Elle's Entrance

I've been meaning to write a post about Elle's entrance to the world, and am finally getting around to it!

I had to be at the hospital at 6am, and the doctor was scheduled to arrive at 7am. The hospital did not have the appropriate paperwork (or something like that), so it was 6:30 or 7:00 by the time I got a room and made it through all the questions/paperwork from the nurses.

The nurses checked me soon after that, and thought Elleana was breach. Dr. Valdez came in to perform and ultrasound, and made a joke about twins (I didn't get it at the time, but my mom thought he was serious--Dan did not worry because he knows our Dr. jokes a lot)...and discovered that she was not breach.

They started the Pitocin about 8am...broke my water at 9:04 (I was dilated to a 3 at that time)...at 9:40 I was 3 1/2 cm dilated, and asked for the Epidural. I got the epidural about 10:00.

After the epidural Dan and I chose some songs for a playlist on his Iphone, so we could pass the long labor with some music...the nurse checked my around 10:50 and I was at a 5...around 11:10 am Dan headed out to the car to get some snacks and my Mom was in the room with me. I was reading and was thinking of taking a nap.

Our nurse, Lina, told me to let her know if I felt any pressure. I didn't think I was feeling pressure...but thought I felt the baby moving. I didn't mention it...

Lina decided to check me at 11:15, and to my SHOCK said it was time to push. I told my mom to call Dan, and he walked in the room about that time. My mom told him to put the snacks down, because it was time to have the baby!

His words: You've got to be kidding! (labor was so long with Archer neither of us was prepared for such a SHORT labor this time)

The nurse called the doctor to let him know, and I started pushing. I pushed a total of 4 times, then I heard the nurse say STOP pushing. She had me take deep breaths and NOT Push--I told her I did not know how to not push...

It was difficult!

She made sure the other nurses had everything ready so she could deliver the baby if necessary. Luckily Dr. Valdez got there just in time...

As Dan describes it Dr. Valdez kind of strolled in the room, but when he looked over and saw the progress he ran to the nurses and they threw the scrubs on him--he pretty much got there just in time to catch Elle.

Funniest Comment from Dr. Valdez: It's a good thing I don't charge by the hour!

I told him he should be able to make his tee time (he had joked about going golfing earlier in the day).

My mom was texting my sister all along the way (the clocks are off, since Elle was born at 11:35, but the timeline was interesting for me to see).

9:04 broke water is at a 3
9:40 3 1/2 cm
10:01 getting epidural
10:50 at 5cm
11:14 10cm
11:36 dr went into room
11:47 dr walked out

To remember about right after the birth: Elle was crying and crying, until her Daddy leaned over and started talking to her. She was immediately quiet.

To remember about introducing Archer to Elleana: Dan said, "this is your sister"--he smiled and giggled. So sweet!

It was such a different experience this time--our baby girl was in a hurry to meet us:-)