It all started on Tuesday morning, September 16th. My mom came up to go to my doctor's appointment with me. She was there in case it was time to head to the hospital or to help brighten my spirits if I still hadn't dilated any further. It turns out I was still only at 2cm, but I was significantly more effaced. It was a blazing hot day somewhere in the 90s. I was bummed. We decided to head to Beverly Center to walk around in the air conditioning. I think we walked around for a good two hours. I was in Bloomingdales looking at Free People stuff when the first contraction hit. We walked around a bit more but I didn't have another for about an hour until we were in the car driving home. They kept coming closer and closer, that by Tuesday night when Daniel got home from work, they were already 5 minutes apart, lasting for a minute each. We decided to head to the hospital. It turns out I still wasn't dilated any more. We walked the halls of the hospital for a while and it wasn't helping me progress. Since I said I was hoping for a natural birth they sent me home and told me to labor at home as long as I could. Wednesday I continued having contractions all day long. They were painful but manageable. We were anxious, but I wanted to hold out before going to the hospital again because I could not handle being sent home once more.
Thursday, around 3am I woke to the most painful contraction. I got up and took a shower without waking Daniel or my mom. The contractions were bad, I decided it was time to go to the hospital again. The whole drive there I was literally screaming through the pain. They admitted me just before 5am. I was still only dilated somewhere around 3-4cm. I was not making much progress. Around 9-10am my doctor waltzes in and says she is going to break my water. All the while I am still having intensely painful contractions every five minutes. At some point they put me on Pitocin to help me along. Around 2pm, I was exhausted and had enough, I caved and opted for the epidural. It was the best decision I have ever made. I hadn't been able to relax or sleep much in the last 48 hours and I knew I was going to need my strength to push the baby out. They kept saying 'Oh the baby will probably be here by 6pm', then it was 8pm then it was 9pm. I was starting to wonder if I was ever going to have her. I was stuck at 9cm for what seemed like an eternity. Around a quarter to 10pm the nurse wanted to do some practice pushes. By 10pm my doctor was there and it was time. It took an hour and half to finally push her out.
She was born at 11:19pm on September 18th, 2014, just 41 minutes before her due date.
It was the most intense, traumatic, most horrible pain I have ever experienced. Fifty-Six hours from my first contraction to our little angel being born.
I would be happy to endure it all over again for her. She is now 6 weeks old and is just the sweetest.
She's a really good baby and soothes so easily. It's so amazing how quickly they grow. I am absolutely in love with her and enjoying being her mother more than could ever possibly be expressed in words. I literally stare at her in wonder every day. I can't believe Daniel and I created her. She exists out of our love for one another and is the most miraculous, magical, beautiful thing.
It is such a privilege to be on this journey.
We love you so much Wren!!!!!!
