Well tomorrow is my due date! I can't believe that Quinn should still be in my tummy! I knew she would be early but I never expected 3 weeks early. It already seems like she has been in our family FOREVER ;) We love our loud, short sleeping Quinn! I can't wait though till she sleeps longer than 2-3 hrs at a time. I'm pooped!
Here is the story of Quinn's birth (without any graphic details):
This pregnancy I started having braxton hicks contractions at 27 weeks. They occured almost 10 times a day and would happen if I lifted anything, bent over, walked anywhere or ran errands. These contractions increased in quantity and severity over the remaining 10 weeks of my pregnancy so I was pretty certain that this couldn't occur so regularly and so strongly without it resulting in an early delivery. I'm sure glad it did. No one enjoys those last weeks of being pregnant.
2 days before Quinn was born I was having regular contractions every 8-12 min in the morning and then they would become irregular in the afternoon. We had our annual May Long Weekend BBQ planned for the next day so I was contemplating whether to cancel it or not. We decided to go ahead with it as nothing happened over night on Friday. Saturday was busy preparing for the BBQ and like the day before my contractions were regular but didn't seem to get any closer together.... until the BBQ. I wasn't timing them at this point but they were probably 5-8 minutes apart. I still didn't think at this point that it was really happening. The BBQ was a hit and a great distraction from what was really occuring. I laid down after everyone left (while my wonderful family did all the clean up) and the contractions continued to get closer and stronger. By 11 pm I figured I should call my doula to come by and we went for a walk. Everything slowed down during the walk so I figured it was a false alarm and sent the doula home to sleep.
*during all of this Ian and I agreed that if it was really happening tonight that he needed to sleep so that he had the energy to support me through a night of labour (I sure wish I could have slept). He got in a good 4 hrs before I woke him up.
The doula suggested I take a bath. If it is real labour it will pick it up quickly... and if it isn't the contractions should stop. Well as soon as I got out the contractions were 4 min apart and super intense. We left right away for the hospital at 1 am and called our doula to meet us there. When we got to the hospital I was only 2 cm BOOOO! All you Mom's know what terrible news that is! I decided I wasn't going to lay in bed suffering (as this is the most painful position EVER) so we got up and moved around to speed things along. Of course this was not okay with the old, CRANKY nurse I had.
Why do I always get the mean ones? She had to get over it though. I wasn't going to suffer like I did last time because I didn't know that I could help labour along rather than lay there and just endure it.
Thank you doula Jenna for fighting the nurse with me! The contractions were 2 min (or less) apart and super strong. I was so tired as it was already 2 am and I didn't think I would get through it. This time I wanted to go drug free. I delievered Hailey without an epidural but had morphine and laughing gas. The drugs made me all loopy and I really didn't remember much about her birth. I wanted to try without anything this time so that I could remember it. NEVER AGAIN! I am so proud of myself for doing it but I remember EVERYTHING and it is TERRIBLE. The contractions are the worst part. Pushing the baby out is easier as you know the end is near.
Within 2 hrs I was 5-6 cm and they moved me to the delivery room in case things progressed very quickly. It took about another hr to get to 10 cm and then it was pushing time. It took less than 15 min to get her out. She didn't cry much but had great apgar scores and the nurses said she didn't seem like an early baby. So maybe the dates were just wrong.
Ian was AMAZING! He was so supportive and did anything I asked/told him too :) That nap he had before ended up being a huge blessing for me as he was 100% there for me. He didn't get faint this time and was right by my side the whole time. I don't think he even left to go to the bathroom once :) I was so grateful to have him there.
My doula, Jenna Noble was a huge asset. We weren't sure about having one but it ended up being a huge blessing. She gave us both confidence and encouragement. Though I did want to strangle her if she said one more time "your almost done"!
It was crazy at the hospital, 7 babies were born that night. Turns out it was a full moon. Hailey was born on a new moon and it was also crazy busy. What is with that? And why do my babies like to torture me with labour all night long? Next time I want to have a full night sleep before I have a baby.
Our little girl was here, and nameless for the time being! Weighing in at 6 lbs 9 oz and measuring 21 inches long. We spent the morning discussing names and decided on Quinn Emma. Hailey came by later that day to meet her sister. She was semi-excited but mostly wanted to run around the hospital. I am so grateful my parents had come out that weekend to help us with house projects. It was perfect and they were a great help with Hailey.
It has been 2.5 weeks now and we are starting to get used to having a baby around. I sleep very little and have very little patience for my whiney toddler but we are managing. I love my girls to bits and am looking forward to the coming weeks/months of sunshine, seeing my sister, attending my brother's wedding and hopefully... sleeping more :)
a new blog banner and title are coming as soon as we get some family pictures
