Ruby Marie {A Baby Story}

I woke up at 2:30 and because of my pregnancy insomnia I didn't go back to sleep until 4:30. My alarm went off at 5:30 and I quickly showered and got ready. I had been super nervous and anxious about having this baby up until getting a blessing the night before. This morning I was slightly nervous but mostly excited. I called the hospital at 6:10 to double check that they wanted me at 6:45 and waited for Bob to finish getting ready. Olivia had slept over at my sister's house the night before so we were able to jump in the car at 6:15 and off we went.

Last bump picture at 39 weeks.

They were serving free breakfast at Chick Fil A that morning, so we stopped and grabbed a sandwich and water before checking into the hospital. I remember being so hungry when I was induced with Olivia so I downed both my sandwich and water before getting to the hospital. Bob on the other hand is not a breakfast person and he saved his for later. There was a couple checking in when we arrived and we took a seat in the waiting room. While waiting for our turn 3 other couples came in. It was a busy morning for babies!

A little blurry, but I didn't want to ask the girl to take it again. I was anxious to get to the hospital.

We did all of our paper work and were put in room 17. I got hooked up to the monitors and met my nurses. I had 2 because one had just transferred to L&D. I loved the girl who was training her, and it was fun to hear her explain everything to the nurse in training. They checked me and I was a 2.5, which was progress from my last appointment. I was started on pitocin, Dr. Nance came and broke my water. The contractions were coming, and let's be honest I am a baby. I remembered all of the ladies checking in with me, and decided to ask for my epidural so I didn't have to wait forever. When I asked they let me know that the anesthesiologist was with a patient having a c-section so it would be about 45 minutes. I was happy to hear I was first on the list.

When he came in, I was ready for him. He asked if anyone had explained to me that my platelets were low. I obviously had no idea, and he then started explaining the risks of getting a epidural with low platelets. All I caught was that I could be paralyzed because of it. I started to panic a bit. My nurse told me she looked up my past history and saw that I was within 5 points of where I was today with Olivia's birth. And that she had had the same thing when she was pregnant. Some women when pregnant lose platelets during pregnancy. I looked at Bob and asked him what he thought, he told me he felt fine and we should go ahead. In my mind I decided it was Bob's decision because he was the one who would have to take care of a paralyzed wife and 2 kids. Luckily all went well and I was fine. But I will see a doctor to find out what is up - especially before our next kid. I don't want to show up to give birth and find out last minute I can't have an epidural.

My parents arrived soon after. I wasn't progressing too quick so my Dad decided to go to work for a few hours and we would call him when I was close. Bob took a nap, and my mom stepped in as my 3rd nurse. She loved reading the babies monitor and my contraction monitor. They upped my pitocin level a few times and I continued making slow progress. At 1:00 Dr. Nance came in to check me and let me know he had another woman in labor and she was at a 7. I figured she would deliver before me at that point since I was only a 5. We started watching Brooke Walker's show and I hoped for progress by the time they came back to check me again. During that time I could tell when the contractions were more intense and I could feel a bit of pressure. This was totally new to me since with Olivia my epidural hadn't worked and they had given me another drug to numb me and I was SUPER numb.  At 2 they checked me and I was an 8. We called my Dad and Janae who was coming to take pictures. Within the next 20 minutes I went to a 10 and complete and Dr. Nance came in to get things going. He said that his other patient wasn't ready so he would deliver me first. My favorite nurse got called away on life flight right as I was about to start pushing.

My mom was on one side and Bob was on the other. Dr. Nance informed me that when he checked me the baby was in a posterior position and he would have to flip her. I pushed through a set of contractions and then during the second set he started to turn her. But she flipped back to posterior right as she came out. I couldn't believe that she came out so quickly, especially being posterior. My mom cut the cord and they put Ruby up on my chest and cleaned her off. Janae walked in right after she was born and was able to take some pictures for us. She was 6 pounds 15 ounces and 19 inches long, and I believe she was born at 2:28.