Wednesday was my due date (September 18th). Thursday I started nesting. I knew labor was imminent. Friday I started to feel crappy. If you asked anyone around me, I was also fairly irritable. I took a glorious nap in the afternoon. That night my mom came and watched Tommy so we could go out. Travis and Katie joined us for dinner and we went to La Scala. I tried to find the spiciest thing on the menu (which didn't end up being very spicy) and we got to relax and laugh a LOT. It was great!
That night, I started having contractions in my sleep. It woke me up a few times. My belly would be rock hard. It wasn't bothering me too much. But I had a clue that this might be the real thing even though they were really far apart because nothing I would do would make them go away.
The next morning we got up and had breakfast. I was having contractions 10 minutes apart but they were starting to be super regular and obvious. I texted my mom to be on the ready. Of course, she already was. I told her I was going to take a shower, eat lunch and let her know the status. After my shower, they had gone from 8 minutes to 6 minutes apart. When my mom got there, she didn't have to sit with us too long before they were 4-5 minutes apart and starting to get painful. She said, CALL THE DOCTOR!
I called the doctor and the doctor I'd heard excellent things about was on call. Whoo hoo! She said, "I'm going to trust your judgement. If you think you need to come in, come on in." I told her it would be a good idea. By this time, Cyndi was already on her way down too.
So we headed to the hospital at 4:00 pm. I told Andrew we would probably head to the hospital at the beginning of the Purdue game. I was a half hour off. :)
We checked in and they noted my progress. The doctor said, "Your contractions are right on top of each other so either you're tough or you're not as far along as I think." She checked and I was 6 cm. She said, "Ok you're tough. I can't believe you're still smiling." I was too excited. After all we've been through with this pregnancy, we were finally going to meet our little girl that we had stressed so much about in the beginning. Everyone on the medical staff read through my chart and had lots of questions about the twins and everything we thought we had put behind us. We reassured the staff that Twin B was lost in the end of the first trimester and that we were told that it would have no effect on the birth. They also had questions about Tommy's birth and EVERYTHING else they have to go over with you before you give birth. I had to stop several times throughout the entire process to breath through my contractions.
I had tested positive for Group B Strep so they set me up with antibiotics. I still do not understand why they even tried. One dose takes 4 hours to take effect and they needed to give me two doses before the baby was born. Did they really think that was going to happen? So anyway, they set up my IV and started the antibiotics. Once the full dose went through the IV they said I could be detached from the machines so I could move around a little bit.
I went to the bathroom and started feeling "that feeling" of bearing down possibly. I came out and said to my family, "I think it might be soon" meaning an hour or so.
This was at 6:30 pm. I sat on the edge of the bed just like last time. Mind you, my contractions were very very painful at this point but I could still breath through them okay. All the sudden the most painful contraction so far hit me like a brick wall. It was awful. I knew it was time soon. Little did I know that it would be so soon.
I felt the need to bear down and my mom ran out to get a nurse. Andrew hit the nurse call button. A few people came rushing in and they checked me. I was at 9.5 cm. I was freaking out at this point because the pain was obviously unbearable. The doctor said, "Ok we'll need to break your water soon." All the medical staff left the room.
Of course that's when my water broke. I was laying on the bed covered up with the blankets and it was literally an explosion. My doctor came back in and said Ok I'm going to break your water. I said TOO LATE.
At this point it was definitely time. Tons of people rushed in and out. Time to start pushing.
This was the point that Andrew decided he needed to go to the bathroom. Way to wait until the last minute, Andrew! So he runs in and goes and he comes back out and he can see the baby's head!! He grabs my hand. He barely had time to dry his hands off. GROSS. Haha!
According to Andrew it was 4 pushes and the baby was out. I had Charlotte Lynn at 6:40pm. Ten minutes prior I was thinking I had an hour left. Jeeeeeeeez.
The doctor admitted it was so fast, it did stress her out a little. Heehee. Yeah I can laugh about it now.
So now it's time to meet Miss Charlotte Lynn Thornburg.
Love at first sight.
For both of us.
Just like Tommy, she found her hand very quickly.
Look at all that hair!
First spa treatment: getting her hair washed.
Sweet rosebud lips
Tommy loved pushing the wheel chair around. Such a little super hero.
Meeting his sister up close. He offered up Scout for her. He is going to be the best big brother.
First family shot!
The gowns they had for babies to wear at the hospital were actually really cute. I think Tommy's were just plain white long sleeve tops.
Posing in her cute giraffe covered hospital gown. Awww.
Instagram-worthy! This is her going home outfit. She got stains on it though so we had to put her in a back up outfit.
This was her going home outfit after the stains. Still just as sweet.
Aww sweet baby.
There were hundreds of pictures but these are just some of my favorites. Don't worry, there will be tons more! Stay tuned!
Welcome to the world, Charlotte Lynn. We are so very blessed to have you.
AND it hasnt even been a week and the birth story is up!! You are my hero...cant wait to meet her :)
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