On Thursday, January 19th, at 1:30 I had my 39 week OB appt. Everything checked out great! My cervix was still about the same, 3 cm and about 50%, but my OB thought it seemed "favorable" for labor, so she went ahead and stripped my membranes. Surprisingly, it was not all that uncomfortable, which made my OB think it wouldn't be long before I went in to labor on my own ... but, she still offered me an induction date. I politely declined :) I figured I could wait another week or 2 if I had to. After my appt, my mom and I went and walked around the mall. I didn't want to just sit around, even if nothing was going to spark I needed to occupy my time! I was a little uncomfortable with cramping and a little pressure, but nothing too out of the ordinary for me. So, by the evening, I was still uncomfortable and just felt like hanging on the couch. By 9:30 PM, I told Adam ... "wow, the OB really made me feel crampy". We went back to bed, as I laid there, I tried to count "contractions", but I stopped trying in frustration because I couldn't really figure out a start and stop time. I dozed off and woke up around 11:00 PM and just new something was happening. I got up and went to the bathroom and tried to lay back down ... I immediately jumped back up in a slight panic and woke Adam up as I was leaning over the bed gripping the mattress. He was kind of in a fog and asked what's wrong?? I told him "I think this is it", he called his mom and dad to come over to stay with Gabe. Then called my mom. I called the on call OB, struggling to get through a sentence as I told her what was happening. I walked around the house, bent over in pain, as we gathered our bags. It took about 15 minutes or so for his parents to get to our house. We left immediately once they were here. Adam kept asking me "are you sure we can make it to IU North?? Should we just go to Methodist??" NOOOO, we can make it! I kept saying, but thinking in the back of my mind, oh no, what if we don't!!
I was miserable in the car, I couldn't get comfortable. I ended up rolling my window down and facing backwards on my knees in the front seat ... gripping the headrest as hard as I could with contractions. Adam drove as fast as he could, only running one red light in Plainfield. By the time we made it to the interstate I was kind of in a zone I guess. Unaware of time, location, etc. I just asked Adam, "can you go any faster??" He said, "babe, I'm already going 85-90 MPH!" LOL Well, we made it to 56th street and I said "Oh no!" Adam, was like "WHAT??!!" I said, "my water just broke!!" I wish I could've seen his face when I said that, LOL. Poor guy, he really held it together, but I'm sure he was freaking out on the inside! I made him call the unit to let them know that my water broke, and I remember telling him that I want an epidural ... LOL!! I knew that wasn't going to happen, but it made me feel slightly better saying it! As we passed Michigan road, I told Adam "I have the urge to push!!" He said, "NO JUST BREATH!!" We made it to Meridian St and a sense of relief kind of came over me. I knew we were almost to the hospital and it was going to be ok. We actually passed my mom on Meridian St ... we pulled in to the front of the hospital and we jumped out so fast, not closing doors or shutting the car off. Adam ran to get a wheelchair ... I climbed in on my knees facing the back of the chair (soaking wet jeans, and butt crack hanging out ... a real site to see LOL) We got to the lobby and the doors were locked!! Adam kept hitting the button to page someone ... I thought he was going to break down the door!! FInally we figured out where we needed to go ... to the right there was an elevator that went straight up to the labor and delivery floor .... They were ready and waiting for us!
We got in the room, they had to help me with my shoes and pants ... I remember the nurse saying, "light meconium". I was thinking, oh great! I got in bed at 12:02 AM, I kept saying "I need to push, I need to push! And oh, can I have some ice!!??" LOL The ice really helped me for some reason, maybe distraction, I don't know!The nurse said, I need to check you ... 10 cm and complete! Luckily, they have a "Doc in a box" because the on call OB hadn't made it yet! NICU was standing by as the OB was trying to set up quickly. I kept saying "I need to push!!!" So, I did ... and the OB said, ok we are having a baby with the next contraction!! I remember saying "Really??" Sure enough, next contraction out she came!!!! (Crying) 9 minutes after they got me in the bed!! It was so surreal ... I can't describe it! It felt so good to be able to push ... I remember the OB saying, "Look down, look down! Here comes your baby!" She was beautiful, absolutely beautiful ... perfect little miracle. Oh my, a feeling I will never forget! Adam was amazing the entire time, I'm so blessed to have such an awesome husband! He had been on such an adrenaline rush, that once she came out he turned white as a ghost and had to step out for a second ... so, my mom cut her cord :) It only took him a minute to collect himself and he was right back by our side! We immediately knew her name when she came out ... Abigail Ree. We always loved the name Abigail, and Ree is my mom's middle name. Born on January 20, @ 12:11 AM. She was 7lbs 12oz and 21 in long.
The IU North staff was wonderful! They encouraged me, kept me calm, and took excellent care of me, baby, and Adam! The next few hours were pure bliss as I "recovered" in labor and delivery. It was quiet, just Adam, my mom, Abby, and I ... One of my best friends came shortly, Miss Alex! I was able to see Abby's first bath, nurse her, cuddle her ... so awesome!! No urgency to whisk her away to the NICU or me to the OR. Just perfect ... exactly what I imagined it would be like! I remember thanking the sweet Lord, over and over and over ... which I'm still doing to this day. What a perfect miracle!
She looks HUGE in these pictures ... they are deceiving!! She is quite petite :)
Alex snapped some of these pics with her phone ... Thanks girl!!
We had so many wonderful visitors! Thank you everyone for coming by to share in our little miracle! (I'm bummed I didn't get pictures of everyone that visited, guess my mind was somewhere else!)
Our Visitors in the hospital: Didi, Grumpy, Gabe, Oma, Opa, Aunty Karey, Jon, Alex, Brent, Shelly, JJ, Natale, Laci, Cousin Amy
Auntie Shelly & Auntie Alex!
Auntie Karey!
Opa!
DiDi & Grumpy!
Oma!
Daddy time!
Great Big Brother!!
Abby's going home outfit ... the onesie underneath says "Little Sister"
Going home!!!!
