Elsie Jane Green

Elsie was born a week from today! She is a whole week old.  Time seriously has flown and it's kind of funny because today is her actual due date, but I can't imagine my life without this week and her in it.

So we decided to have me get induced on the 15th at 6:30 am. It was really nice for us knowing that there was a time and a day where this was going to happen but a lot of people were weird about me getting induced. My doctor even said "you'll learn with your next pregnancies/kids to not share so much information with other people" ha ha I'm sure he was right!  To be honest Elias and I had some questions about being induced but after getting answered by my doctor we were completely comfortable with it.  I knew my body was ready and I knew our little Elsie was ready to come too!

So my induction was planned for Thursday morning and my last day of work was Wednesday.  All day I was just so nervous thinking about how that would be my last day of not being a mom.. forever! Crazy crazy thought.  I worked the whole day and then planned to go home and finish up some last minute things in the nursery.  My sweet sister in law came over and brought us some gifts and dinner.  One of the gifts was some black vinyl triangles to put on the nursery wall behind the crib.  They were something I have envisioned since I found out that I was pregnant and they couldn't have been more perfect!! It was actually really funny because Summer and Elias were trying to measure out the wall and where they would place the triangles and out of nowhere my mother in law shows up at our door.  It was perfect because she is a guru at things like this and so her Elias and Summer busted those triangles out in about 20 minutes and they look incredible.  

After everyone left Elias and I just packed a little and got ready for bed.  I honestly thought we would both be stress cases and not be able to sleep but we prayed together and fell fast asleep.  I'll be honest though waking up did not go as smoothly. I woke up at 5:00 am and then hit snooze.. bad choice because then I didn't wake up till 5:45 am! So I jumped out of bed (as fast as I could with my HUGE belly) and hopped in the shower.  I got ready fairly quickly and woke Elias up.  Before we left I had him take pictures of me

One of my final requests was to go to Madbrook Donuts before the hospital I got a chocolate peanut butter donut and just their classic glazed but I was so nervous I couldn't really eat ha ha.

When we got to the hospital it was super quiet and no one was around.. we walked into the hospital looking like we were moving in with our bags and everything and finally found our way to labor and delivery.  They admitted us, showed us what the hospital portion of the bill would be (ridiculous right? I wasn't even in the bed yet) and took us to the L&D room.  The first nurse that came in was one that actually lives on our street!  It was hilarious because we recognized her but had never really talked to her before, she was the sweetest girl!  So energetic and positive.  After I changed into my gown she is the one who gave me my IV and then she let me know that she wasn't going to be my delivery nurse.  I was kinda bummed because she seemed like she would have been awesome.

By the time we did all of this it was about 7:40 am. 
Next person to check in on us was my doctor.  He came in and checked me and let us know that I was 90% effaced and still dilated to a 2. Then he broke my water with this thing that seriously looked just like a crochet hook. When my water broke it wasn't some big gush like some people say honestly it was just a trickle that felt like I peed my self.  It honestly is kind of embarrassing because it feels like you peed and then everytime you laugh or move more just comes out.  It felt like it was coming out for the next couple hours! 

He then instructed my real nurse (Sheryl) to start the pitocin they start it at a very slow drip, but even then I started feeling the contractions right away.  To back track a little I thought I was having contractions for the last few days but I wasn't sure.. Until I got the pitocin because the contractions I was feeling with the pitocin was the same way I had been feeling just a little bit stronger.

My doctor came back in about 5 minutes later checked my contractions and said "alright your contractions are looking good and strong, I'm heading to the clinic and I'll be back a little later to check your progress".  Right away my contractions were 5 minutes apart.  Every once and awhile Sheryl would come in and increase my pitocin drip, and every time she did it my contractions got stronger and stronger!!

Elias was such a champ the whole morning. He was just hanging out on the couch playing on his phone and changing they tv channels whenever I wanted.  At this point I don't think it seemed that real to either of us that there was going to be a baby with us in no time.

By 8:50 am my contractions were 3 minutes apart and pretty strong.  My doctor told me I could have the epidural at any point but I really did want to experience labor for as long as I could.  So random people were coming in every once and awhile; having us sign papers talking about what to expect and the informing us about the epidural.  My actual L&D nurse was pretty MIA all day until about 9:00 am so she came in and I asked her when she was going to check me again.  It really bothered me that I didn't know how I was progressing. She told me she would check me after I got the epidural so that it wouldn't hurt.  My contractions were starting to hurt me pretty bad at that point so I told her that I think I wanted it at 9:30 am. 

Elias and I were just talking and hanging out; but every few minutes I would just stop and breath through my contractions. I found the best way to get through the contractions was to put my head back, close my eyes, breath extremely deep, and grip the bed rails.  Ha ha it is a very weird sensation because it truly feels like they take you somewhere else, like everytime I would open up my eyes again I almost felt dizzy. 

