The winner is...
ME! And apparently two other blog-visitors.
February 3, 2009 at 1:01AM, Cadence Marie made her arrival in a very different way from her older sister's birth two and a half years ago. Amaris' labor was 42 hours, over two hours of which were spent pushing to no avail.
All day on the 2nd, I had minor (but regular) contractions. At around 8PM, the intensity increased a little and I timed about four contractions that were 5 minutes apart each. And just as I was sitting on our friends' couch about ready to make the announcement that my contractions had picked up a little bit at the end of the last contraction, I felt a sharp kick-like feeling. It made me jump a little. And then I felt a warm gush and I knew my water had broken. It was 8:27PM.
We stayed home till I started to get really uncomfortable during contractions and when we got to the hospital, it was after 11PM and I'd kept my eyes closed during the entire half-hour drive to get there. I figured I'd get my epidural, sleep most of the night and then push in the morning. I rated my contractions about an 8 on the 0-10 pain scale.
Into Triage I went and they monitored me for a while before determining my need for a Labor & Delivery room. By then I was begging for the epidural. The nurses struggled to place my IV catheter for what felt like forever. I was in a massive amount of pain and each time they stuck me something went wrong and they had to start over. Finally they got my IV running, and finally a doctor came to examine my cervix. He fiddled forever and couldn't come up with an accurate guess on my progress. His exam was excruciating and I finally shut my legs and told him to stop. He made up some numbers for the nurses and asked to get my epidural going so that he could get a better idea of my actual dilation and effacement. The nurses gave me a dose of some painkiller via my IV while we waited for the anesthesiologist.
I know most women say "I felt like I needed to poop." But I really did. And I told the nurse I wanted to go to the bathroom. She said she needed to ask the doctor if I could because of the baby's location and the pain meds she'd given me. He okayed it, just asked me to keep aware of the baby because that was probably part of the pressure I was feeling.
Mark had to help me use the bathroom. I was successful, but I did feel the pressure of her head in my cervix, so I had to keep standing up and pressing my legs together to avoid accidentally pushing at the wrong times. I managed to get back to the bed eventually, and then the anesthesiologist came in and started briefing me on the process and what I'd need to do. He talked forever. At the end of his spiel, he said something about how he wanted me to sit on the edge of the bed and slouch. I said, "I can feel her head." He kept talking. I said, "Something is coming out of me."
He stopped talking and stood there almost kind of baffled while my nurse came and threw the covers off of me, just in time to reveal Cadence pretty much diving right out. She gasped and said, "oh! baby! baby!" and the entire staff of the Labor and Delivery wing rushed into my room all at once.
I didn't push one time. I didn't do anything, really, except suffer through the contractions at their worst. I was totally awestruck at her arrival.
She is beautiful and tiny and we are all in love with her. Amaris has already sang her the ABC's and "Twinkle twinkle" about a dozen times. Most of all we are just happy to finally be home. More photos to come.
February 4, 2009 at 6:55 PM
I was exaggerating when I said that the second one flies right out..."was" being the operative word.
She's beautiful, we're so happy for you -- hope you're getting lots of rest.
February 5, 2009 at 12:44 AM
I'm so happy she is here!!!!!
February 5, 2009 at 3:50 AM
OMG Im so proud of you she looks like Amaris did.... We congrads to you guys... I love you Keri...
February 5, 2009 at 5:02 AM
Oh Kari she is beautiful and that is one amazing labour story! haha now I am even more scared to make sure I get to the hospital right away since Ireland was only a 4 hour labour. However this time it will probably be me going the opposite way and having the very long labour.
February 5, 2009 at 11:49 AM
Hey girl, I knew you were in labor and was anxiously awaiting this news! I saw it last night on my way to bed. I am so happy you had a quick labor! WELCOME Cadence, we've been waiting for you, baby girl!
February 5, 2009 at 2:39 PM
YAY! I was TOTALLY right on what day you were going to have her! Both of us were one week early. :)
I am SO GLAD this labor went faster and that is awesome that you didn't have to push! You probably pushed her down when you were pooping lol.
OHHHH I am so happy for you! Give baby Cady a BIG KISS from me and her long-distance friend, Keira.
February 9, 2009 at 5:30 PM
yaay Kari!! congratulations! simply amazing! so happy for you guys! all my love! she's ADORABLE!!