So here we go: Bunkered down with Baby, Boppy, and swaddling blanket (and laptop, cell phone, remote, and multiple bottles of water within arms reach), the story of the day our sweet Daisy was born, and our lives began.
Impatient would best describe what I was feeling the days (okay, weeks) just before Daisy was born. Even though I went into labor in the early morning hours the day after her due date (but we'll get that that part in a bit), I was ready. What with already being on maternity leave for weeks and my doctor, family, friends, and co-workers all predicting that she'd be arriving early, I was ready. Ready, I say. So much so, that when strangers would stop and ask when I was due, I'd say "two weeks ago".
Which is why, at my last appointment (on my due date), before my unsuspecting doctor even managed to fully open the door and ask how I was feeling, I barked "Get this baby out of me already!".
My feelings thus made clear, she proceeded to (*TMI alert *) "strip [my] membranes," in hopes that this would somehow "trick" my body into thinking my water had broken, thereby releasing some much-needed hormones in response that would then jumpstart my contractions. The real kind. Not those of the irritatingly-teasing Braxton-Hicks variety.
By the time I returned home late that afternoon, the Braxton-Hicks had started up again, but this time I noticed, continued well into the night . By 2:00 A.M. they were just a tad more uncomfortable than the 'false' contractions I'd been feeling up to that point. By 4:00 they started to hurt a bit. By 4:15, Mr. K and I were on the way to the hospital, bags, car seat, and hopes in tow.
By the time the on-call doctor arrived around 5:30 A.M., I was in a world of hurt. However, as I somehow conceal the pain tolerance of a line-backer within a rather 'wimpy'-looking body, the doctor diagnosed my labor as "false," since I didn't appear to be in too much pain. Before sending me home though, I was given a shot of morphine which he claimed would "keep me comfortable" for the next 6 hours or so, until my (real) labor progressed. The morphine did absolutely nothing to alleviate the pain. And I never made it home. Instead, within the next 15 minutes, my water had broken.
By 8:00 A.M. I was admitted to the delivery room.
Now if any of you out there are even the least bit squeamish about having an epidural, don't be. I've had mosquito bites that 'hurt' worse. And afterwards, pain-free bliss. But still no baby.
By about 1:00 P.M. re-inforcements in the form of Nanny Phi (my mom) had arrived, but still no baby.
Wouldn't you know that little 'stinker' still kept me waiting? ; )
It wasn't until 7:00 that evening, in fact, when the doctor informed me that although I was (*TMI alert*) just 1 cm from being fully dilated, he did not think I would progress further, (and here's where I feel bad about calling her a 'stinker') but feared the baby's cord might be wrapped around her neck, thus blocking and preventing a natural delivery. By 7:15 he ordered a C-section, and by 7:45 P.M. on November 19th, 2011, our Daisy-Dot had arrived! Finally!
Sure enough, the cord had been wrapped around her little neck, but once the doctors were able to get to her via C-section, it was off and our perfectly perfect, healthy, beautiful, 7 lb, 12 oz, 19 inch-long baby girl was out!
Prior to her delivery, the doctor had asked how big I thought Daisy would be. Judging by the looks of me, his guess was 6 lbs, but mine was 7 1/2.
While still on the operating table, I made sure to remind him of this. And the fact that I had been in labor, when he'd proclaimed it "false". The score, I said, was "2 for 2" : )
When the nursed brought her around for me to see, I could immediately tell she looked just like Daddy.
With a full head of glossy, dark-brown hair, hazel-green eyes, and an olive complexion, she is striking.
Her daddy's first words when seeing her in the operating room: "Oh my gosh, she's BEAUTIFUL!"
And she is. In so many ways. Already our lives are so much sweeter because of her.
Happy one-week birthday, Daisy-Dot! We love you more than we ever thought possible,
Mommy and Daddy
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