5.28.16

Adeline Lucille Calhoun

May 28, 2016

12:05pm

7lbs. 15oz

20in.

A true gift from God

I don't know how to start or even write a "Birth Story"... but I'll give it a shot!

We didn't know if our sweet Adeline would come on her own or not. She hadn't been making much progress at our weekly checkups. The Tuesday before she was born, the doctor and I were making plans to induce that next week. Fast forward to Thursday night. I woke up in the middle of the night with major cramping in my lower back. I had a "Contraction tracker" on my phone and started keeping track (just in case). The pain would come and go about every 20mins. Nothing that made me want to wake Devin for. I fell back asleep. The next morning, I had some more cramping, I began timing those... about the same. I took a hot shower and got ready for the day. Didn't feel anything else really the rest of the day. (I did text Devin to tell him how I had been feeling but didn't think it was anything...haha). 

I took my best friend out to lunch for her birthday. It was kind of funny because she asked me how I was feeling. I had told her that my belly felt "heavier". I think miss Adeline had dropped. We celebrated her birthday, shopped, and I came home and was so worn out. Devin got home, cooked dinner, and we did some things around the house that night. My legs were super restless (as they had been the whole 3rd trimester) so I decided I would go soak in a hot bath. This was about 10o'clock.

10:15pm The pain was back... still didn't wake Devin up.

About 1am I woke up with a super sharp contraction in my lower back and front. I woke Devin up with that one. I got on my phone, and started timing. Yup, they were about 7-9mins apart. Devin dosed off and off while I kept timing. I finally told him to go load the car and call the hospital. They told us we couldn't come in until I was 5mins apart, unable to walk or talk during a contraction, for a straight 2 hours (I wanted to cry... I might have, I don't remember!) I got up, tried to walk, but ended up spending most of that 2 hours sitting next to the bed, holding Devin's hand through each contraction. He's a trooper! 

About 3:15am, we called the hospital and told them we had done our 2 hours (thank goodness!) and they told us to come in to get checked, but not get our hopes up. So I slowly got to the car between contractions, and we headed that way. (Contractions in a car...ouch!)

Once at the hospital, we are taken to triage to get checked. Earlier that week during my appointment I was dilated to almost a 2. In triage, I was at a 4. Thank goodness, because that meant we got to stay! The sweet nurse immediately put in the orders for our epidural to be set up. We got settled into a room, and the wonderful anesthesiologist came very quickly. After two tries, my epidural was in and getting right to work! Oh what sweet relief that was!!! Devin and I were able to finally rest a little once that was done. We dozed off about 5:45am, and I woke up a little after 6am to the nurse checking me. My water had broke in my sleep, and I was already at a 7! They turned me from side to side with a medicine ball between my legs for the next few hours. Our wonderful friend Amber showed up to start photographing Adeline's birth. The doctor on call came in mid morning and I was almost ready (But he still went and did a c-section...)! I was starting to feel a lot of pressure and really was hoping that doc would come back soon. About 11:30, he showed back up and we started prepping to push. Between the contractions and pushing, Devin fed me ice chips (thank you!) and we joked around with nurses. Pushing didn't seem to last too long! Finally, baby girl came on out and they layed her on me. Devin cut the cord, and we got to stare at our beautiful 7lb. 15oz girly!

We stayed in the hospital two nights, visited with family and many friends, and went home Monday to start our new life as a family of 3. We are so in love, and wouldn't want life any other way!

Here are some pics from sweet Adeline's birth :)