She's here!

Below is Ruby's birth story. At 2.5 weeks out, I have already forgotten some of the details, but I tried to document everything I could remember, even though it may seem mundane! I have loved reading back over what I wrote for my other 2 deliveries, so I wanted to do the same this time! 

My 38 week appointment was relatively uneventful. I was 3 cm and 50% effaced, had gained 14 lbs overall (not that that was important here-I just finally asked and wanted to write it down so I could remember!) and Dr. Murray said I could go at any time! She said she was on call Friday and Saturday, so to do some walking, because those would be great days to have a baby! This kind of got my hopes up, so when nothing happened all week, I was a little disappointed. At my 39 week appointment, I was hoping for more progress, but was still 3 cm and 60% effaced and had lost a little weight. She basically said the same thing, and that she was on call all weekend, so to stay in touch. She also said that she would be in the office all day Friday, and that if I began to get totally miserable and wanted to induce, she could do it then. I really did not feel miserable-not any more so than at any other points during this or any other pregnancy-so I didn’t envision wanting to do that-especially since I had not even hit 40 weeks yet. I did not feel any different from 38 to 39 weeks, so I had resigned myself to being late rather than on time or early. Henry was 2 days early and Annie was 2 days late, so there was really no reason for me to think baby #3 would come early, but once people start asking and the doctor says “any time!” I just couldn’t help but feel antsy. That was actually my main complaint about the end of this pregnancy! I am a planner, and with it being summer, I kept wanting to make plans, but didn’t feel like I could with an eminent delivery, so I felt like a sitting duck…a ticking time bomb…a watched pot?! And with the other two babies, I worked up until I had them, so time went by more quickly. I was more distracted and could not think about my due date as much. It was different with a summer vacation baby!

I had had a to do list looming for weeks, and we were chipping away at it slowly. On Friday, July 8^th, the kids and I stayed at home all day. I was trying to have quality time with them and not run errands and drag them all over the place which is hard for me! I really like to stay on the go. The kids slept in late (we had been out late at the Athens Kiddie Carnival the night before) and we stayed in our PJ’s half the morning, made banana bread together, spent time outside, etc. I finally pulled out the infant car seat and washed the liner, and when Steven got home he installed it along with Annie’s new diono. I don’t really remember, but I think we ran a few errands and got dinner when Steven got home?? The afternoon is a blank for me! I do know that we went out back in the evening and took some maternity pictures-another thing on my list! And I’m SO glad we did! After that, we swam together and put the kids to bed. Another thing on my list was to finalize my birth plan and print it. It was up on the computer and Steven saw it and suggested I just go ahead and get it done. I guess I’m a procrastinator at heart. I’m so glad I did! Evidently we were prepping for #3’s eminent arrival and didn’t even realize it!

At about 3:30 am I woke up with light, inconsistent contractions (I couldn’t really call them contractions at the time-it was just low cramping). I had woken up like this several times in the past 2 weeks or so just wondering if these low cramps would develop into something more, but then they never did. They always stopped on their own. After these didn’t let up, Steven could tell I was awake, and I told him I might be having contractions. He said, “I was wondering!”. I still didn’t know if this was the real thing, so I got up and finalized packing my bag just in case. I was curious if getting up and walking around would stop them or cause them to further develop. After about an hour, I started using the contractions timer app on my phone just to see if there was a pattern. Even though they were inconsistent, the main thing was that they did not stop. I decided to shower, and Steven was getting stuff prepped, too. He kept wanting to leave right away for the hospital, but I wanted to make sure this was real before we left. Once out of the shower, I told him I thought this really was labor, but I just didn’t know how early on it was. My contractions were not painful, but he was chomping at the bit to go, and my plan was to go earlier this time as well. There were two reasons for this. Number 1-Annie came in literally 5 hours from start to finish (we were at the hospital for 1.5 hrs before she came), and if this baby was anything like that, we needed to get to the hospital ASAP if we wanted to deliver there! We had been warned over and over that a third baby could come even faster. Number 2-I tested positive for Group B Strep and needed to get IV antibiotic during delivery-ideally 4 hours prior. These two things coupled with the fact that at the hospital we could totally focus on labor whereas at home our kiddos would be up soon and we would be dealing with them, was enough to spur us to head on. Steven called our next door neighbor Mandy who answered right away and came over at about 5:10 am. She was so sweet and happy to come-even if it was a Saturday morning and her 3 kids were still going to be in bed for hours yet! She prayed with us before we headed out. Later when I was thanking her for coming so early, she said, “It was a God thing! I woke up and was lying in bed wide awake for about 10 minutes, then I looked over and saw my phone was lit up…and saw it was you guys…the sound was turned off. It’s like God said, ‘wake up! Time to go!’”

