Happy Birthday Emily!

Today is our sweet Emily's 7th Birthday. 7 years ago today the at 37 weeks pregnant, the doctor sent me straight over to L & D to be induced because my blood pressure had gone up and my feet were swelling. John and I had nothing packed! They had me in triage because there were no beds available in the labor hallway. The nurse midwife decided to try to ripen my cervix first by putting a cervix suppository in. It made me start having contractions but they were not painful. We spent ALL night in triage. We didn't sleep hardly at all. The next morning at about 6 am they finally had a room. Once they got me in the room, the midwife broke my water and started me on pitocin to get the labor going. Then the contractions really started coming! I labored in the shower, on the birthing ball, in the bed, walking around, etc. I had many visitors waiting outside. Finally around lunchtime I decided to have an epidural. It enabled me to rest some and I took a nap. I had the sweetest nurse...a red headed young nurse named Mame (strange I know). She took such good care of me. I will never forget her. When I got the epidural for some strange reason I had what they call a hot spot where a small area on my abdomen did not go numb. I felt every pain there even with the epidural but she helped by putting heat to it etc. at about 3:00pm I asked if I should tell her if I felt pressure, she said YES! Well, the midwife came to check me and to our surprise I was 10cm dilated! All the busyness started. People in and out of the room, baby stuff being set up, etc. They made me start pushing. I did really good if I do say so myself. After working on L & D as a young nurse and seeing so many women in labor I was determined not to yell. I did everything I could do to just focus on the task. The midwife kept trying to get me to look in a mirror or touch the baby's head but I didn't want to...I didn't want my concentration broken. It just so happen that my doctor, Dr. McAlpine, happen to be making rounds as I was pushing so he came in and basically just helped. He wet wash cloths and put them on my head, held my leg, and encouraged me. He said he actually liked delivering babies and missed getting to be in on regular old births. He was so sweet. The midwife knowing John was a paramedic started pushing John to deliver the baby. At first he was apprehensive but she encouraged him and so he agreed. The midwife and Dr. McAlpine started gowning John up and putting his gloves on....then they were like, "oh I guess you don't need gloves", John was like "I want gloves". So my mom held one leg, Dr. McAlpine held the other leg, John's mom had the video camera, and John and Midwife Anna delivered Emily. They kept telling me to look up at the TV and act like I was pushing the baby up out at the TV. For some reason that really helped! After pushing for one hour, her head popped out...I remember the midwife telling John to put his hands on her head and pull and push down. He did it and she was like noooo that isn't hard enough. She put her hands over his and helped. He thought he was going to pull Emily's head off! John put her in my arms and it was over, praise God! Emily Kathryn Gay was perfect, beautiful, and healthy. They let me hold her forever before taking her. She was nice and pink and crying. As they finished with me, they took her and did her whole assessment right in the room. She was 7 lbs and 20 inches. She also nursed for the first time right there. Then they let the crowd in that had been waiting outside. I think there were 12 people waiting outside. All the camera flashes started and she would crinkle her nose. My friend Rebecca came in a braided my hair because it looked really rough! I was a very pleasant birthing experience. Nice and calm. A great way to welcome our beautiful baby girl!