It seems like only yesterday we were anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new baby. As our due date, July 28th, came and went, I remember being especially uncomfortable as the Michigan humidity reached new heights and my ankles started to swell. I felt weeks overdue even though it was only a day. To get labor started, I tried jumping jacks, scrubbing my floor on hands and knees, and even a little running (speed walking). Despite weak contractions for several weeks, Kennedy refused to make her appearance. I'd lay awake at night hoping tonight would be the night.One thing I was sure of was that I would be showered and cute, all packed and ready to go, and that the house would be spotless. Each day I would do a quick run through to make sure that the house was tidy and everything was set in case I went into labor. Well by the time Tuesday the 29th rolled around, I decided that I was doomed to be pregnant forever and went ahead and started a sewing project. I had purchased a window valence for Kennedy's room that was too short, so I found some matching material to add length to each end. I figured the project would take me an hour or so and I would have plenty of time to make dinner and clean up before meeting Tim for my 3:40 doctor's appointment that day. As most projects do, this one took way longer than expected and before I knew it Tim was home, the house (and me) was a mess, and I had not eaten all day.
I quickly threw my hair in a pony tail and ran out the door. At the doctor's office, they hooked me up to a monitor to see how the baby and I were doing. I think the nurse must have hooked it up wrong because the results showed Kennedy's heart rate cutting out. (I knew it was because the monitor kept slipping off my stomach) However, this and a few regular contractions convinced the doctor to send me over to the hospital for more tests.
I was so mad. After all my preparation, the one day I leave the house a mess and forget to wear make-up I have to go to the hospital. Luckily the doctor said we could go home first and eat dinner and get our bags, just in case.
At home, Tim made some grilled cheese sandwiches and got our things together while I showered, tidied up the house a little, and got ready. By that time I wasn't mad anymore, just excited that we might finally get to meet our baby girl.
Once at the hospital, they had me change into a gown and sit in a room hooked up to monitors while they waited for the ultrasound room to open up. A nurse came in and checked to see how dilated I was and to my horror told me I was only at a 2. (I had been told I was a 6 at my OB)
Nevertheless, my contractions stayed close together and were becoming a little more intense.
After an hour of waiting, I was wheeled to get an ultrasound to make sure the baby was doing ok. Everything checked out, but it was so cool to see Kennedy only hours before she was born.
By this point the doctor that sent me to the clinic had gone home and the new doctor, Dr. Gatt made the call to go a head and admit me. I was never so excited in my life. We were having a baby!
St. Mary Mercy had a beautiful birthing suite for us with a couch/bed for Tim. I loved all my nurses. Because I had tested positive for strep early on in the pregnancy, I had to get an IV started to administer antibiotics. This proved to be a big pain as I couldn't get up and move around without help or move my arm around much.
The machine monitoring my contractions showed that they were steady, but not increasing so the doctor told me to try and get some sleep and he would be back around 6 am if I hadn't progressed any further. This is the point where I really wished I was back in my own bed and able to eat a real dinner (they wouldn't let me eat anything once I was admitted). Instead Tim and I tossed and turned not really sleeping.
When the doctor returned the next morning, he decided to put me on pitocin to kick start my contractions. After that, things started to get a little more intense, but nothing I would really classify as pain. Around noon Dr. Gatt broke my water and things really started to get going. Before long I was really feeling it and had to work through each contraction. I hadn't decided before hand if I wanted to deliver natural or have an epidural. I think if I hadn't been up all night tossing and turning I may have stuck it out and tried natural, but I was too tired.
When the anesthesiologist came to put my epidural in, I was in so much pain it was all I could do to sit still while the put the needle in. However, after the medicine kicked in I was just fine and didn't feel much until it was time to push.
I must have relaxed a lot after the epidural because Kennedy's head dropped into position and they lost her heart rate for a while. I kind of panicked when the doctor and all the nurses rushed into see what was wrong. They had me get on my hands and knees to try and rotate the baby and then attached a monitor to the top of her head to keep a closer eye on things. I was feeling a little out of it and was scared to not know what was wrong. Her vitals quickly returned to normal and in short hour I was ready to push.
The nurse kept telling me not to push until I absolutely had to, but I think she was mostly waiting for the doctor at that point. By the time he came into the room, I was ready to go and after 5 minutes and a few hard pushes, we had our little girl. The exact time was 3:09 pm. The whole experience was kind of surreal and I was so focused on pushing that I barely noticed what was happening around me. I do remember when the doctor had Kennedy safely out he said something like "You're got a beautiful baby girl." The problem was I didn't hear the last part and was sure he had said boy. I kept asking the nurses around me if it was a girl, but I must not have said it very loud. When the finally handed her to me I couldn't believe how tiny she was. She was perfect in every way. It was hard to see any resemblance right off, but I knew she was our little girl. Apparently the whole delivery was a little much for Tim because the doctor had him sit down and drink some fluids before he passed out.
After they took Kennedy off to weigh her and check vitals, (7 lbs 12 oz, 21 in) I couldn't think of anything but how thirsty I was. I must have downed 5 gallons of juice that day and I was still thirsty.
After Kennedy was washed and bundled up, they gave her back to me to hold. I was so tired, but I wanted to just sit there staring at her forever. She didn't cry but just looked around like she was so excited to be here. Once she did start crying, a pinky finger was all she needed to settle down.
Looking back on it, we should have been way more nervous that we were to have this new addition to the family. We were clueless, but so happy.
After a while, we called all the family to tell them the great news and I finally got to eat a real meal! The rest of the hospital stay was uneventfully but much longer than I liked.It hardly seems like it has been a year, but I have the grown up girl to prove it. I remember looking at the cuddly little ball in my arms and wondering if she would ever DO anything. Oh baby, does she ever. Now it's trying to get her to sit still that I worry about. She is walking, climbing, blowing on her food, dancing (moving her bum to music), and talking (well sort of). It blows my mind how far she has come in 12 short months. Happy birthday Kennedy! We love you!
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