 

Right on Que at 9:30 am the Nurse anesthetist came in the room with all her epidural equipment.  She talked to me about what they do and the risks involved but once again every few minutes I would have to tell her to hold on and I would breath through my contractions.  Everyone kept saying "you do really well at breathing through you contractions!!" I thought that was funny because I felt like a wimp sitting there just breathing like a crazy person ha ha. So she went over all of the information that she needed to and then she informed me that she is actually in training to become a Certified Nurse anesthetist and that the other lady with her was helping train her. She asked if I was comfortable with letting her delivery my epidural and as crazy as it sounds I did!  She seemed very competent and I could tell it wasn't her first rodeo. (if I would have had the slightest doubt in her I would have said no).  I signed all the forms for permission for the epidural but then asked if they could come back at 10:00 am to do the epidural.  Once again I wanted to experience labor and Elias was so awesome in encouraging me.  He said "think about it Stef in a half hour you will only have a maximum of 10 contractions you can do it!" The Nurse Anesthetists left and said they will be back at 10:00 or just shortly after.

To be honest the only part of labor I had been scared for my whole pregnancy was the epidural.  I let my imagination run wild when it comes to medical procedures being performed on me. I even struggled with the IV earlier that morning! I also was worried after the NA talked to me because she said "keep in mind, you have to hold completely still when we give you the epidural". So before they came back to give me the epidural Elias told me to practice a few times keeping completely still when I was having a contraction.  It was SO hard but I felt like I could do it.

10:00 am on the dot the NA's were back.  They told me to sit on the bed with my legs hanging off the side. they raised the bed up and gave me a pillow to bend over and grip.  It's an awkward position because obviously your belly is huge and you have to relax all the muscles in your neck and back.. So they start by sterilizing your back and putting some plastic on your back just leaving an opening for the needle to go through. After they sterilize the skin they give you a lidocaine shot that stings/burns pretty bad and then insert the needle and string a catheter through the needle.  When she was inserting the catheter I could feel it squeak up my spine.. yeah horrible feeling.  I was focusing so hard on holding still, breathing through my contractions and trying not to let my imagination run wild.  Doing all of those things at the same time took insane control and I was sweating like crazy!! Poor Elias was in front of me watching all of this go down. But he was such a champ at being positive and helping me through everything!

The epidural really does kick in right away.. it's a strange feeling but it is nice! You almost forget what the contractions felt like.  Sheryl finally came back, gave me the catheter, checked me again and I was dilated to a 4/5.  That was really good to know that I was progressing nicely, but I wish they could have told me how long it would take from there. Of course they don't so you just sit around waiting.. It was about 11:30 am at this point and Elias told me he was really hungry and wanted to go grab lunch.  My step mom Karen had been there for a little bit so I told Elias he was fine to go if Karen stayed with me. So Elias left and I instantly fell asleep.

When he got back I woke up, Karen left and I started to feel way nauseous. I had just been having ice chips and Karen brought me some jolly ranchers earlier that I had been sucking on all morning. So I didn't know if I was just nauseous from an empty stomach, or if it was me feeling the contractions slightly, or if it was the epidural but I definitely was nauseous! I even told the nurse but she didn't really say anything about it she just asked if I wanted an italian ice and why would I pass that up?? It was nice to get a little something in my stomach. 

At 12:35 pm I was trying hard just to sleep so I wouldn't feel nauseous but all of a sudden my mouth started to fill with saliva.. I started crying and I looked at Elias and I was like "okay I really am going to throw up" he jumped up like a ninja and looked around for anything he could grab for me to throw up in as I am frantically trying to sit my bed up as fast as I could. He grabbed this huge garbage can that had all of this trash from the epidural stuff in it and I spit into it.  He quickly realized the trash can wasn't going to work for me to throw up into so he grabbed a towel and laid it on my chest, I instantly threw up my italian ice on to this towel and Elias swiftly pulled the towel away from me and threw it into the soiled linen bin. (for a guy who hates anything medical he sure did a good job!) 

After throwing up I felt SO much better but than my back started hurting and at this point my legs were really heavy.  I did not like the feeling! Elias had to keep situating my legs and my bed to try to get me comfortable but nothing was working.. I almost felt claustrophobic not being able to move my legs. I just wanted my nurse to come back so bad to help with my back and to check my progress!!

