Jayne - The beginning

The idea of posting about Jayne's birth has intimidated me. How do you even write about something you can't even put into words? Honestly I feel like the events of September 10th & 11th are so special, precious, and somewhat surreal that I struggle to describe in words everything that was going on and how I was feeling. I'll make briefed attempt...
It all started with my weekly appointment to the OBGYN on September 10th. I was 40 weeks and 4 days and I was so ready to meet our little girl. I had been "expecting" to go late with my first as that is somewhat a normal trend for first children but honestly when my due date hit I was kind of bummed. I wanted our little girl! So, I went into the appointment with the idea that I would "tell" (ask) my aunt to induce me (my aunt is my OB) if that was an option and if I hadn't made any more progress. It was time to get our little baby here! We checked my progress and I was still dilated to just a 1 (had been for about 3 weeks) and about 75% effaced. I hadn't had any contractions at all or anything so this really wasn't a surprise for me. My OB asked me then what we wanted to do. I just told her that we were ready for our baby-but then she told me I couldn't be induced being dilated to just a 1 until a week after my due date because of hospital rules...that meant a few more days...not the end of the world I know but I didn't want to wait anymore.
Then we measured my stomach and I was only 38cm, which was less than I was at the previous week's appointment. That meant I could be losing amniotic fluid being past due and they wanted to do a non-stress test to make sure all was well and healthy with the baby and the placenta, so we booked a non-stress test (done at the hospital) for an hour later that same day. My aunt said they can usually find some reason to induce people with the non-stress tests. Two outcomes could come from the test: #1-everything would be just normal and we'd schedule induction for Friday and #2-they'd find low fluid levels and I wouldn't leave the hospital and would be checked right in, so I wanted to be optimistic for an induction, but couldn't believe it may happen that day, didn't want to get my hopes up, was nervous/anxious...etc.etc.
So we came home for an hour and were kind of in limbo. We cleaned the house a bit and gathered some last few things for my hospital bag. Then we went at 3pm for the stress test and to my excitement and surprise, my fluid levels were very low. They worry about the fluid levels for the protection of the umbilical cord so they told me I wasn't going home but was actually going upstairs to labor and delivery to be induced. I was overwhelmed with emotion at this point. The waiting & anticipation for this moment was done. Miss B would be coming in the next 24 hours. So crazy!
So Phil and I headed upstairs around 4:15 and by 5pm I was hooked up to IV's, monitors, pitocin and had a double balloon put in my cervix to help with dilation. Once I was set, Phil went home quickly to get our bags and to take care of the puppy. Just thinking back to that labor and delivery room is so surreal. I was there. I was going to be having a baby!

Cuuute hair girl! Hey I was just poked and prodded and was starting to feel labor pains-what do you expect? :)

Progress board

View from our room. As we live 2 minutes from the hospital, I'd always drive down the road that is just below this photo and look up at labor and delivery and wonder what it would be like to be there...and then I was there! Surreal!

Saying on the wall of my labor & delivery room that I feel like described many of the events of that night

...to be continued...