On Sunday, May 8th, 2016, Mother's Day, Chase and I had plans to make lunch for Connie at her house to celebrate. Megan and Jeff were there too. After a late breakfast of German pancakes, we were watching the golf tournament at Connie and Tony's house with the family. At 2 o'clock I was chatting with Megan on the couch, and I had a pretty strong construction. After that the contractions continued to be about seven minutes apart, then five minutes, then three and a half minutes. I had been timing each contraction in a note in my phone.
I texted Chase, who was sitting on the next couch to tell him I was having consistent contractions. We both hoped that this was the real thing and labor would continue! At about 4:30 we headed over to my moms house for Mother's Day dinner, assuring Chase's family that we would keep them posted if we went to the hospital. At this point, every fourth or fifth contraction was very uncomfortable. We were only at my mom's house for about 45 minutes when every other contraction became pretty painful. I texted Dr. Barton and told him what was going on and he said it could be the real thing and it was time to go get checked! I didn't want to go in too early and get sent home, but when I was laying on a bed upstairs at my moms house, a contraction hit that was pretty difficult. Chase's response was, "ok, we are going now." We were still over an hour from the hospital and we needed to stop at home to pack things into the car. We said goodbye to family and got on the road. At this point, I was comfortable between contractions, but each contraction took some concentration. The time between varied from 3 to 8 minutes as we drove. We got home about 5:45. Chase packed up the car and made sure our cameras were ready to go while I tried laying in bed. I immediately learned that contractions are much more painful while laying down! So I paced up and down our hallway. Our house was kind of cold, (66 degrees) but I was walking around in shorts and a sports bra through each contraction. Labor is hard work!
I was having quite a bit of back labor, but I didn't really know any different. I thought it was normal. Chase would help me by pushing on and rubbing my back during difficult contractions. We decided to leave for the hospital about 8 PM. But when 7:30 rolled around I decided we needed to go right then. When we got in the car and we were getting on the freeway, I wondered out loud if maybe we were going to the hospital to soon. Just as I voiced my thought to Chase, I had a really strong contraction and from there on the pain didn't ever really let up. After a strong contraction on the freeway, I got a little emotional. I was in pain, but primarily I was emotional about going to the hospital with Chase to have our first baby. Chase saw I was tearing up and took my hand. It was a really special moment. Chase said a prayer as we drove down the road, and we continued on our way.
We arrived at IMC in Murray right at 8:00 PM. We checked in and were put in labor and delivery room 6 because triage was full. After I changed into a gown, I was checked. At 9:00 PM I was dilated to a 3 and fully effaced. The nurse, Lisa, monitored the babies heart rate and my contractions for 20 minutes, then they allowed me to walk around the halls for about 45 minutes. Then they are monitored me for another 20 minutes and at 10:00 PM I was dilated to a four. At this point I was able to walk around without monitors for three hours. Family had arrived at this point (Lauren, Avery, Alison, Connie, Tony, Megan, Jeff). At first they would take turns coming into our room, but then they were patiently waiting out in the lobby. It was great to have privacy and just be with Chase. Chase was amazing. I honestly could not have asked for better. He was so perfectly patient and sweet. He was attentive and helpful and I was so grateful to have him with me. We walked the halls, pausing so I could lean on him during a contraction or taking baby steps through each one. Chase would talk to me, ask me how I was feeling, etc. I never once got frustrated with him because he did exactly what I needed him to do. I had been afraid that I would be irritable under the stress, but it was actually a sweet bonding experience for Chase and I. I just absolutely adore him.
