On Thursday December 18th, I woke up at 4:00 am with some pretty painful contractions. I woke up Eric and we timed them for a couple of hours. They were consistently 15 minutes apart, so we just decided to go in and get me checked. Half way through our car ride there, they slowed down. We went in anyways, just to see. I was dilated to a 4 and 80% effaced. They had me walk around the hospital for an hour to see if that could help naturally push things along. After a very painful hour (walking for a long time when you're almost 39 weeks pregnant feels like your back muscles are going to rip apart, a baby is going to fall out of you and your shins are going to snap in half) there was no progress so we were sent home and told to come back in the morning to be induced (at Mission Hospital, it's a rule that you can't be induced unless medically necessary until 39 weeks. I was one day away.. haha) It was a very impatient and painful night for me. Knowing that the baby was coming the next day for sure, Eric and I packed and double checked our hospital bags, diaper bag, and all of my information. We also spent some quality "last chance" couple time snuggling on the couch watching movies. I couldn't sleep the whole night! I felt like I did the night before I went to Disneyland for the first time... but this was more intense of course.
Finally, morning came. I was up at 5 getting ready, and double checking everything. It seemed surreal... We both couldn't believe that this baby was FINALLY going to make her entrance. We also still couldn't believe that we were forcing her out, after all the scares she gave us! We arrived at the hospital at 6:45 am. I had intense butterflies. Walking up to those doors, there were so many emotions running through me. I was so excited and happy, but also insanely nervous and scared. We got all checked into Labor and Delivery and never looked back. When they checked me, I was dilated to a 5 (I guess having contractions the whole day before did something) and 85% effaced already.
My doctor came in to break my water and then my nurse started me on Pitocin at 8:00 and at 8:05 the contractions came on full force.
I had my champ of a husband holding my hand and helping me breathe through each one. He was wearing his work out shirt that says "Battle Mode." I love him. At first, they really weren't that bad. I would just go to a happy place, relax all my muscles, close my eyes and breathe. Then, really fast, they started to get ridiculous. I was ready for an epidural haha by about 9:00 am I was dilated to a 7 and my nurse needed to rush the anesthesiologist in my room so I could get the epidural in time. He said "You're moving along pretty fast, so I don't know if this will set in all the way but at least it will take the edge off." Not what I wanted to hear. If you have time, I'm all for getting drugged. Those contractions hurt like no one's business. Luckily, another hour went by and it set in all the way. There were only about 2 contractions where I wouldn't let Eric touch me, and I wanted to rip the bed apart... But after that medicine kicked in, I was a happy camper :) Then, my body started to go into shock. I don't know why it didn't do this before when I was in actual pain, but suddenly I was shaking like a leaf uncontrollably. It took everything inside of me to calm down. By about 10:00 am I was dilated to a 9, and by 10:10 I was just about ready to go. The nurse had me push a couple of times to get ready, and then my doctor came in and got everything ready to go. I pushed through 5 contractions, and then the doc told me to look down. The second her little face was out, she screamed bloody murder. "Yep, that's her!" I thought haha Ellie May Payne. Born on 12-19-13 at 10:30 am. We were told two different weights for her (don't know how that worked out) but the right one ended up being 6lbs 9oz and she was 19 inches long. She was perfect. Perfect size, perfect shape, perfect face. She looks like her daddy :) As soon as she was born, they laid her on my chest and let her scream there. Eric cut her chord, and we both looked at each other shaking and sobbing. We hugged and kissed for the first time with all three of us together. Then, it was time for our skin to skin. I held her on my chest for an hour while she wiggled and screamed (She literally did not calm down for one second. I knew I'd have a feisty one on my hands), while I was shaking and crying, and it was the most wonderful moment of my life :) After that crazy hour was over, they got her all cleaned up so daddy could finally hold her :)
Once Eric got some time with her, my mom came in. She had flown in that morning and made it just in time to hear Ellie scream outside of my room. Apparently, the whole hospital could hear.. haha She took some pictures of our new family and enjoyed holding her newest grandbaby :)
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| Even now, she loves to sleep with her mouth open :) |
Eric's one wish was that he would be able to hold his daughter and watch their very first hockey game together in the hospital. He got it :) Go Ducks!
Our first night we had her sleep in our room with us except for about 2 hours when the nurse needed to take her for some tests and let us get some sleep. When she brought her back, she said that Ellie was the loudest baby in the nursery and she needed to put her in the corner because she kept waking up the other babies... Our girl. Being put in the corner on her very first night of life. We're in for a treat with this one :) (I really don't know how she's calm in all of these pictures. Maybe I was too sad to take a picture of her crying.. or maybe I was always holding her and couldn't take a picture... But believe me, these calm moments were rare haha) We also discovered on her first night that a pacifier would be our saving grace :)
The next morning, we were scheduled to go home, but little miss Ellie May just couldn't figure out how to eat. We were asked if we could stay one more day so I could have a lactation specialist come in and help us. Eric had ordered some pizza the night before that we both think had something funky in it because he started throwing up as soon as he woke up. He was terrified that he had a bug and didn't want to get Ellie or any of the other babies sick so he went home. It was not a happy moment for either of us. My mom came back to the hospital to help me while Eric rested at home. Ellie did a little bit better with figuring things out and by the end of the night Eric decided it was safe to come back :) By the time Eric got back, Ellie's little poopies (sorry, I'm a parent now. No boundaries) were not looking so great. We were able to determine (after a process of elimination) that she was having a tough time with the milk I had been drinking. Her daddy is lactose intolerant so this came as no surprise to us. I cut milk out my diet and she was in better shape. It even helped her tone down the screams! :)
Having the extra day helped so much for us to build some confidence and for me to get more recovery time, but by the next morning, we were SO ready to go home with our girl. She and I had some final tests done to make sure everything was good to go, and then we got her all dressed and ready to come home with us forever.
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| This outfit is already too small for her.. It truly is crazy how fast they grow :) |
Our first night home was pretty crazy (well.. it's still crazy around here) but with the help of Eric and my mom, we made it through! Like I said earlier, so much has happened since she was born, but I'll leave those stories for more posts! We love this girl so much. We can't imagine life with out her. I really don't know how I ever kept myself busy before I was a mom! It's one of the hardest things I've done, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. This baby has brought so much light and happiness into so many lives already, I can't wait to see what her future holds. Eric and I both agree that we have never felt more fulfilled and happy in our lives. We've also never been more sleep deprived... haha Heavenly Father has truly blessed us with this wonderful little girl. I feel so lucky knowing that He is trusting us to raise this special princess.
We've received so many calls, texts and messages to congratulate us. We've gotten so much help from family and friends and it means more than any of you know. We love that everyone shares in our excitement and we are beyond grateful for the kind words and help. Thank you so much. We love you all.
Love, The Payne's. Family of three :)
