Layla's birth story

The quick facts:
December 2019, 7:12 pm
8lb 3 oz
20.25 inches long
8 hrs active labor
Vaginal delivery at the hospital
Epidural

I woke up Monday morning and it was just another day. My blood pressure had been high and I was having weekly visits to monitor it and make sure that I was still healthy and the baby wasn't struggling. I went to work and had a doctor's appointment at 10. 

I drove about 30 minutes from work to my appointment. Now at this point, my legs were pretty swollen, but I wasn't in pain or having ANY contractions. I felt tired and over being pregnant but nothing out of the ordinary. I was chasing around a 15 month old, so it was all the norm this time around. I was almost 37 weeks!

Anyway, at the doctor, they took my blood pressure and it was pretty high. I actually can't remember the bottom but it was 158/_. They wanted to do a cervical check and so I stripped from the waist down and waited on the doctor. Yet again, it wasn't my doctor! It was a different one from the practice. She checked and said I was in labor and about 3-4 centimeters dilated. She said she was calling over to labor and delivery and to go over. 

So again, I drove myself over, texted to my husband and mom (since she'd have to pick up my son from school and deal with him that night). I got checked into the hospital super quickly and they said they were ready to put me into a room, hook me up, and have this baby. 

I thought I'd be CRAZY nervous but I really wasn't. I was more worried about my son being away from me for the night than being in labor and having to push this little girl out. My husband is a UPS driver so I was worried he wasn't going to make it. It was now about 11:30, I was settled and just waiting on my husband to show up. Around 1 pm, he got in!

The nurses were great, the labor was moving quickly, and I knew if I didn't get the epidural quick, I might not have time to get it. My labor was SO long with Lincoln and I didn't want to miss my chance. The epidural was a game changer for me. 

I got it quickly. The doctor then broke my water again. After that I felt very few contractions, they were painful but super quick. It was NOTHING like my labor with Lincoln where I had to brace myself. It just came and went. 

After my water broke, the doctor said to give it an hour and she'd come back. It ended up taking FOREVER. It was 6 something when she showed up and checked. She said I was ready to start pushing and so she went back out and got all of the things. Nurses started to come in and get the baby station with the bed and warmer all ready. 

This was the worst part for Lincoln so I was now starting to get nervous. I hated the pushing because it felt like it was never going to end. The doctor, I repeat not my doctor again, came in and checked me. 

She said, "okay, let's do a practice push." I pushed and immediately, she threw her hand up and said "no, wait wait wait. The baby's right here." She gathered something else, I waited a second. I was holding that baby in so hard. Finally, I said I felt like I had to push. She said do it. Boom. Baby appeared. 

​And that's how she tumbled into the world, easily, happily, but quickly and crazily.