Hayden's Birth Story

Exactly 1 year ago today  (Saturday, April 24, 2010) at 6:10am my water broke.  I had woken up for one of my many trips to the bathroom to pee. Or, so I had thought. Chris even woke up to to ask me where I was going. "Uh, to pee, duh." I had thought groggily. Were else would my jumbo, cankled, prego self be waddling to at 6:10 in the morning? Just feet from the toilet I could feel something starting to happen. I rushed to sit down just in time to hear/feel my water breaking. As I sat there, 39 weeks pregnant, I still wondered "Did that really just happen? That wasn't my water breaking, was it? Weird." I probably sat there for a good 5 minutes just trying to process it. Finally I got up, still dripping and headed to the room to inform a sleeping Chris of what had just happened. "Uuuummm, Chris. I THINK my water just broke...." In all the time I've know Chris I have NEVER seen him wake up that fast. NEVER. I told him to relax. No contractions, yet. Explained that I was gonna take a long, hot shower. Throw on a little make up. Call Dr. Vu. Call my Mom and let her know she should start driving over now if she wanted to be with us for the birth. THEN we could head on up to NW Hospital.
That last shower was an interesting one. I remember staring down at my swollen belly. Thinking how it wasn't gonna look like that much longer. That very soon we would meet our baby girl. How after today, our lives would be forever changed. I wondered anxiously, nervously what the day had in store for us.

We arrived at NW Hospital around 9:30am. They checked me in. Confirmed my water had indeed broke. I was only dilated to 1cm and still no contractions. Chris and I walked laps around the hospital for an hour or so. My body took the cues and my contractions started. At around 11:30 or our friend Cybill showed up and my contractions were getting stronger and  more regular. My Mom and Dad arrived around 12:30 at which time my contractions were getting to be quite painful. The nurses checked me around 2:30 and I was dilated to 3cm. Things were moving along nicely and they said I could jump in the shower for 15 minutes or so and they'd give the anesthesiologist a buzz so we could get my epidural started. Relief was on it's way. Thank goodness!!

Now, about the shower. I remember watching the videos of delivering women in the shower during our birthing classes. Naked and moaning while their husbands sprayed water over their swollen belly's. I distinctly remember telling Chris. "Man! I hope I'm not like that when I'm in labor. It seems SO awkward and weird. I don't want you to see me like that."  I laugh pretty hard at that observation, now. Cause there I was, in the shower, naked and moaning while Chris sprayed me down. JUST like those women in the birthing videos. It's funny how fast modesty flies out the window once you're in labor.

The anesthesiologist showed up around 3:00pm and I got prepped and ready for my epidural. Before having contractions I was terrified of the epidural! But I SOOOO welcomed it once it was time. The hardest part was holding still during the massive contraction I had while they were sticking that giant needle in my back. I remember burying my face in the nurses neck while she steadied me, trying with everything in me not to writhe in pain  from the contraction that gripped me. Thinking over and over that once this bad boy kicks in I won't have to feel another contraction again. Slowly the numbness spread over my bottom half. It was only working on one side for the first 10-15 minutes but it was a VAST improvement from what is was moments before I got the epidural. I was finally able to relax. Converse with my support team (Chris, my Mom, Dad & Cybill). Chris still gives me a hard time for updating my status on Facebook post epidural. What can I say, after the epidural, I felt like a million bucks. Ok, maybe not a million bucks, but definitely feeling much, much better. Bring on that BABY!

The nurses checked me just a little before 5:00pm. I was at 10cm! It was time to start pushing! I guess my pushing was effective. It probably helped that my epidural was efficient but didn't leave me 100% numb. Hayden arrived at 5:39pm.  They placed Hayden on my chest and I layed eyes upon the most incredible little person I had ever seen.

The nurse reached down to cut the umbilical cord. I had to stop her before she did it, expressing Chris' desire to do it. As far as labor goes, I think it's pretty safe to say I was one of the lucky ones. I honestly could not have wished for a more awesome delivery. I was only in terrible pain for a couple of hours and pushed for less than 40 minutes. I was surrounded by people I love and our Doctor and Nurses were amazing.

7lbs. 14oz.

I can't believe my baby girl is 1 today! This last year really has flown by. You people weren't joking!! This year has been full of tears, frustrations, growth and laughter for all three of us (sometimes all at the SAME time). But above all it's been full of love and joy. My heart swells and my eyes fill with tears just thinking about how much I love our little Hayden Marie. How proud we are of her and us. Cheers to her and cheers to many more years of laughter and joy. Happy Birthday Hayden! We LOVE YOU baby girl!!