At 1:05 pm my nurse finally came back I told her that I did end up throwing up, we told her what we had to do since I wasn't given anything to throw up in and so she grabbed this little plastic container just in case it happened again. (I just wanted to say, SEE I told you I was nauseous!!!) Then I let her know that my back was really hurting so she grabbed me some hot towels (which were heavenly, seriously next time I will ask for those asap) and some pillows to readjust me.  I felt a little better but still not super comfortable.  I was propped up on my right side facing the door. As she walked out I asked when would be the next time she would check me and she said "I'll come back in about an hour to check you; just rest" That was the most heartbreaking thing to hear, I was so uncomfortable and just wanted to know what was going on.  (Later I found out that she had another patient who was having her 3rd baby and that is why Sheryl was MIA she was continuously checking this other lady and neglecting me!) So I was laying there on my side trying SO hard to just fall asleep and no joke 5 minutes later my doctor walks in.

1:10 pm He puts some gloves on and checks me.  He didn't really say anything but just turned around and started grabbing some protective gear out of the cupboard. Sheryl looked at him and said "do you think she is like an 8 or 9?" and very sternly he says "no she is ready to have this baby right now" my stomach dropped and I looked at Elias who was just laying on the couch.  We both were taken aback.  This other nurse came out of nowhere and they pulled all this equipment from who knows where.  They took away half of my bed, pulled up these leg holder things and turned on these extremely bright stage lights from the ceiling. My doctor looks at Elias and says "are you just going to hide over there or help?" Honestly where everything happened so fast he nor I knew what to do!

The nurse explained to me how to push and and the doctor told me that he would tell me when I was contracting. I started pushing at 1:15pm (the whole day I was watching the clock and when I could I was documenting the time in my phone)  The nurse explained how to push like this: hold onto your legs with your elbows out, take a deep breath like you are going deep under water, tuck your chin and pull your legs to your chest, and hold for 10 seconds.  Then my doctor chimes in and says "if you were really constipated you would know how to get it out right?" and I kinda laughed and said "yes" so he was like "that's what you gotta do".  So he would tell me when I was contracting and I would go!  It would happen in groups of 3 so I would push, deep breath, push, deep breath and push.  After the first cycle I thought to myself "crap I never told him I didn't want an episiotomy or that I wanted a mirror.. ha ha oh well!" 

In between pushes Elias and I would just look at each other like "holy crap this is happening" After a few pushes her head was right there.  My doctor kept telling "Elias look at that, look at her hair!" it was really funny because although I didn't have a mirror up the was a TV behind my doctor and he was pointing things out to me in the TV "see her head" he would say as he's pointing to the reflection.  It was insane. After one really strong push he said "if you can't make it to 10 just take a breath, I don't want you passing out!" But I thought no way, I am pushing this baby out as fast as I can.  

Pushing with an epidural is a very strange sensation I kept thinking what if my epidural just stopped working? and am I doing this right? My doctor kept reassuring me that I was doing great, and towards the end of pushing I was able to really focus on my body and where I needed to put all my energy.  At around 1:40 pm my doctor said "okay in the next couple pushes your baby is going to be born" Elias and I looked at each other with so much fear, but also so much excitement (he even told me he had to hold back tears) and at 1:45 she was born!

The feeling of your baby leaving you body is so surreal. This little baby that you have been growing for 10 months; your stomach simultaneously collapsing as this new little being is coming into the world.. words truly can't describe it.

Her umbilical cord was really short so the doctor had to hold her down by my legs as Elias cut the cord.  But I reached down and grabbed her little hand.  She was crying the saddest little cry but I loved hearing it knowing that she was healthy.

Elias went over with little Elsie to get cleaned up, weighed, measured and feet stamped as I got stitched up.  My doctor told me that I just had a first degree tear and all of my stitches were internal (thank goodness) he said I wouldn't have to worry about going to the bathroom (that dreaded post partum poop everyone talks about) and I tore way less than I would have if I would have had an episiotomy! 

Getting stitched up seemed like it took forever! I just wanted to hold my little Elsie girl. Elias looked over at me and said "She's 8 lbs!" 8 pounds 0 ounces, exactly what Elias guessed, and she was 20.5 inches long. 

After the longest 5 minutes of my life Elias brought her over to me.  I hadn't cried until she was actually placed in my arms.  It is an overwhelming feeling of love and an extremely spiritual experience to hold that little life that me and Elias created. 

We couldn't keep our eyes off of her.  She was perfect in every way.  Our perfect little chubby girl :)

Honestly it was a perfect labor. Yes there were ups and downs but you can't beat 6 hours for your first birth! The doctor kept saying to the nurses "we started her labor today at 7:30 can you believe it?" He also warned me that when I have more kids, I need to be careful If I go into labor naturally. I need to get to the hospital ASAP because labors usually cut in half from your first to your second.  But I think I will stick with just getting induced.

Elsie Jane we have loved you from the first day that we found out I was pregnant with you.  You have been my little buddy for the last 10 months and I can't wait for you to be my little buddy for the rest of your life.  We will love you with all of our hearts and are so blessed to call you "ours" 

-mommy and daddy