Birthday!

We went to Winnie Palmer Hospital Sunday evening to be induced. They gave me cervidal for 12 hours. It started at 10 at night and went to 10 in the morning. Depending on what the cervidal did, determined the Dr. next move. Well, after 12 hours, I only moved 1 cm. So I was now only 2 cm, and 50% effaced. They called my Dr. He said to go ahead and move me to labor and delivery and give me pitocin. He also said I could have my epidural whenever I wanted. Which I wanted at that point. I was having contractions and back contractions. So we were moved to L&D by 11. Around 12 my Dr. came in and broke my water. I was still only about 2 cm. I choose not to have the epidural right away to have stadol instead. As soon as I was given the stadol, I felt relief and fell asleep for about an hour. I was then waking up just for a contraction, and having back spasms. So they gave me another dose of Stadol. I then feel asleep for about an hour. When is started wearing off, I was again waking up only to have the contraction, with major back spasms. At this point, I was given my epidural. It was great! I felt nothing. I was still going in and out of sleep. At 5pm. I was only 5 cm. So I kept sleeping on and off and trying to visit with anyone who came by to visit me. At 7:45pm the nurse checked and I was 10 cm. Which was shocking to her because I was not feeling any pressure or pain. She then turned off my epidural. Which then I was feeling everything on my left side, nothing on the right side. the Dr. finally got to the hospital and I started pushing. MaryAnne's heart rate started increasing. I could not feel where to push so they tried several different things. First, I was on my side, then I playing tug of war with a blanket and the bar, then they had my grab my ankles. The Dr. then decided to try the vacuum. Which helped a lot. It did pop off twice, but he was able to move Maryanne so she could come out. On my last contraction, I pushed the normal 3 pushes and then I had the urge to push a fourth time. That fourth push was it, she came out! I only pushed for 45 min.

MaryAnne was born at 9:16 pm. She was 7 lbs, 11 oz and 20 1/2 inches long. We were so happy that she is here! She has changed so much in her short life so far. We can not wait to see her grow up!