Between 10 PM and 1 AM the contractions got more and more painful. By 12:30 AM, I was having contractions that were partially uncontrollable. I was having a hard time managing the pain. At 1 o'clock our nurse met us at our room to check me. She said I was a 4+. Which basically means I had not progressed at all in the three hours I had been laboring. She also told me the baby was facing the wrong way. Meaning Kate was face up or posterior as opposed to being facedown or anterior, how she should have been. This is why my labor was going so slowly and I was having so much labor pain in my back. At this point I got very emotional and a contraction hit me as I was crying into Chase's chest. I was trying so hard to go without an epidural, but I didn't think I could keep going at this rate for very long. I had been falling asleep between contractions as Chase and I walked the halls together and I was exhausted. It was at this point that I decided I was going to get an epidural. Chase was very supportive either way. He told me, "you can do this, you were made to do this." But he was also supportive of me getting the epidural. As soon as I do decided that that was the way to go, Chase told our nurse, and the anesthesiologist was in the room with in a few minutes. Dr. Myers administered an epidural which was pretty painless, and I felt immediate relief. Chase was able to relax a bit at this point. He had been anticipating a lot more pain for me, and he was relieved when that was over. At this point, family was able to come and see me because I was more relaxed. And Chase finally got some food!
Unfortunately, several of the reasons I did not want an epidural ended up coming to fruition. After I got the epidural my contractions essentially stopped and my blood pressure dropped in half. My blood pressure was 80s over 40s, so I was feeling a little bit drunk as I lay in bed. Dr. Myers administered a shot of ephedrine, or adrenaline, to bring my blood pressure back up. This made Kate's heart rate go higher than it should've been, into the 200's. So for the next couple of hours the nurses and doctors were trying to stabilize my blood pressure and Kate's heart rate before they could start a Pitocin drip. For those couple of hours my contractions were nonexistent, and I was not making any progress in labor. I expressed my concerns to Chase, and he assured me that everything was fine. He was so attentive in those late hours. I was very sleepy after I got the epidural, but Chase was asking all the right questions and kept checking the monitors to make sure Kate and I were ok. I felt really good in his care.
Around 4 or 5 AM in the morning, Dr. Barton came to see me. He confirmed that Kate was facing the wrong way and that labor and delivery were going to be harder because of this. This made me nervous for delivery. I didn't was to have any more interventions. At this point, both Kate and I were stable so Dr. Barton broke my water and the Pitocin drip was started around 5 AM. When everything had finally calmed down, Chase was able to sleep for about 90 minutes. At 6 AM I was dilated to a six. So in eight hours, I had only progressed two centimeters. Then by 7:30 in the morning I was dilated to a nine! This is great news! Dr. Barton came and told us he was going to try to turn Kate around so she could be delivered more easily. She was a little stubborn and turned back around facing the wrong way after Dr. Barton had turned her. So I sat with my knees around a ball on my left side so that she would stay flipped after the second time Dr. Barton had flipped her. This made me face the monitors. Which in turn forced me to watch Kate's heart rate dip a little bit every time I had a contraction. This was a little bit hard to watch, but they assured me that everything was fine.
When I was finally fully dilated, which took a couple of hours because I had a small amount of cervix that would not dilate, we did "rest and descend" as Dr. Barton called it. Basically, I sat fully dilated and ready to push for almost an hour until the urge to push was overwhelming. It basically felt like I needed to poop. And it got to the point at about 10:45 in the morning that I was in more pain not pushing that I would be if I were to push. I asked Chase to go tell the nurse and Dr. Burton came in and prepared to deliver the baby.
My mom had a still camera, Lauren had a video camera and Connie, Megan, and Avery were watching. Dr. Burton was down by my feet. My nurse, Laura, was holding my left leg and Chase was holding my right leg. As I pushed for about five minutes, I got to tell Dr. Burton when I was ready to push or when I fell the contraction coming. Laura would count to 10 and then let me take a breath, and we did that three times for every contraction. When Kate was crowning Chase went down by my feet at Avery held my right leg. Chase wanted to help deliver the baby, which turned out to be pretty amazing. After a few more pushes, Kate's head came out Chase was able to deliver the rest of her body and place her on my chest. She was slippery and chubby and so cute! She cried really well immediately, and I put my hands on her soft and squishy little body and just loved on her. She was only on my chest for about 30 seconds as Chase clamped the cord and they had to move her over to the newborn bed so the NICU nurses could check her lungs. There was meconium in her water so they had to make sure she had not swallowed or inhaled any. She turned out to be just fine. Chase and grandmas and aunts watched as the nurses checked her out and wiped her off. They also measured her. She measured 22.5 inches long, and 8 pounds and 1.6 ounces. Chunky little baby! Chase and I were both born 8 lbs. 3 oz., so she was right in line. She had a little bit of a conehead from sitting in the birth canal for so long. But it went away very quickly, within a couple of hours of delivery. When she was about 10 minutes old the nurses handed her back to me. Chase on my right side and we welcomed our baby into the world. It was an extremely special moment. I get emotional just thinking about it. Chase was so tender and so sweet and baby Kate was so soft and so quiet as we had our first moment is a family of three. I was so grateful for how sweet Chase was for the entire labor and delivery. He was so attentive when things weren't going perfectly. It was so special to see Chase's eyes on his baby girl for the first time. My love for him grew so, so much that day and I have never appreciated him more.
