My Birth Story

I woke up around 4am on Monday, January 25 with mild cramps. They were very mild, just felt like I was getting my period, but they were consistent. I kept an eye on them for most of the morning and called my OB just to check in with her. She wanted me to go to the hospital to get checked out. I wanted to try and last at my house as long as I could but went anyways. They checked the fetal heartbeat and my contractions and everything was fine. They wanted to admit me then but the contractions were still very tolerable and not very close apart. So I went back home for a few more hours. About 5pm they were pretty unbearable. Looking back now I could have just hung out at the hospital for the 5 hours or so but I honestly didn't think they would get that strong that quick.

So off to the hospital we went. I was admitted right away and got set up with an IV and administered the epidural. Which by the way was not as bad as I thought it would be - a little sting and then some pressure of the meds entering in my back. The progesterone shots were worse! :) So at around 7pm the OB checked me and I was 9cm's - almost there! We started to push around 815. The RN that was assisting me through all of this was amazing. She got me in every position possible, answering all my questions (I always need to know how and why, haha) And we kept pushing, and pushing, and pushing...when finally it was about 945. The RN said that they don't normally have a women push for more than 2 or so hours because by then the baby is most likely not coming out on its own. I was worried that I was going to have to go in for a c-section!! At 10pm I was still pushing and the RN said that the baby's heartbeat was raising so we had to start pushing at every other contraction and put me on some oxygen. I needed to get that baby out in the next few pushes or else!

We tried one last position, which seemed to work the best. (It was like doing a crunch) The OB asked me if I wanted to use the suction thingy to get her out. It was that or c-sect so I voted for the suction...they also had to cut me! Uggh! But with 3 more pushes I had my baby girl in my arms. I was so happy, crying of course! I also have to credit my husband who was nothing but the best birthing coach. I couldn't have asked for anyone better!

The next day or two in the hospital went fast but it was a roller coaster ride that I was not expecting. By the second night I was SO overtired, drugged up for the pain, in SO much pain and trying to breastfeed. I realize now why a lot of women don't make it through the entire process of breastfeeding. Sitting up in bed all stitched up down there sucked, and add a newborn to the mix wasn't helping at all. I felt bad, she seemed hungry but she wouldn't latch on. And if she did latch on she wouldn't suck or she would just fall asleep. I had a lactation consultant help me and I also had all my nurses giving me advise and watching over me when it was time to feed. But even with all the help me and Mackenzie were still VERY FRUSTRATED.

Finally it was time to go home. I was thrilled to not have to lay in that bed anymore. That bed was killing me down there! hahaha When they wheeled me down to the car ( I had Mack in my arms) I was crying like crazy. Call it hormones, but I had every possible emotion running through my body at once. My husband didn't understand :)

The first night at home was rough too, but after that things just started to get better. I was feeling better, got some much needed sleep and Mackenzie was starting to latch on. My milk came in today which makes me VERY HAPPY. I feel like she is finally getting full filled with each feeding and sleeping for about 3 hours between each feeding. We had our first sponge bath today too and that went really well.

All in all it was an AMAZING experience, the good and the bad. I feel so lucky, so blessed to have this little girl in my arms and I will do nothing but love, cherish and be there for her.

Some Pictures

I am proud to annouce...

Hi Everyone!!! I must have been crazy to think that I could get on the computer the day of the birth...but obviously I was wrong :) things have been so crazy that today is the first time I have even looked at my computer! Anyways.....

I am now proud to announce the birth of my beautiful baby girl Mackenzie Kate! She was born on January 25th at 10:16pm. Weighing 7lbs 14oz and 20.25 inches long! She is healthy, happy and tremendously loved!

still hanging out...

No baby yet...it is starting to get a little nerve-wracking knowing that I can go at anytime! but I am enjoying my time off of work and just relaxing at home alone. :)

There are so many days in January that I am trying to avoid for my little girls birthday (it really doesnt matter, but its sort of a game I am playing now) Yesterday was a cousins birthday and today was an old boyfriends birthday...both days I was trying to avoid giving birth on! hahaha
The next few days are all okay until I reach the 25th and the 27th. Anytime after the 27th we are golden. Jason and I both think that I am going on Feb 1st.

