Kennedy's Birth

Today Kennedy is 1 month old, so I figured I'd better post her birth story before I forget! I love to look back and read them later, so be prepared for the detailed version.

Let me preface this with I had declared when I knew my due date and throughout the pregnancy I would go into labor on October 6. It was the LSU/Florida football game, which we normally travel to, but obviously couldn't this year. It's a big rivalry for Craig and I so I joked the game would put me in labor. How ironic I actually had her on that day!

I awoke Saturday, October 6 around 3:45 AM experiencing some discomfort. I had wondered if I would know when I went into labor because with Riley my water broke and I never felt contractions until hours and hours later and then I had an epidural pretty quickly. With this pregnancy I had finally been able to tell when I was having contractions and I had had them on a few occasions as frequently as 2 minutes apart for hours, but never feeling pain. When I awoke this time I was having pain in my lower right side, but it was continuous. I was too uncomfortable to sleep, so I decided to try and determine if I was having contractions and time them. I grew more uncomfortable and finally so uncomfortable I couldn't focus on timing our counting. I wanted to be sure I needed to go to the hospital because it meant waking Craig and Cameron and Anne's family for someone to come over and stay with Riley. Finally around 5:45, I couldn't take much more. I woke Craig and said I was hurting, but didn't think it was contractions. I was soon hunched over on the floor and decided if it wasn't contractions, I probably still needed to go. Even if this was gas, I needed some medication! 

I found out later when Craig called Cameron, he said no hurry. Nevermind I could barely stand. We arrived at the hospital at 6:30. They wheeled me in and hooked me up to the monitors. I was 2-3 cm at 7AM and contracting every 2 minutes. I soon started feeling much better, though the contractions continued. It was a Saturday, but my Dr. was there by 9 and I was 3-4 cm. He said I was progressing slowly. He could send me home and I'd probably be back later or we could have a baby today. By this point I'd put in 5-6 hours of pain and certainly didn't want to repeat it so I said let's have a baby! I had the option of using the on call Dr. or waiting for my Dr. as he had to come and go on a Saturday. I chose my own of course, so things probably could have happened more quickly but we spent time waiting on him. We spent the day watching college football and texting with family and friends. I eventually had to stop reading the texts because I was laughing so hard it was causing a lot of pain! We really had so much fun that day! 

I wasn't checked again until 2 PM and was still only a 4. I should add that we were also waiting around because I had to have antibiotics before I delivered the baby so we had to get a couple rounds in first. At 2 PM he broke my water, I was nervous because I hadn't had my epidural, but it wasn't bad at all. Strange feeling though. I asked for my epidural about 20 minutes later and it took about another hour before I had it. Both deliveries I've had to be put on oxygen after I get the epi because our blood pressure drops. I LOVE being on oxygen and my nurse let me keep it as long as I wanted. I could breathe so easily for the first time in months! 

At 4:15 I was STILL a 4. (I'm not sure my body would ever have a baby on it's own!) so we started Pitocin. I was 70-80% effaced and -1.  

I was relaxed and comfy now and progressing well. They checked me at some point after 7 PM and I was soon a 9. My Dr. had gone home at this point as he lived really nearby. I told Craig I was feeling a lot of pressure, but I'm not sure he was getting my point. I pressed the nurse call button and calmly told them I was pretty sure the baby was about to fall out! They laughed, but came back to check. (They had JUST checked moments before). The nurse quickly said lay on your side and keep your legs closed! We gotta get the Dr. back! This is about the point Craig and I exchange that OH CRAP! look, we're about to have a baby! 

I pushed a few times for maybe 60 seconds and we quickly had our little girl in our arms!

7:44 PM 8lbs 7oz 19 3/4 inches

I seriously LOVE labor and delivery, I would do it again tomorrow! There's nothing like getting that baby in your arms for the first time. We can't wait to do it again :)

This is what Craig spent most of the day doing.

Me loving my oxygen!

Our little miss.

We hadn't chosen a name for baby girl. We had a few we liked, but just couldn't make a decision. We often had Riley say all the names we liked and joked we would use whichever he said the cutest way. When he came in ( he was in the waiting room at this point) we asked what her name should be and he replied "Kenneny" aka Kennedy. We thought that was funny he actually said a name, and one from our list! Each day when he came to visit we asked and "Kenneny" was always his reply...so Kennedy it was!

 Like I said, I love labor and delivery, but as soon as baby arrives I want out of there! I HATE the hospital stay, I get so depressed sitting in that room cooped up and especially this time away from Riley. We were so happy to go home!!

More to come about our sweet girl.