Exactly 37 weeks today 3 weeks away from your due date, I woke up at 1 am to use the bathroom for what seemed like the thousandth time that morning. When I got up to walk to the bathroom I felt a sudden gush of liquid (sorry that's gross but best way to describe it) first thing I thought was "seriously I just peed my pants!" But when I got to the bathroom I found that I in fact had not peed my pants, then a sudden panic hit me, "my water must have just broken." Instantly the adrenaline started pumping and as I walked back into my room to wake your dad I was starting to freak out, haha. I could tell he had just barely gone to bed because it was really hard to wake him, but when he finally woke up I told him I thought that my water had broke. I wish I could have gotten a picture of his face but he was in shock too, I told him I was going to call Labor and Delivery to confirm and honestly I was almost certain that they would tell me no. But low and behold the nurse told me she thought it was best if I came in. So we started to throw things into my hospital bag (because you being 3 weeks early I didn't have time to really pack the bag). I hadn't felt anything that would make me think I was having contractions so I told your dad on the drive to not worry we'll be heading back home before you know it.
1:30 am-
As we entered the hospital I started to have back cramps, I didn't think too much of it because again I really thought we would be going back home soon, when we reached Labor and Delivery they checked me to see if my water really had broken, and surprise... it had! I was then told we needed to put me in the hospital gown and hook me up to the monitors to watch my contractions progress. Things were getting real quick, my back cramps started to progress and your poor dad was so tired and also nervous. He was so sweet and told me things were going to be okay and then gave me a blessing.
2 am-
The Resident Dr. came in and told me it was time to check me to see how we were progressing, he informed me that we were dilated to 2 centimeters and that it looked like things were moving along as they should. I asked your dad to give our parents (your grandparents) a call so that way they were prepared to travel once we knew more, we then decided that we should try and get some sleep because this was our first so it would be awhile.
4-6 am-
My contractions were starting to get worse and I didn't think I could take it any longer so around 6 am we asked the nurse for the epidural, we got lucky because the anesthesiologist had already come in to give another patient their epidural. He came in about 5 minutes later and your dad sat with me and reassured me the whole time he was giving me the epidural, because if you remember your mommy doesn't like needles. :) I was so proud of myself because I thought it was going to be a lot worse, I felt a pinch and then a zing feeling like they explained I would and then he said we were all done. I started to feel one side of my body numb and then they propped a pillow under my other side to help it all numb as evenly as possible. I was able to finally relax and take a little nap.
8 am-
The Resident Dr. came back in to check how dilated we were and to my surprise and theirs we were already to 8 centimeters, so then it became even more real that we were going to have you sometime today! Again I thought that we were going to be laboring all day so I was thrilled that things were progressing but also getting a little nervous. Mommy's doctor Dr. Jones doesn't really like his patients to labor for a long time so he had the Resident give mommy some medicine called pitocin to help us progress a little quicker.
They brought in your bed in preparation for your arrival.
10 am-
Mommy was progressing and we were already to a 9 the nurse and Resident predicted that we would have you by 12pm, aunt Melissa on the other hand predicted you would arrive by 11 am which to mommy sounded great! Aunt Dorothy had heard we were in labor so she came up to visit us,
About 30 minutes later I started to feel a lot of pressure and they told me that it was time to start pushing, they quickly started to get everything ready and I looked at your dad and gave him a "holy crap here we go" kind of look and he held my hand and comforted me. Dr. Jones came in and told me that he was going to help deliver another baby first since they were further along but that the Resident and the nurses were going to help me progress. The first few pushes were really odd because they have you hold your breath as they count and you push. We did that for the first hour and I seriously thought you would never come.
11:30 am-
We were starting our second full hour of pushing and I was getting discouraged, they had me stop pushing and do what they call "laboring down" by letting the contractions come and help you move down as much as possible. I had a grape Popsicle while we waited and I started to cry, I looked at your dad and said "she's never going to come out." He told me I was doing great and that you would be here soon.The Dr.'s came back in and we continued pushing for the next hour.
12 pm-
Dr. Jones came in and told me that you were stuck in my pelvis that it wasn't wide enough for you to come out. Basically when we were pushing what was happening is your head would move basically in and out like a turtle and that he could get the vacuum and help your head get out but that we would risk you getting shoulder distocia where you may not be able to use your shoulder ever again. The other option was that we would have to have a C-section. Your dad and I opted for the C-section and then everything was a blur from there.
I was given more of my epidural medicine to help numb my body from my waste down in order to not feel the doctor cut my stomach open, We had nurses and doctors rushing in and out having me sign consent forms and I basically felt as though I had just signed my life away (essentially I had). Your dad had to put on scrubs and a hair net to be able to join me for surgery (unfortunately I didn't get his picture). By 1 pm we were leaving our labor room and heading into the surgery room. Between all the hormones and me being so nervous I was shaking uncontrollably in my arms and shoulders, they assured me that this was normal. The nurses put warm blankets on me while they put up the blue drape that blocked me from seeing the C-section be performed. Somewhere in between getting everything ready I thought I heard a baby cry and so I asked if that was you and they laughed and said that we hadn't started the procedure yet, I guess I was starting to get anxious. :)
2:16 pm-
A cry, and then the most beautiful face was held up over the drape, and there you were. Our sweet little Lexi girl! Instantly your dad and I started to cry and then he left my side to be with you while Dr. Jones stitched me up. You weighed 5 lbs. 15 ounces and were 21 1/2 inches long, to our surprise you did not have red hair but in fact you had dark brown, but because I had pushed for so long some of your beautiful hair had been rubbed off and you had an abrasion on the top of your head. The dr. reassured us that you would heal and that you were healthy and we had nothing to worry about. I was still shaking when they brought us into a room to recover and you were getting hungry, so we had them give me a few minutes before I tried to nurse you. When you came in you were just so tiny and I was a little intimidated but we had wonderful nurses who assisted me in nursing you.
When we finally arrived to our room you already had visitors, Grandma and Grandpa Pope (my mom and dad), Aunt Dorothy and cousin Mariah were all there to greet you. As soon as I saw grandma I started to cry as did she, we didn't have to say anything we both were thinking of how long we had waited for this moment. And it was truly the best moment in my life aside from marrying your dad. :) Welcome to the world our sweet Lexi Anne, you are so loved in many ways and we are so blessed to have you in our lives!
Here are some of your newborn photos from the Hospital, we loved them all we bought the whole CD. :)
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