Maya Beth

After several days of elevated blood pressure, headaches, one admission for observation, a bunch of labs, and bedrest, my doctor so kindly agreed to induce me and get this pregnancy thing over with. I got permission to go to one last day of work, and at the end of the day I went to see my doctor and he sent me over to the hospital. When I got there I got my IV. I was already contracting and 4+ cm, a pretty good place to start. I got my epidural (heaven). They started me on low dose Pitocin. About an hour after that John (my doc) came in and broke my water. Historically, once my water breaks I go pretty fast. This was no exception. I was 6 cm fairly quickly, but comfortable with my epidural. My nurse came in and said she just talked to John and he had to go help another doctor do an emergency C-section at another hospital and then he would be right over. I was pretty comfy, so I thought no problem. About sixty seconds later I started feeling lots of pressure...no contraction pain, but LOTS of pressure. I was 9 cm. My nurse called and told John. I knew the other hospital was like 10 minutes away, so i was gonna have to wait. I just tried to concentrate on breathing through the pressure that came with each contraction. Gradually the pressure increased and I was really starting to think my nurse and I were going to have to deliver her ourselves! I could hear her heartbeat on the monitor and it was good, so I just kept breathing through the contractions. John appeared and checked me and I was, of course, completely dilated. I only pushed for 16 minutes. I heard her heartrate drop and so I knew I had to push as hard as I could (and gave myself a lovely tear in the process). Out she came, rather blue, but she resuscitated quickly. APGAR's 7 & 9. She was born September 16 at 12:24 am. She weighed 7 lb. & 9 oz. and was 19 inches long. While they were stimulating her on the warmer, David was taking pictures, John was sewing me up, and I was just staring at the baby thinking...wow...that's really mine. So bizarre to be a mother again at the ripe old age of 39, but so wonderful. She is a beautiful baby and we love her to pieces.