Kathryns Birth

My goal for the Hospital
Labor and Have a Baby!

So I was thinking the other day after a conversation with some friends in my new ward that I haven't written down my experience in the hospital and events leading up to giving birth to Kathryn. So I thought I would do it here so that I can save it and print it to put in her baby book that I haven't started yet...

I'm going to put in some pictures of right when she was born when she was still gross so the pictures are not for the week in the stomach.

OK So the last two doctors appointments I had the NST where they listened to her heartbeat and counted her movements. They also checked how dialated I was. The first time he checked I was like at a 2 and the next time it was a 4 that was the Tuesday before I had her.

I went to work that week. I didn't feel so good on Wednesday at our team meeting and they were making fun of me saying I was going to have her soon. Secretly that was my goal the whole time. See I quit my job and if I had her before or on the last day of my work I would still get paid maternity even if I wasn't coming back. So Wednesday night I had really terrible heartburn so I slept in the front room on the lazy boy we borrowed from my parents. I woke up about 5 in the morning to use the bathroom and as I stood up I felt a little gush of water/ fluid come out. I know I wasn't pushing that out. So I went to the bathroom and yes I actually smelt it and it sure enough wasn't pee. I went in to wake up Matt and told him " I think my water just broke". He kind of woke up with a start but I told him not to worry. At this point I still had not felt a contraction at all. I laid down for about a half hour then decided to call the doctor. The Doctor on call said to go down to the hospital to check and see if it was actually my water that broke. So I got in the shower got our things together and drove leisurely to Banner Desert around 7.

I was hoping we weren't going to be the one that waits to long and has to rush to the hospital.

Anyway I call my work on the way and tell them my water broke and that I won't be coming in. They were so excited for me.

At the hospital we got put in a little room and a little while later I was poked and prodded with some machine that is supposed to tell if it was amniotic fluid that came out or not. The test they did came out negative but the Doctor said that can happen if it was just a little bit that came out. So since that didn't work they sent me for an ultrasound of the baby to check the fluid around her. This one was the kicker as from a scale to 1 - 10 10 being the amount of fluid that should be around the baby I only had like 4 or 5. So The Ultrasound tech said We're in for the long haul as they won't send me home with only that much around the baby.

Then we were admitted around 11 I think. I got put in a nice room. Matt brought his lap top and a book. My dad came down first to see me and then my mom came and Rachel came.

I wasn't contracting at all so the Doctor put me on putosen(sp) about 3:00 I walked around the room, went to the bathroom, and tried bouncing on the birthing ball. I don't think that helped at all. Just made my back tired. I didn't start feeling the contractions until about 6 or so and and by 6:30 I was so ready for that epidural. but I still hadn't dilated more then like a 5 or 6. The nurse that I had then was so nice before the epidural but after I demanded it she was like rude and probably thought I was some baby that couldn't handle it. (She hadn't even had any kids) She told me I couldn't have my epidural until I felt some of the pain. (Next time that is not something I'm going to listen to) No need to feel the pain! Anyway the pain was so awful. the nurse pushed on my legs and that seemed to help. Matt tried rubbing my legs and that didn't help. my mom came over and rubbed my legs and that did help. Nothing Matt did was helping until the nurse told him to push on my legs like she did and then I could handle him touching me.

The Anaesthesiologist was Perfect! I was supposed to get a new guy but for some reason he was busy and the guy that had been a long time pro came in. Oh it was awful getting it put in but man the moment he put it in I could feel the pain lessen and lessen. I was in Heaven. The rest was a breeze... They put the catheter in and increased the putosen. Still not dilating. My mom and Rachel had been there for quite awhile. Just talking and stuff. That helped keep my mind occupied with the wait.

Soon after the doctor came in and checked me and was a little worried about the fluid that was coming out and that the baby wouldn't have anything around her so they put a tube back in me and started pumping amniotic fluid back in to me to help the baby. It was about 11 when I sent Rachel and my mom home because the Doc said as I was still at like a 5-6 that she expected me to go another 6 hours and would probably be ready to give birth around 5 the next morning. So they went home. I wanted my mom to come back and since I got to see Rachel give Birth to Paige I thought it was fitting for her to be there. She said she would come back if she could. I tried going to sleep after then left and got some rest.

The Nurse I got for the night was awesome . She was helpful and willing to answer questions and just such a great nurse. The monitor they have on you to keep the baby's heartbeat kept having to be moved. Kathryn didn't like it when I laid on my left side. But I had to keep switching so the epidural wouldn't just rest in one leg. I had to keep it even. Anyway I kept having to move and turn so not much rest but I still was in heaven with no pain but I could still move my toes. and my legs just a tad. They said that was the best epidural if you can still have some control of your legs and feet.

The Doctor that said it was going to take about 5 - 6 hours more was on call so she went home. Lucky for her she only lives like 10 miles from the hospital. Because she left like at 11:30 and the nurse by chance checked me and in the matter of like and hour I was fully dilated and ready to have the baby. She called the doctor and told her she better come back. So I called Rachel and my mom and said I'd probably have her in the next hour or so. They both had just gotten home and ready for bed.

The nurse had me do some practice pushes. She said I was a natural. I Felt like I was pushing with my head though. I wasn't worried about anything. the Nurse actually got me to were I could see the baby's head. So the Doctor got back there about 1:15 and 3 pushes later 1:30 AM I had little Kathryn Olivia Weir. The Doctor said that she could see the babies hair on the first push. That was such an amazing thing. I cried, Rachel and my mom cried and I think even Matt got a little water in his eye's. It was such a relief to have her out so much pressure was now gone.

She looked so gross. I didn't know if I should touch her or not when they put her on my chest. I was just so overwhelmed with love and joy. They cleaned her up and did the measurements. 20 1/4 ins long. 6 lbs 7ozs. A perfect little baby. The nurse had me try to nurse her but with no luck. We got moved to the recovery room about an hour after the baby. Matt was so exhausted. I kept trying to nurse her but it wouldn't work. So I had to give her a little bottle. I did so many things to try to get her to nurse. I had the lactation people come in 3 times. I got to take a bath and go to the bathroom. Oh my going to the bathroom hurt. I wish I would have known to use the water bottle and a warm wash cloth. No one told me that. Thank goodness for a nurse that was aware enough to show me and help me. She came me this moist pads and some cream that was like heaven! I didn't think something like that down there would feel good but man that helped! Another thing I'll know to ask for. So We had her Friday Morning February 8th.

She shares a birthday with Matt's Sister Jolene and my Aunt Loriene.

We came home from the hospital Sunday afternoon. And it has been a good up and down ride ever since. I LOVE OUR LITTLE KATHRYN OLIVIA!!!