Sophie Victoria's Birth Story!

Who would've thought just 2 days after my last post I would go into labor with Sophie!

I was scheduled for a non-stress test (NST) at the hospital on Thursday the 8th in the am. I was feeling fine during the day - no different than any other pregnancy day. The nurse commented that she was REALLY low and that I had measurable contractions on the chart. I went to work afterward and finished up the day. My stomach was extremely tight and staying that way. After work my husband and I went out to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings. (I was told to eat light so I had a salad) We went home and watch tv and went to bed around 10 pm.

I woke up at 11:50pm and felt the tail-end of what I thought was a contraction. I got up to go to the bathroom thinking it was just another pee break my body was waking me up for. As I walked to the bathroom, I started leaking liquid. It was my water breaking!!! I wasn't sure if it really was my water breaking or not, but knowing I couldn't stop the flow was a big hint. I started having regular contractions after that and woke up Spence to help me start timing them. They were 4 minutes apart right off the bat and started getting stronger and stronger. We timed them for an hour. My water was continuing to leak and then I knew it was my water breaking. (There was no way I had drank THAT much that night! Ha!) I called the after hours answering service and they told me to go to the hospital right away.

Spencer and I gathered up some of our last minute things for our hospital bag (we overpacked of course) and headed on out. I remember climbing in the car and being so thankful that I went into labor on my own. This is always how I pictured it - my water breaking and getting excited with my husband knowing we would have our daughter in our arms very soon. I called my mom and he called his mom waking them up to let them know we were on our way to the hospital and that this was it.

About halfway through the car ride to the hospital I could no longer talk through contractions and needed to squeeze/clutch something to get through the pain. We had to be admitted through the ER entrance since it was the middle of the night. The security guard took me right to the L&D floor while Spence parked the car. I couldn't walk too well, so I got to ride in a wheelchair - yay. I got into a room immediately.

They gave me a few things to sign which I immediately handed to my husband since I couldn't even read anything. He pointed where I needed to sign and they hooked me up to the monitors. They tried to start an IV and poked me 4 times before getting a good vein. I had to have a bag of fluid in me before I could get the epidural. It took about an hour and a half. During that time I was extremely agitated by smells and other annoyances. I was told I should go to the bathroom, but I didn't need to. They really wanted all liquid out so they did a straight catheter, which didn't hurt. About an hour after that my mother-in-law came and my mom shortly after. Soon the waiting room starting filling up with family members. I got my epidural, which was amazing and didn't even feel it. My lower extremities were very warm and I was relaxing. I couldn't really feel the contractions anymore.

I had almost 2 hours of no pain before I was told we would have to start practice pushing. Without knowing it they turned down the epidural so I could feel the contractions to push. At this time another mom-to-be was in the room next to me at the same level I was. Of course she saw the same doctor as me. The nurses told me I needed to be the one to go first and gave me great encouragement to push. I was actively pushing for an hour and a half and then Sophie was born. It was 9:26 a.m. She was 7 lbs. 9 oz. and 20" long. I remember the nurses and my mother say she has so much hair and constantly giving me encouragement. Soon she was placed on my chest and she crooked her head to look at me. And with that one look, I fell in love.

They say different moments can be a blur and believe me, some parts of labor were. I wish I remember watching my husband cut the cord, but I don't. Everything happens so fast, especially when the baby is out. The nurses took Sophie and cleaned her up. She was slow to cry, but she did let out a few wails. They had extra oxygen on hand immediately since she had labored breathing. I told my husband to go over to her and see what was going on. He came back and explained to me that she needed to go into the special care nursery to get extra attention. She needed to get more oxygen, but other than that she was fine. I didn't know she was going to be there for almost 48 hours.

The nurse explained to me what all was going on with her and I remember crying and missing her so much. My mother and husband comforted me. I remember being so sad for my husband because he didn't even get to hold her. I wanted that for him so much. He just held her little fingers before they took her to the special care nursery.

We had lots of visitors after Sophie's birth, but unfortunately couldn't share her with our family just yet. Only my husband and I could go to the nursery to see her. Soon after our lunchtime visitors left, we went to the nursery and I saw my poor baby with tubes and cords on her and an IV in her head. It was very sad for us, but we knew she was in the place she needed to be. It wasn't what we had expected, but my husband was my rock. He really kept me sane. Sophie needed to stay under oxygen until she could breathe room air comfortably. She was off oxygen in a day and was making great progress in the hospital. The last night in the hospital she was brought in our room about 3am. It was a relief knowing she was fully ours and we could take care of her and everything was great. We left on Sunday (two days after Sophie's birth) and took Sophie home with us that afternoon.

She has now been a part of our life for 3 weeks and 4 days. It has been amazing. We live for the little smiles and laughs she gives us. She is definitely a full-time job, but very worth it. She reminds me so much of my husband. It is just amazing to see our love in one person - our daughter who I am in awe of everyday.