and to love and to share our lives with! We love you Eden! Welcome!
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