I only had a few contractions on the way to Madison hospital, and I ate some Greek yogurt and drank a bottle of water. I also only had a few in the waiting area before going up to the second floor. Steven and I had normal conversation the whole time. I was able to talk to the nurse about my prior deliveries while she walked us to the elevator to go up. Her name was Julie, and she got us all settled into our room and was very accommodating (received my birth plan gladly, got me the birthing ball, ice chips, etc). My contractions were slow, but steady. I was able to talk and fully focus on what she was asking me (totally different than with Annie!!).

Once we got all the preliminary stuff out of the way, she checked me and said I was between 5 and 6 cm. I wanted to walk to see if I could get things going even more since I was coping fine with the contractions at present. I stayed put to get my IV antibiotics. They actually caused me to feel a little nauseated, so they slowed the drip and got me a cool washcloth for my forehead. I was happy when that was over and I could get up and move around. Nurse Julie switched out to nurse Lauren at 7:00 am, and we were free to walk around the L&D and postpartum halls. I was monitored 15 minutes out of every hour and only had a saline lock in case of emergency. Steven texted close friends to update them that we were at the hospital and to ask for prayers. I called my folks early and let them know, and he had been in touch with all of his family to update them as well. We had called his mom when we called Mandy, so she was on her way to the house to take over the kids as soon as she got there.

 The halls were quiet and Steven and I were able to talk and walk…I monitored my contractions on my phone app again and they were coming every 2 minutes and lasting about 25 seconds. As long as I was walking, they were coming, but as soon as I sat down they stopped!! The entire 15 minutes I was sitting on the bed and being monitored, I literally had only a few contractions. The same was true of the birthing ball. When I sat on it-nothing! I felt like I had to justify myself to the nurses and told them-I promise I really am having contractions while I’m walking around!! It was so weird! Dr. Murray was on call (yay!), and she was getting reports from the nurse via phone. She suggested that she could break my water to get things progressing, but when the nurse checked me at around 8:30 am, she said I was 7 cm, so Dr. Murray said that was great since I was progressing on my own-we would just let me continue. I wouldn’t have agreed to have my water broken anyway, so it was a good thing!

At Madison Hospital waiting room-about 5:30am.

I also texted friends during this time (while being monitored since I wasn’t having contractions anyway!) to keep myself distracted-Robin Busch, Jessica Zorio, and talked to sis-in-law Heather on the phone. We walked and walked, and Dr. Murray came in and talked to me but did not check me. The people in the halls got familiar with us…a new dad said, “Keep it up, guys!” and several of the cleaning crew spoke to us once we saw them several times! We got reports from home that the kids were awake and were super excited that they were going to have a baby sister today! It was neat because Steven said when he put Henry to bed the night before they re-capped what would happen when the baby came (we would go to the hospital, Grandma would come be with him and Annie, and bring them to meet the new baby at the hospital where mommy and daddy were). Both other babies were born in the middle of the night, so seeing daylight and everyone being available to communicate on a Saturday morning was different! 

I went into the bathroom to change into the hospital gown, then came out for Steven to get one last pregnancy picture! This is 39 weeks + 5 days.

Still feeling good! The sun is up...getting ready to go!

Ready to get out in the halls and get walking in this pic after putting on my stylish gown!

