Welcome, Cassidy Diane!

Allen and I went in Monday morning at 9:45 a.m. 8/27/12 to see my midwife, Gretchen.  I was 38 week, 5 days.  The plan was to have her strip my membranes and then for us to walk around for a while to see if labor started.  When she checked me, I was already “about 5cm” but still “kind of thick.”   She didn’t want to send me home at 5cm because we live 45 minutes from the hospital, and she knew I’d go fast once my water broke and might not make it back to the hospital.  She asked us to walk around for a while and then check in to labor & delivery.  We walked around Temple Square for about an hour.  I was getting some contractions.  They were about 10 minutes apart, but not consistent.  Allen confessed that he didn’t actually believe we’d be having a baby that day, so he didn’t come prepared (with his netbook and some food. LOL).

I was nervous about checking myself in to L&D because I knew my options were 1) Pitocin to get contractions started (I am not comfortable with this route since I’ve had a previous c-section), 2) break my water IF baby had dropped low enough (she was still a bit high before and none of us felt comfortable enough breaking my water at that point), or 3) wait around in L&D until things got started on their own, which could have been hours.  We got there close to noon and I expressed my concerns to Gretchen and the nursing staff.  We decided to wait and see if my body would take over.  We walked around the unit for a bit, and then went back to my room.  Lying in bed did nothing except stall the contractions; but I did feel some (about 9 minutes apart) while I was standing, so I asked for the birth ball and sat on that for a while.  Allen watched NCIS and football while I surfed the web and got on facebook.  LOL  I couldn’t focus on anything else, so this passed the time.

The contractions started coming consistently 6 minutes apart and they were getting stronger, but not bad enough that I had to breathe through them.  I was comfortable enough at that point to know I was in active labor and decided to stay.  My midwife checked me at 4:18 p.m. and I had made progress.  My cervix had thinned out to 80-90% and baby’s head was low.  I was only at 5+cm, though.  At that point, Gretchen broke my water, and I knew baby would be here in a couple of hours. 

Contractions really picked up then.  They were much stronger, though still not very close together.  I labored for about an hour, while Allen made some phone calls.  I was feeling a lot more pressure with the contractions, so I knew baby was coming down.  Gretchen checked me and I was at 8cm, so she started getting her cart ready.  Allen did put his phone away long enough to help me through transition, which is really all I needed from him.  It didn’t bother me before that he was watching TV and making phone calls, though I think I did have to tell him that it was time to put the phone away and get into position once I had to breathe and vocalize through contractions.  (Might have been a bit awkward for anyone he was talking to who could hear me moaning in the background).  He held my hand through the really bad ones.  

Once I felt pushy, Gretchen checked me and I had a tiny lip left.  One more contraction and I was ready.  I was determined to get her out quickly.  I pushed for only 20 minutes with Grayson, and that was really tiring. (I know 20 minutes doesn't even compare with the 3 hours I pushed with Hayden, but it makes a big difference when you don't have an epidural.)  I only had to push through two contractions and Cassidy Diane was born, weighing 7 lbs 2 oz and 20 inches long.  She has golden blonde hair (and very little of it) and she is just the sweetest little thing.  When they placed her on my chest after she was born, I felt something warm and wet dripping down my side.  She peed on me!  Gretchen and the nurse said she was “such a pretty baby.”  I did have a small tear, but I’m not nearly as sore as I was with Grayson and Torrin.  Most of my post-partum pain is in my tail bone, which I hurt a few years ago falling down the stairs. 

We are home now, and Cassidy is doing great! She is nursing like a champ and sleeping great.  She had a tough time sleeping in the hospital, but now that my milk has come in she is letting mom sleep more.  J  We are just thrilled to have her and can’t believe we now have FOUR kids.  We’re definitely outnumbered around here.

38 weeks

Hanging out on the birthing ball.

First bath.

Grayson's reaction.  He opened his mouth in shock when he first saw Cassidy.

Gretchen and Cassidy

We took our traditional dad & baby picture at home since Allen wasn't feeling well when she was born.  (Was worried he might have had strep throat).