...Bailey Victoria now makes THREE...

We are home and getting settled and I am finally able to finish our birth story. Every night I learn more and more about how to care for this precious baby. We just adore her so much! Here is the story of how it all went down, it is very long since it seemed a lot happened, especially towards the end of the labor. Happy reading...

Here goes....

Monday I took a half day at work because I just knew that I would not be a happy camper if I took the whole day since I was getting pretty sore and tired towards the end of the day. I got off at noon and Pete and Ali-Sun picked me up and dropped me off at home. I was sitting there feeling AWESOME and thought "I bet I could have just worked the rest of the day, I feel bad now that I am at home feeling great". Guess I spoke too soon because about 2:00 I started to get contractions. They were about 12 minutes apart, then 8 minutes, then kind of anywhere from 12-7 min apart. They started to pick up about 6 or so and became 6-4 minutes apart...sometimes consistent...sometimes not. I called Labor and Delivery at 10:30 to tell them I was about 6 min apart but wasn't for the full hour and not always totally consistent, she told me to drink water, rest, and stay home since I wasn't dilated much (only 1cm) and 50% effaced 2 days prior at another hospital visit (due to slight bleeding that was supposedly nothing). I was so exhausted, in pain, and needed to sleep since I planned to work a half day the next day. I tried to sleep and couldn't so I just stayed up, played on the computer and watched TV. By 2am I had become an exhausted, emotional, and hurting wreck and called labor and delivery again and pretty much TOLD them I was coming in, even if I had to just get something to put me to sleep (still thinking I would be at work...I must be crazy). I got Wes up and we got our stuff and headed in.

When I got there, I actually got the same BIG room we got on Saturday which was nice. They checked me and I was 4 cm dilated and 100% effaced (meaning cervix was at it's thinnest). The nurse looked at me and said "Looks like you are staying", we were in shock since we thought for sure I would be sent home. I got my IV and then we just waited. Since I was in so much pain and didn't know if I was doing the epidural or not, they gave me some other pain med which I think was one of the causes for me getting sick (I am sure the pain had something to do with it too). That finally wore off and I gave in and told them to hook me up to the epidural. My thinking behind it was that I was in so much pain, uncomfortable, and completely exhausted that by the time it was time to push...I would have nothing left in me. This ended up being a great choice later. I also wanted to SOMEwhat enjoy the experience.

I was stuck at 4cm for awhile so they decided to break my water (I think around 5:30-6am on Tuesday) and see if that would help things progress. A few hours later, dilating to only about a 4.5 or so the doctor decided to give some meds to get the cervix to dilate. I was finally dilating throughout the morning. By 1pm on Tuesday I was 10 cm!! The nurse said "You are ready to push and have this baby now!". She also thought it wouldn't take long to push her out since Bailey was so low. This was pretty crazy to hear, I became very nervous and excited while Wes called and text messaged family.

This is me seconds after I was told the great news...

The nurse, Wes, and I practiced some pushes and ended up pushing for about 30-45 minutes and then my doctor came in. She had me push and then realized that the baby's head was turned sideways in the birth canal (which is why we weren't making much progress with the pushing). Dr. tried to turn her head but she just kept turning it back. After a few more pushes, my doctor looked at the monitor and had this bad look on her face and was shaking her head. This was a different look than the happy smiling doctor I usually encounter. I think we pushed once more to see what was going on and then she told me no more pushing. Bailey's heart rate had dropped way too low, which was so scary to hear out of her mouth as well as on the monitor. They gave me oxygen to help get it to Bailey while I forced myself not to cry so our baby could get all the oxygen she needed, it was not a time to get hysterical. I looked at Wes with tears in my eyes and shook me head, we both were thinking the worst. The doctor said "we are going to do a c-section and we have to do it now". She got on the phone while nurses came in and prepped us to go to the operating room. Wes said they were so frantic that they were forgetting to pull things out of the walls and such, so he had to keep reminding them. At this point I was telling Bailey to be strong and hang in there until we got her out.

I was then rushed down the hall and around a corner and into big doors where they told Wes to wait outside until I was done being prepped. He finally came in and sat by my head in his sanitary hospital stuff, both of us with tears and worry in our eyes. I asked him to talk to me and tell me something funny. I needed to not get upset because Bailey needed me to stay strong for her. Thankfully I was already hooked up for the epidural so that meant less time to prep for the surgery. I remember looking up and it was about 2:15 when I was on all situated on the operating table getting ready. They checked to make sure the meds were in full force, I then started feeling pressure and movement and was just trying to get my mind to focus on something else. At 2:31 Wes and I heard a gurgled type cry, then a big loud cry! We both looked at each other and cried tears of relief and joy!! Our baby made it through delivery and looked amazing. Wes got to hang out with her while they cleaned her up and I was so jealous, I kept saying "I want to see Bailey!" Wes was able to bring Bailey over and sit next to my head (what a trooper he is...being a nervous wreck from the experience and carrying a brand new baby). She was the most beautiful thing I ever saw. They told Wes he had to go with Bailey to the nursery while they stitched me up. I had my eyes closed and smiling while picturing our precious baby girl.

They got me onto a bed and sent me to recovery, where I was for about 1 hour trying to sleep but having a hard time because I was so numb that I felt like I couldn't breath. I also had the worst cotton mouth EVER and had to talk the nurse into getting me some ice chips, she was my hero when she finally brought it to me! I was so excited to see Wes when he came in to visit me and he brought his phone which had a picture of Bailey!! That meant so much to me that he took a picture to show me.

At about 3:45 I was in my new room ready to hold Bailey. Sadly, I honestly don't remember holding her or feeding her...I was way too drugged up and exhausted. My brother and sister came in to see us and it took every last ounce of my energy to keep my eyes open. Wes asked the nurse to take Bailey to the nursery so that I could sleep and he could go home and feed the dog and get some things done.

Bailey Victoria Williams was born on 8-3-2010 (her due date!) at 2:31. She weighed 7 pounds 1 ounce and was 20 inches long.

Wes' first real life diaper change (with the help of the nurse)...

We love her sooo much!