At about 10:30 (I’d guess??) my contractions got more painful and I began to feel the dread of what I knew was ahead. I was having to stop a lot while walking and was feeling a little self-conscious with  more folks being in the halls. We went back to the room and I talked through some of my anxiety with Steven, then I decided to lie down on the bed-that seemed most comfortable, although my contractions were coming strong and steady in that position. I held onto the bedrail and breathed through them as best I could. Steven had some music playing and helped however he could. The room was quiet and calm. The nurse asked if I was feeling pressure, but I wasn’t at the time. They started another round of antibiotics since it had been 4 hours, and it was at the end of those that I felt a bit of pressure. The nurse came in to take care of the IV, and we told her. She quickly went to get Dr. Murray who checked me. She unintentionally broke my water with her fingertip (her words) and said I was fully dilated and that she was going to get dressed and be ready. She was very calm and almost whispering. 

Lying on my right side once contractions got stronger.

Getting prepped for delivery...serious face now!

There was a rush of preparation-baby nurse, the nurse who’d been monitoring me plus one other, Dr. Murray and her tray of tools! When I saw the tools I said, “Whoa! That’s a lot of stuff!” She said she’d only use about a tenth of them, but the rest were there just in case! They broke the bed down, and I kind of sat up to get ready for the next contraction. I was getting in the same position I had been in to deliver my other two babies. Well, the funny thing was that just like the rest of my labor, nothing happened when I was in this position! I just sat there and everyone just kinda stood around! I was certainly in an awkward position, and I felt totally clear headed and was in no pain. I kind of chuckled and was like, “Well…!” Steven says that it was like this for about 5 minutes, but I really don’t think it was that long. It certainly FELT like a long time…so awkward!

Anyway, I suggested laying back on my right side since that’s how the contractions were coming before. Dr. Murray said, “If that feels good to you, do it.” She did not make any suggestions or push me to do anything I didn’t want to do. Before I even could lie all the way down, a contraction started, and I felt pressure. I was kind of waiting for the doctor and nurses to tell me to push like they did with my other two deliveries, but I just followed my body’s own natural urge because they weren’t saying anything at first! A nurse was holding my left leg while I was in the side lying position. After pushing a time or two, I could feel her coming out, but I asked for some direction, so then Steven was behind me saying, “You’re doing good, babe! Keep it up!” and stuff like that. I then heard the nurses saying, “You’re doing good, Mom!” and “Yes, that’s it” and stuff like that. I was just needing some feedback, so it was good to hear that. She came very fast-within a few pushes-and I was so relieved! Just like with Annie, I just felt SO, SO happy that it was all over. The pain, pressure, pushing is intense, but just as quickly as it is there, it is over (in my case). The relief is immediate and so gratifying! She was born at 11:25 am, so from start to finish my labor/deliver was 8 hours. 

Evidently Steven to a pic during the awkward waiting period just prior to delivery...he certainly had time!

They immediately put baby girl on me, and she was precious, of course. She had lots of dark hair-and while it was wet it looked curly. I had such bad heartburn the whole time, so seeing all that hair made the old wives’ tale seem all the more true. She cried for just a minute, then settled right on me. She was warm and calm and sweet. We talked about her and how I thought she looked a little like Henry. I didn’t see Annie at all at first. I nursed her right away and she had a serious suck-nothing lack luster about that! The hospital’s policy is not to do anything with the baby until mother and baby have had at least an hour skin to skin and a first feeding, so we were in the room just us for what felt like a long time just getting to know her! Steven was wanting to get his hands on her, but I kept her until after that first hour. 

First glimpses

Lots of dark hair!

This is what total relief looks like! So glad it's over and she's here safe and sound.

It was during this time that we finally finalized her name. We had a short list for a while, and I knew my top pick and Steven knew his. We even talked about it a little while walking during labor, and then again once she was born we told our three picks to the doc and nurses and got their feedback. Once she was actually here, Steven must have felt more lenient toward my pick I guess, so we decided to name our third born Ruby Jane Hough! What a blessing to have a healthy, perfect child. Thank you, God, for our sweet baby girl.

This is the picture Steven texted out to family-it was everyone's first glimpse of Ruby! This face really reminds me of her big sister.

Lots of sweet skin to skin time!

Calm, warm, and sweet!

First feeding-she was a champ from the start.

Thank you, God, for answering our prayers for an easy delivery and a healthy baby. How can you have a baby and not believe in a Creator? It is truly a miracle.