Welcome Anna Joy!

Warning: This is a birth story. So if you're not into that sort of thing ...

We have a new little princess around here. This is the story of her arrival into the world!

Let's start out by saying, around week 37 I was officially as big as I was with Lucy. So I kinda had my hopes up that Annie might come a little early. Not too early. But a week or so would have been nice. :) Well my due date came and went. Since I was induced a week late with Lucy, I figured I would probably just be pregnant forever. I stopped wondering "maybe today is the day" and just went on with life as usual.

The night before Annie was born we went to the gym. I walked as fast as I could on the treadmill for 45 min. After that we went to Target and Lucy was being fussy. This stressed me out a little and I started having pretty consistent Braxton Hicks contractions. I didn't think anything of it since I had BH my whole pregnancy. Plus I was going to be pregnant forever....remember? I went to bed and the contractions went away. Around 4:30am I woke up stiff and sore. I rolled over and--whoa!--a warm gush of liquid. I gasped and jumped out of bed (I had just washed the sheets! Saved them, by the way.) Immediately I began to get shaky and had serious cramping. "This is it! I don't know if I'm ready for this!" Then I realized it was Tuesday. No, not Tuesday! I've been praying for 2 things: a natural delivery and not on a Tuesday! Tuesday is my midwife's DAY OFF. I knew a natural delivery would be much harder without her. Well, she was on call till 8am so I figured a little bit of her was better than nothing. I called Jeane (my midwife) and she told me to head straight to the hospital. Once we got Lucy taken care of and to the hospital it was about 5:30. (Side note: we walked outside and it was snowing!! The first snow of the year. Lucy was born on the first snow of the year too! Dec. 7th--2 years earlier. I think it's God's way of welcoming my babies into the world.) =) Anyway, at the hospital they took me into triage and did the usual--checked vitals and asked me questions I had already answered in pre-registration (what's the point of that!). By now my contractions we pretty close together and I needed to be on my hands and knees to tolerate them. Finally the nurse decided to check my progress since she could tell I was in pain. "Oh wow, you're at a 6. Let's move you to a delivery room." Yeah, thanks. :) 6:30am--My contractions were beginning to seem unbearable. Then Jeane arrived! Praise the Lord! She immediately took over. She was so calm and was just amazing. She rubbed my back and suggested alternate positions. Not gonna lie, "I don't think I can do this without an epidural" crossed my mind a few times. Ha! I had wanted to try the tub so around 7:30 Jeane checked me and I was at 8-9cm! Hello. I got in the tub (which felt great) but within 5 min.  had to start pushing. I couldn't stop it! I said, "Jeane, tell me the truth. How much worse it this going to get?" She told me I was past the worst part. Pushing would be a relief. What? Ok. Since we didn't want a water birth we headed back to the bed. It all happened so fast! Jeane immediately told me to push. (Thankfully, pushing was a relief!) And it was amazing to be able to feel how to push since I was un-medicated. 3 pushes and Annie was born at 7:48. She cried immediately and handed her to me. Beautiful! 12 min. before Jeane was off call. Praise the Lord for answering prayer!!

Anna Joy 

December 6, 2011

7 lbs., 11 oz., 19 inches

This delivery was so different from Lucy's. With Lucy I was induced, Pitocin, had an epidural, the works. She was born happy and healthy but I was unsatisfied with the whole experience. For one, it took me a long time to recover. I knew the whole experience could be better. So this time around I decided to do things differently. I found an amazing midwife and made it a priority to exercise regularly. I tried to eat better....but ice cream always gets the best of me. :) I read some great childbirth books and talked with friends who had given birth naturally. By week 30 I was actually excited about natural childbirth! I knew that God created my body to have children. It was a natural experience and I wasn't going to die from the pain. :)

Let me say, having done it both ways....I will definitely have the rest of my children naturally! Yes, I realize a 3 hour labor is pretty much every woman's dream. But I am prepared to do this again even if labor lasts much longer. :) It was a wonderful experience. Believe it or not, it didn't hurt as badly as I thought it would. Immediately after Annie was born I felt fine and was able to walk around. I didn't have to have an IV! It was great. Recovery was a million times better. The list goes on! Even my at first skeptical hubby says we will never have another baby without Jeane! :)

We love our little Annie Joy! I plan on giving you all an update on her cute little self within the next few days. For now, here are some pics from her first few days!

 

Proud big sister!

Annie has lots of dark hair!

Scheming against me already.

Baby love.

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