Pre-Labor, Labor & Home

Pre-Labor Story:
It was Monday morning December 28^th and we had just gotten back from Christmas with family the Saturday before. We were planning on leaving for Bear Lake immediately after I got back from my Doctors appointment that Monday afternoon. I was 37 weeks along and the Dr. said I was dilated to a 3 and 70% effaced. Now, understand that the week before I was already dilated to a 1.5 and 60% effaced. I said to Dr. Horsley “ So am I still ok to go to Bear Lake? Please tell me honestly!” He replied, well I don’t want to ruin your trip by saying stay home and nothing happens, but this exam could start you into labor, so maybe hang back an hour or two and see how you are feeling. Then he added, while you are up in Bear Lake if you have 4 really painful contractions within an hour you need to get back here! So we left and came home, hung around for a while and then headed on up to Bear Lake.
Labor:

Monday morning, January 4^th rolls around my appointment was set at 9:45 AM. I had left some cleaning and laundry to be done, because I thought that I was going to go to my appointment, come home and have some time to get things done while I counted contractions and then go into the hospital later in the day to have the baby. BUT Patrick and I both felt that we should have packed our bags and gotten things ready just in case we were sent straight up to Labor and Delivery. We had a small feeling that that could happen.

While visiting with my Dr. we found out I had dilated to a 4 and was 80% effaced. I KNEW that the striping of my membranes was definitely going to get me going. Then Dr. Horsley said well, lets schedule to induce you next Monday, if I don’t see you this week. Then as he was walking out the door he asked me how her movements have been. I told him that they have become less frequent, but I can still get 10 movements within an hour. Trying to find any reason to send me up to L&D he said well let’s hook you up to the stress test monitor and check her movements. While we were sitting waiting for the test to finish ( which was 20minutes ) I had felt cramps and my stomach tightening. We could also hear her heartbeat and heard it intensify every now and then. Dr. Horsley came back and read the charts and said well, she just barely doesn’t pass the test, which is reason enough to send you up to L&D, but really it’s nothing to worry about, she’s fine! BUT You also have had 8 contractions within these past 20 minutes, so lets definitely send you up to L&D.

So, up to Labor and Delivery I went. Patrick was sooo excited and I was happy, but sad and had mixed emotions about the whole thing. I was really overwhelmed because I had left a lot of things to be done that day that now I wasn’t going to have the chance to do. Plus I was so worried about Porter! I knew that I wasn’t going to see him for the next 2 days and that tore my heart into pieces. I also knew that now I would have 2 kids to care for and I wasn’t sure I was ready for it.

I was admitted into room 4 at 10:45AM and Patrick left to pack the bags and get Porter taken care of. Thanks to Matt n Kenz for taking such good care of my boy all day!!! I was contracting a little bit and as the hour went on I felt them getting stronger. The nurse came in and noticed I was feeling one pretty good and asked If I wanted the epidural soon. The anesthesiologist was giving another lady her epidural and they could send him right down right when he was finished with her. I said sure, but can we wait til my husband gets here? Of course the nurse said! So Patrick showed up around noon and I got the epidural at 12:30PM immediately after at 1PM Dr. Horsley showed up and checked my cervix and I was dilated to a 5 and 80% effaced. He broke my water and left. While waiting Patrick and I played zilch, which I slaughtered him in. He took a nap and I watched some TV. I could feel my stomach tightening and I knew I was having contractions. At 2:45PM the nurse came in and checked me. I was dilated to a 6 and 100% effaced. I KNEW this baby was going to be here real soon so I watched for the urge to push. Come 3:30 I was really feeling ready, I had them check me and sure enough I was fully dilated and effaced and she was head completely down and ready. Now I had to wait for my Dr. to show up so I could start pushing. He got there at 4PM and I pushed through 2 contractions a total of 6 times and abracadabra Kinley Anne was born at 4:14PM weighing 6lbs 140z and was 19in long. She was so beautiful right after she was born and looked EXACTLY like her brother.And she still is super beautiful!

HOME:

We brought her home and Porter was so excited to see the baby! He gave her tons of kisses and was totally ready to play with her. He shouted basketball when we came in the door and threw one of the lighter weight balls (thank goodness) right at Kinleys face. Then he ran and got his toy gun and sat it on her cuz he wanted to play with her so badly! Porter has already been such a great big brother! He constantly wants her in the same room as him and loves to get right in her face and say “HI” “BABY” and give her big kisses. He is really sweet.

Kinley has been a really good baby. She just needs to switch her time clock. She's got her days and nights confused. With 2 kids that can make you one tired person! We are so blessed and grateful to have 2 healthy happy kids and we love them so very much!