Abby Elizabeth - the story

Fair warning: if you don't want to read a birth story, just skim through the pictures.

I had just finished a marathon week at work (conferences and my class kept me out until 8pm Monday through Wednesday), and was REALLY looking forward to date night for Jon's birthday on Saturday night. Jon had a youth even scheduled for Saturday afternoon, was going to be introduced as the official interim Youth Guy in church Sunday morning, and then was teaching for the last time (for about a month) Sunday night at youth group. At Thursday's appointment, I was 2cm and 80% effaced (according to my doctor...the nurse later disagreed with the 80% part). He didn't think I'd make it to my induction on the 17th, but I didn't have any reason to think I'd go any earlier than the weekend of the 12th. After all, I was supposed to work through Veteran's Day (11/10). This weekend I was going to do lots of baby laundry and finish getting everything ready for baby.

Saturday morning, 1:30am

I woke up, slightly confused. I thought I had to go to the bathroom, but it sort of seemed that I already had. I went to the bathroom, and then used the bathroom...which didn't make sense if I'd wet the bed. I got up, and the following gush/cascade made it evident that my water had broken. I woke up Jon and told him that my water broke, and I was calling Kim to come over and watch the girls. At this point I went into a little "chicken with my head cut off" phase...I couldn't find a bag to pack my things in, and kept grabbing different ones to see if they'd work. Finally got a backpack and started getting toiletries together. Then I figured I should call the hospital. After talking to them, Jon walked down the hall, and I commented, "This is so WEIRD!" He replied, "What is?" I said, "That my water broke." He said, "It did?!" Ha ha--he's definitely hard to wake up! We got our things together and headed out when Kim got there.

2:15am

We arrived at the hospital and got all checked in, hooked up to monitors, etc. I wasn't really having any contractions, so there wasn't much to do, but I was also pretty paranoid about going fast and missing my epidural window. They checked me around 3am and I was just 3cm, but they figured since this was baby #3, my labor would just kick in eventually. We were both pretty wide awake at this point, and decided to take advantage of free cable: some SNL reruns, MASH, etc. I was also really looking forward to having ESPN on a Saturday!

6am

The doctor suggested that I get up and walk around since I still wasn't having very consistent or strong contractions. We walked the halls for about an hour and called some people to let them know it was baby day. Walking DEFINITELY did the trick, and by 7:30 I asked for my epidural. The next doctor (they changed at 7am) said I was about 4cm, but she was fine with my getting pain relief. The hero anesthesiologist had my all hooked up just after 8am. This is much of what I looked like for the next few hours:

watching college football, and waiting.

10:30am

I was starting to feel some pain 'down below' and thought I just needed to lay on my other side. I called the nurse and we pushed my little bolus button (best invention ever--lets you give yourself another "boost" of your epidural). Around 10:45 she said she'd check me since I was feeling pressure down low. She said I was 8cm, and that I should sit up, which might help bring the baby and the pain meds down. They got set up, I was declared complete just before 11 and the doctor came in. It was pretty painful still, but they told me to push anyway. Abby came out after two pushes (I'm sorry, don't hate me).

Abby Elizabeth
6-15
19 3/4 inches
11:02 am