My husbands birthday is the 2nd...I asked him if he would mind sharing his birthday with his little girl...he hasnt given me a direct answer, but I dont think he would mind! I think it would actually be really cute to celebrate the birthdays together!

Anyways I hope all is well with everyone. I pray for you all every day!
Ill keep you posted....,.

crampy

For the past few days I have been waking up pretty crampy. It would happen when I wake up in the middle of the night to pee and in the morning. This morning has probably been the most noticeable. It really feels like I am getting my period. My lower abdomen and legs are crampy...with only 11 days left this could be the start of it!!!

I went to my doctors a few days ago and she said that I was 3cm dilated so all the cramping could just be my cervix dilating even more. Not too sure how I am suppose to feel but so far its not too bad. The cramps usually go away during the day so we will see how it goes during the day today. They are so sporadic that I can't time them yet. This waiting game is a little insane!! I kinda hope she hangs out for another week - there is still a lot of things that I want to get done around the house this week...! hahaha

My husband has his laptop all packed and ready to go so I will be able to update you all fairly easily if I should happen to go this week! :)

Pray for an easy labor for me! hehehe

Its official

I am officially on maternity leave! So far...I love it!

I went to the doctors today and I am 3 centimeters dilated!! I cant believe it. The OB said that I could go this week. If I don't then she can schedule me to go in and get induced. I didn't say anything at the time but this is not what I want. I want to let it happen naturally. As long as baby is doing good - and she is - then I want to go into labor and not get induced. I feel like a lot of doctors like to schedule it for their convenience. I don't see why I would need to get induced before my due date anyways...especially since I had IVF. I know my due date is right on the money.

I didn't say anything to her but next doctors appointment I will if its brought up again. Besides I am 3 cm's!!! I bet you she will come on her own. Doc also said that my cervix is still posterior which means that its still far back...supposedly it moves towards the front (anterior) when the time is closer to giving birth.

I am getting excited!!! I have my bags packed and they are by the door....it can really happen any day now!!!

In other news my sister in law just announced that she is pregnant with her second. I am happy for her, I really am. But I can tell you that it hit close to home. See, she announced that she was pregnant with her first about 3 days before my wedding (to the entire family, extended and all). So of course on my wedding day I had all my family talking about HER pregnancy on MY day! So the fact that she is now announcing it once again right before a major event in my life it makes me feel like I am being trumped yet again. I know its petty and silly but with everything that I went through I would have loved to have her wait a few weeks after I gave birth. Not for nothing but she didnt even go to the doctors for a blood test yet....so she is only like 4 weeks pregnant. Like I said I am happy for them but I just wish it didnt have to be this way, yet again. Oh well!

On to focusing on the real task at hand...having this baby! :)

Portraits

Over the weekend my husband and I went to Sears Portrait Studio and took some photos of our "new family". They are the ones I pulled off of the internet so they are a little blurry. I cant wait to pick up the prints next week!

OB Appointment

Oh my was yesterday a bad experience! My OB has currently changed locations in the new year and yesterday was the first day that I was in the new office. I first pulled up and there was 8 parking spots, then went into the office and there was 8 chairs to sit on and about 15 people standing up in this tiny waiting room. I was so surprised! The last office was small and it could sit at least 15 people comfortably. Luckily someone noticed that I was 9 months preggo and got up to give me a seat. The chair was literally in the middle of the room! I sat but was very uneasy about sitting in the middle of the waiting room. I like to have my back to a wall and face towards the crowd. I waited for about a hour and a half when they finally called me in.

Whose idea was it to move into a smaller office with less room for their patients??? My OB is pretty popular and I feel like this is not going to allow them to grow their business any further. There were a lot of people complaining in the waiting room.

Not to mention I was so flustered and tired of sitting there that I forgot to have them give me my paperwork for my maternity leave! Ugghhh. So now I have to try and call them to fax over the information. Such a pain. Luckily I am done with work mid-next week and I will be able to make my appointments for the middle of the day when its less hectic!

