Hayward, Party of FIVE! - Paige's Birth Story

Since my third trimester started I was having Braxton-Hicks contractions and cramping daily. At one point around 32 weeks, I thought I was going into premature labor because of how often they were happening. I thought there was no way I was going to make it to 40 weeks. And I technically didn't but I didn't think I would go as long as I did, I had Paige at 39 weeks and 5 days. We were just grateful she didn't come during either of Dan's big anatomy exams.

Even though this was my third time giving birth, I was still kind of dreading it. It's nice to know what to expect but I also dread it because I know what's coming ha. But I was still determined to do it naturally.
I started having contractions about 10-15 minutes apart on Monday night, October 21, for a couple hours (from about 9:30 PM-1:00 AM), but they stopped so I went to bed and when I woke up around 4:30 AM I was having them around 5-6 minutes. After a half-hour, I was having them about every 3 minutes. They weren't super intense but since they were so close together I woke up Dan and we were at the hospital around 5:30. The Doctor told me I was at a 6-7 and so after we were done with the admittance process we moved into our room where I would be doing the rest of my laboring and delivery. We discussed my birth plan and I was really impressed with the nurses and how they went through things with me and then honored them throughout my labor and delivery.
I got checked again at 8:00 and was at an 8 so we decided to let me labor a couple more hours before deciding whether or not to break my water. My water didn't break on its own with my other two so I figured we would just do that again with this one. I was super tired from not getting much sleep so I really worked on the hypnobirthing aspect during this labor and was able to almost sleep through some contractions. It was a fairly nice labor until we broke my water. They checked me again at 10:00 I was still at an 8 so that's when the doctor broke it... and the fun began.
My contractions got a lot more intense. I told Dan that that is when I wanted to give up because it became a lot harder to breathe through the intensity. I wanted to crawl out of my skin during the last of my contractions. I asked if I could give up and he just flat out said no. I love him for that. My nurse was also super supportive and helpful once things got intense. (I truly love labor and delivery nurses, I always seem to have amazing ones.) Thankfully I only had about 5 contractions after breaking my water and Paige was here.
My sweet nurse had to use the bathroom and so she stepped out and of course when she did that is when I could feel Paige moving down. That was some INTENSE pressure. I looked at Dan and told him that the baby was coming and was thinking he was going to have to glove up and catch her if someone didn't get in there quick. We paged the nurse's station and I told them this baby was coming out and then a plethora of people came flooding in and out she came at 10:27 AM. Oh the relief that pours over me once that baby is on my chest, it's an amazing feeling. I am so grateful Paige is here healthy. What a miracle and blessing she is! Dan and I both wanted him to catch Paige but I needed his hand and his focus on helping me. I am so grateful he was there and that my Mom was at home with our girls.

I did skin-to-skin with Paige while they stitched me up. I had another second-degree tear, which wasn't too surprising after I learned how much she weighed and that she came out so quickly. It was nice to hold her to distract me a little from the unpleasantness of being stitched up. That took about a half-hour, I got cleaned up, and then I fed her. She did a really good job of eating. After that, they got her weight, 9 pounds 3 ounces (to say I was shocked was an understatement ha), length, 20.5 inches, and head circumference, 14.25 inches. Everything is bigger in Texas.

We got moved up to the second floor where I stayed for the rest of my time in the hospital. Hayley, Evelyn, and my Mom came to visit in the afternoon. The girls already love their new sister so much. It made my heart swell to see them meet each other. I can't believe I am the Mom of three beautiful girls. I got to bathe Paige after they left, and then we had some awesome visitors, Wendy & Chris, who brought me some cookies. Dan stayed with me until the evening, then he left to go play flag football and get a nice night's rest at home.

I got to go home the next day in the afternoon. It was nice to only be in the hospital for one day, especially because UMC doesn't have a nursery (they call themselves a baby-friendly hospital or something like that). With our other two, I had them stay in the nursery at night so I could get some sort of decent sleep after giving birth and before going home where I wouldn't have that option. And after experiencing what it was like to not have that I am glad I did it back then because between nurses and doctors checking on both Paige and me, and her having some reflux, I think I got maybe two hours of sleep that night. Being home with my family, and having my Mom there, was extremely wonderful.

Going home!

A big thanks to Acute Moments Photography for our Fresh 48 photos!