Adeline's Birth Story

It's pretty sad that only a few blog posts ago was Cooper's birth story, and now I present to you: another one. 

I have now had 4 amazing, nearly perfect (in my mind) birth stories. And I think this one might me my very favorite one, despite me being completely caught off guard by nearly every aspect of it!

I had been having contractions since about 36 weeks, but never painful or strong. I knew that this was something my body would do. Around 38 weeks though they were a little more strong and quite consistent so I actually went in to the hospital to get checked (which I'd never done before) and was sent home since I was only dilated to a 3. So, after becoming a #hospitalreject, I didn't want to have any doubts whether or not it was the real deal....

Also it is worthy to note that my body has never gone into full-on labor without a little help from the doctors. With Jane I was induced, and I was dilated to a 6 with Lyla and Cooper, but after that my body would stop progressing unless they broke my water or gave me some pitocin. So I assumed that's how it would go this time too.

I went in for my 39 week check up feeling kinda crampy that morning. I was still fairly confident that I hadn't actually progressed though. And I was right. Still at a 3. I could almost hear an audible Womp, wompppp.  The doctor swept my membranes and warned it could cause some more cramping, and sometimes it would help to start labor, but other times it wouldn't. So I was feeling bummed after the appointment. Luckily, my best friends here had planned a spa night that night and we did at-home pedicures and my friend Rachel painted my toes. It was just what I needed to keep myself from wallowing. I was starting to feel even more crampy that night as we were chatting and painting nails, but I was sure they were the cramps the doctor had warned me about. I had never experienced these type of cramps before either so I wasn't really sure what to think. So I came home and went to bed. I had a little bit of a hard time falling asleep because of the cramps but eventually fell asleep. 

I woke up at 6:30 to even stronger cramps, and I realized now they were contractions. (You'd think I'm a total rookie!) I still remember my neighbor telling me how she had cramps and contractions after she got her membranes stripped so I figured they could just be that. I timed them for like 20 minutes and mentioned to jeff I was having pretty strong contractions. Stronger contractions that I'd ever had at home and not in a hospital. I was trying to decide if I should take them seriously or not...but by 7 am they got intense quickly and I had no doubts anymore. Instead of thinking "should I go in?" my thoughts shifted to "holy cow I might not make it in time, we have to GO!" From past experience I know that when the strong contractions start, my babies come FAST. I told jeff to get ready, texted my friends, and woke up my kids. I'll never forget waking up jane and lyla and telling them to get dressed and go to their friend's house because I was going to the hospital-- Lyla started happy crying and was clapping and jumping up and down! It was sweet but in the moment I was all aboard the crazy train so I didn't quite appreciate it. I ran out to the car with my hospital bag- no time to do my hair or make up or even try to look presentable! At least my toes were painted ;) I was waiting by the car for jeff to come out and I'll always remember seeing two of my best friends-- one of them running up the street (16 weeks pregnant) and the other running up the hill from behind our house. Both of them have 5 kids but they dropped everything to come to my rescue and to grab my kids. I was so grateful, even with the pain! 

Luckily, the hospital was only a 5 minutes drive. I was crying on the way to the hospital because I was so caught off guard! I'd never felt so NOT in control with any of my labors and it was scary. But I was also so happy that my baby was coming! OH, and did I mention it was halloween?? 

We got to the hospital around 7:20 and I told them immediately I wanted an epidural because I knew I needed to say it quick since I knew I'd progress so fast. The contractions were getting more painful each time! The nurse told me I could get one, but they needed to get my blood first and send it to the lab before the anesthesiologist could come give it to me. She said it would take 45 minutes. My only thought was "I'll probably have the baby by then!" 

The took me into another room and got me all poked with needles. I've always said the IV was my least favorite part of giving birth, but this was the first time I had gotten one while truly in the painful part of labor and I barely even noticed it happening! So I stand corrected: labor pain is worse than getting an IV. 

At about 8:45 the anesthesiologist finally came in and said he could give me the epidural. I remember thinking "Ok I'll only have to feel one more contraction!" I was so relieved, because I could tell the baby was really trying to come out. I could feel my bag of water bursting out and that the baby was super close to coming. I remember feeling like I was holding it in, like I would if I had to hold back pee! I knew if I pushed at all, I wouldn't get any epidural relief. 

He came in and started getting ready to poke me, and I felt 4 more contractions while he was doing that! Each one was so brutal because 1. I thought i wouldn't feel another one. 2. I was transitioning- AKA the most painful part of labor, and 3. I had to hold completely still and stay sitting up! I do have to say one thing about this labor- as painful as it was, it was probably the least intense pain of all my births because I was laboring without any pitocin and without having my water broken. I've felt one natural childbirth with pitocin, one natural with my water being broken early on, and this one without any intervention- and it was definitely the least intense. The contractions didn't last as long or come as often, and they were just a tiny bit less painful. I was able to stay extremely calm and in control. BOO YA.

He got the epidural in, but it was almost a joke because my little baby was born about 5 minutes after that. Right after he got it in, I laid back and started pushing! It only took pushing through 3 contractions until she was out. I am grateful I had the epidural for this part though, even though I still had to feel what I think is the most painful part of labor (transition). I was able to relax my body and really be in the moment and feel the joyous anticipation of my baby coming! I was so happy and grateful in those moments right before she was born, and even more so when she was in my arms! I noticed right away that she was tiny, WAY smaller than cooper! I was so curious to see if she would be small like my girls or huge like my boy. She followed suit with her sisters and weighed in at a whopping 6 pounds, 2 ounces. My tiny little nugget.

They let me hold her for at least an hour before they took her to weigh her and poke her and prod her. It was heavenly. She nursed and was absolutely wide awake looking at everything. When Jeff and I were both looking at her, her little eyes were darting back and forth between our two faces. She has Jane's eyes and Lyla's lips. And then she made a pouty face that was identical to Cooper's pouty face. She is definitely an Andersen baby! 

The stay in the hospital was great. Especially since I could order an enormous cheeseburger for breakfast AND lunch and eat the HECK out of them. With no heartburn afterwards. Hallelujah! My favorite moments were when the other 3 kids came to see their little baby sister for the first time. I was teary on and off that whole visit. Seeing cooper kiss his little sister, watching Lyla singing "I am A Child of God", and then watching my biggest baby hold my littlest baby. Just so much JOY! 

That joy I felt was incorporated into this little baby's name. We had SUCH a hard time choosing a name. I had never in my whole pregnancy decided on a name I loved. I went back and forth a bunch of times and was driving myself a little bit CRAZY.

Jeff was getting so frustrated that I wasn't picking a name so he took it upon himself to pick her name and just write it down because he was sick of not having an answer when people asked "whats the baby's name?". We decided on Leah, but I was hesitant because it sounds so much like Lyla. I called her Leah a few times and then had a mini freak out because THAT WAS CLEARLY NOT HER NAME. I texted Jeff and said "Her name is Adeline, NOT leah!! And I am completely set on that." We had to do a few name un-announcements but I took a big deep sigh of relief when I finally committed to Adeline Joy Andersen. Our little Addie Joy really has brought us SO much joy! I can't wait to see who she becomes and how she will spread her joy in this world. 

FOUR CHILDREN.....WHAT.