Sydney and Jaxon were both early (3 and 2 weeks, respectively), so of course Baby #3 would have to break tradition :) Charlotte was due June 14, but I started having contractions a few weeks before that...and had them until a couple of weeks after that date too :)
With Sydney and Jaxon, my first contraction came and a baby soon followed (7 1/2 hours later with Sydney, 4 hours later with Jaxon), so I was a little frustrated with the whole contractions for a month deal this time around. Every week at my check up I would ask my doctor if we were ready, and every week he would tell me to walk more.
Two things - first, I was still going to Zumba and Cardio Hip Hop twice a week until the end of May, and when I wasn't there, we were at Stone Mountain or the Zoo walking; second, at home I would rock and do squats every day. Obviously, I wasn't the hold out in this deal :)
Finally, I went in for my 42-week check up (no typo there). Nurse Tonya hooked me up to a machine to check contractions. After about an hour, Dr. Hadley came in to check things out and come up with a plan. He said I was having strong, steady contractions (duh!), but I was still only dilated to a 4 (we were going on week 4 like this). He decided to send me to the hospital anyway so we could start the induction.
Apparently everyone wanted to have a baby that day, because I wasn't in active labor, I kept getting pushed back in line, We checked in at the hospital at noon, but we were not taken to labor and delivery until 6p.m. At this point I had not eaten since dinner the previous night at 6p.m., so I was a little ornery :)
After getting set up, they started the IV drip, and at 7:30 the pitocin, and at 8:30 the epidural. I had steady contractions - really strong ones too - but still no labor. At 2:30a.m., Dr. Hadley and the interns came in for another visit. Dr. H decided to break my water, but said if nothing happened, we would go in for a C-section at 4a.m.
My parents and sisters had been at the hospital all day waiting with us, but finally left around 11p.m. My parents went back to our house to take care of Jaxon and Sydney (who had spent half the day with our friend Lindsey, and the other half with my grandmother). Thankfully, they were able to give Donnie a break and dinner, so he wasn't starving, only incredibly tired :)
Around 3:15a.m. I said, "Donnie, I feel a lot of pressure. Maybe you should get the nurse."
He replied, "That's good," and rolled back over on the couch.
I said, "No, I mean, like, I feel like her head is about to pop out!"
The nurse came in and checked. She was surprised that the baby's head was indeed popping out and told me not to push - or move - until the doctor came. Dr. H arrived, and took his sweet time setting up his stuff. We started pushing at 3:45a.m. and ten minutes later, Charlotte was born.
Charlotte weighed 10lbs 6 oz and was 21 3/4 inches long. She had dark hair and a cute little birth mark. As soon as the nurses took her, they started laughing. They had to send for different diapers because she was too big for the newborn ones they kept on the cart. They kept telling me I gave birth to a toddler - and it felt like she was in there long enough to be a toddler, so I wasn't surprised :)
Everyone was happy, healthy, and hungry!
We stayed in the hospital Tuesday, but Wednesday was Jaxy's birthday, so I begged and pleaded with the doctors to clear us to go home - they wanted us to stay until Thursday. Finally we reached a compromise, and we went home Wednesday night around 8. The only downside to all of this is that once again, Jaxon did not have a birthday party. BUT thanks to Grandma and Granddaddy, he did have presents, cupcakes, and ice cream.