Oh yeah...everything with the baby was good and I even lost weight from being sick! So far I have gained about 44 pounds...ahhhhh!! But she checked my cervix and I am about a half a centimeter dilated. Dr said it was right where I am suppose to be! I am getting excited!

Full Term

Today is a good day. I cant believe that it has come this far. After 2 years of trying to conceive, 3 clomid cycles, 3 IUI's, a cancelled cycle, hundreds of blood tests, hundreds of ultrasounds, tons of money spent, thousands of tears shed, too many 5am doctor visits, and a long and evasive IVF cycle - I am this close...

Full Term. Just to say that takes my breath away. I know that I still have some waiting and nothing is finalized until I have my baby in my arms but its still a good feeling. A feeling of warmth and relaxation - finally.

I know that my journey is nothing compared to what some of you ladies have been through/is going through. I think about you girls everyday. I hope, wish and pray that you all are blessed with a baby soon. I always say to my husband that if I had money, I would set up some kind of cheap, if not free infertility clinic, to be able to help other infertiles like me, get the baby they so deserve.

Yes, I still consider myself infertile and probably always will. And sometimes it sort of bothers me that I had to conceive my baby through IVF. Don't get me wrong, I am completely grateful but not really was I was expecting going into this. My one worry is my baby girl. When she gets older and we explain to her how she was conceived - will she understand? Will she understand that Mommy and Daddy did everything they could to have a baby? Will she think she is different? Will she resent us for what we had to go through? Or will she be happy that we did what we could to bring her life to this world?

Regardless what may come of the future, I am happy to announce that I am FULL TERM today. Something I didn't know if I would ever be able to say. Something that I didn't know if I would ever be able to feel and experience. But I am lucky, I am fortunate and I am so so so happy.

I also am lucky, fortunate and happy to have such wonderful ladies to have helped me along during this trying time in my life. I would NOT be where I am without you girls. I truly believe that all good things can happen when you surround yourself with positive vibes and wonderful support around you. And for this, I have all of you to thank. I love you girls so much!! <3 And I continue to pray for each and every one of you. Everyday.

Still Sick!

Ughhh! I had to go to the doctors yesterday because I still, after 5 days had a sore throat. And in addition to that a runny/stuffy nose, headache, heartburn, itchy and scratchy everywhere...it is horrible! I know what they mean now when they say that getting sick while preggo makes it even worse.

Anyways, the doctor said that since I am 36 weeks I am able to take more than if I wasnt as far along. He ended up giving me a the Z-pack because it looked like I had a bacterial infection and not just the common cold! Go figure!

So I am now on the way to recovery...and just in time too. I cant believe that I am full term in just 2 days!!!!

the worst night ever!!

I have had a sore throat for about 3 days. Ok so I have a cold, no big deal. But then last night when I went to bed around 12pm, I couldn't lay down. The minute I laid down I had the worse abdominal pain/heartburn ever!!! For about 2 hours I walked around the house trying to get rid of this feeling. I have been having heartburn for a few weeks now, but nothing this bad.

I eventually got myself to lay down, propping my head up. That didn't do any good because I woke up at 4 am (tmi warning) throwing up in my hands. Yuck!!! I couldn't even wait to get to the bathroom. This started to scare me. Why the heck was I throwing up?? So at 4am I went downstairs to google this, drank a glass of milk and tired to lay back down. Woke back up at 5 am with the same feeling so I decided to go sit on the couch. Have you ever tried to sleep sitting up??? It sucks. I got a couple more hours of sleep, but still waking up every half hour or so. Every time I tried to lay on my side I would get this rush of heartburn/nausea feeling.

I called the OB this morning and she told me that I could take Maalox and throat lozenges but that this is normal and I just have to try and deal with it. Ughh! I still have a week of work left and I cant function with 3 hours of sleep. I feel like I am a walking zombie right now. I just hope I dont have another night like last night!

I hope everyone elses new year had a better start than mine!