After all the nurses were done checking Kate and Dr. Barton finished delivering my placenta and stitching me up (I had a 2nd degree mild tear), everyone left the room and Chase, Kate and I were left to ourselves. I tried to nurse Kate for the first time when she was only about 30 minutes old. She latched on pretty well and sucked for a few seconds but we still needed to practice quite a bit. Chase got a chance to hold her skin to skin as well while we were alone. It was so sweet to see chase hold our baby. I will never forget it. After we had been alone for about an hour the nurses helped clean me up and move us upstairs to the third floor. Room 331. As we moved upstairs I was in a wheelchair holding Kate and Chase was carrying your bags. I was so proud of my darling family as we moved through the hospital. When we got to our recovery room. We got settled in and family was able to come and see Kate. Cute Lauren got emotional when she held her. Being an aunt will do that! It was so sweet to see Hudson and Reagan meet Kate. Hudson we pretty excited but also quiet and shy. Reagan was cute too but didn't quite realize what was going on. Connie, Tony, Megan and Jeff were also there, and left after having a chance to see baby girl. The nurse came to take Kate to the nursery for her initial exam and Chase went with her. I was able to take a nap and Alison and Avery did too. When they left, Chase brought Kate back and we were able to enjoy her all to our selves for a few hours.
The hospital stay was very pleasant. We had great nurses and just enough visitors. Grandpa Tom visited that night, as well and great grandma and grandpa Reynolds. We practiced breastfeeding, and got pretty good! I attended a class the next morning, and got some good tips on a good latch from the lactation consultant. Kate got her first bath when she was a day old. Every time Kate went to the nursery, Chase took her and made sure she was taken care of. She had her stomach deleaned to get a bunch of air out, that helped with spitting up. That night, the three of us cuddled in the hospital bed and watch Grease! We enjoyed chicken tenders and fries and other hospital food.
At one point the next day, Chase was holding Kate sitting in the window seat of our room. He said through tears, I can't help but get emotional, she is so perfect. And it's true, she is so perfect. Her skin was without a single blemish. She was so squishy and cuddly. She did not cry much at all. Every time I looked at her I thought, it's Chase and I in one little body. She is a perfect representation of how much I love and adore Chase. I cannot put into words how this experience has made me feel about Chase. I did not know this kind of deep, intense love existed. It's seems like everything we experience together has increased my capacity and understanding of true, eternal love. My respect for him has increased too. My desire to be a good mother is increased by my desire to be a good mother to his children. It's indescribable.
And my little girl. My Kate. My sweet baby. It is amazing how a complete, tiny stranger has so immediately made me fall in love with you. I will never forget the feeling of attachment when you were first placed on my chest. And immediate adoration when you were put on my bare skin. And every time I held you in the hospital how my heart swelled with pride. My perfect, beautiful, healthy baby. I get emotional thinking about your sweet spirit and who you are and who you will be. Thank you for making me a mother. I have felt some of my selfish tendencies melt away as my life has turned to you and your needs. You have made me a better person, a better wife to your dad. I love you unconditionally. I always will.
As we took you home from the hospital, I sat in the back of the Subaru Outback with you, and dad drove. When we got home, we settled in and loved on you all day. And we haven't stopped!
