Georgia's Birth Story, Part 2

Last bump picture!! 1:30am. 38 weeks, 4 days

My nurse, Megan, got me settled and hooked up to the monitor to see where my contractions were & how Baby Georgia was tolerating them. It seemed like forever before she checked me. At 2:20am, I was 4cm dilated, still at 75% effaced, and -1 or 0 station. She called my doctor, who wanted me to walk for 1 hour to make more progress. With one earbud in to listen to my labor playlist, we made laps around the unit. Perry kept track of each contraction {he said they were about 1.5 minutes apart at this point} and rubbed my lower back during each one. They were getting so intense! I communicated with him with single words- "harder", "lower", "stop"... He was my wonderful labor coach again!! When a contraction came, I headed toward the wall & stopped, bent my head down, leaned on the IV pole and the railing, and slid my tight grip back & forth on the handrail. After just 30 minutes, I was moaning- and wanted my nurse to check me now! I think I could actually feel myself dilating... I was between 5-6cm at 3:30am.

The next hour was- I'll say it- torture. I had to get a liter bolus of IV fluid before I could get an epidural. My birth plan was to labor naturally for as long as I could while still getting the epidural before my pain reached excruciating as it had in my labor with Gabriel.... but, since it went much faster, that didn't happen! I raised the bed up high so I could stay standing with my upper body leaning over the bed. Perry thought I was going to pass out from the pain. He stood very close to me in case he had to keep me from hitting the floor! My legs were giving out as I hung on to the far edge of the mattress... Not a safe position! I climbed up on the bed on my hands & knees with the head of the bed elevated for me to lean on. With each contraction I would knead the side rail with my left hand and the top of the mattress with my right. I sung mumbled along to my music and/or randomly hummed. My nurse asked Perry, "Is she listening to Britney Spears?" Um no. That made me laugh! It was Francesca Battistelli "This Is The Stuff"! I decided to try a different position on my side with my knee bent up. This was when I squeezed Perry's hand a lot. Hard. Sorry dear! I remember him and my nurse laughing because I deliriously said "Come in!" out of the blue. I thought I heard someone knock on the door. Obviously I was very eager for the anesthesiologist to get there! I cried "I can't do this," and Perry reminded me that I was doing it, and doing great! I was (and always am) so thankful for him.

Finally. The epidural! I wanted the anesthesiologist to hurry through the patient education, risks, etc. I'm a nurse. I know the deal. Just get it in already!! I had pain relief around 4:30am; I didn't have any blood pressure issues like with my epidural with Gabriel. I did get really hot and feel like I might pass out after having my face buried in my nurse's chest for so long. I apologized to her "for being all up on her"- she was so sweet and said it was fine.

My progress slowed... I was 9cm at 5:05am. Dr. Wyckoff came in at 5:50am. I ate a popsicle and both Perry & I got a cat nap. My nurse Megan's shift ended and Elissa took over. At 7:40am, it was time to get things moving again! My doctor broke my water and instructed me to let my nurse know when I felt "a lot of rectal pressure".

Thankfully no Pitocin was needed this time! Just 10 minutes later, it was go time!! My doctor & nurse came right back in and had me do a "practice push". At first I said "I don't remember how to do this". My legs go where? When do I breathe? How many times are we counting? One push and it all came back to me! While my nurse had my attention, I noticed my doctor pulled Perry aside. He later told me she said, "she (me) doesn't know it yet but your baby is right there!" Exciting! Georgia was at a +2 station! My room quickly filled up with people (the Stork Team, my doctor's assistant) and equipment. I made sure a mirror was brought in. Someone informed my doctor that the room next door, also her patient, was ready to push too! Dr. Wyckoff's response was something along the lines of "Not as ready as we are in here!" Unfortunately no one offered to take pictures for us, so we asked the surgical tech if she could (that's who offered during Gabriel's birth, and the physician doesn't need much assistance until after the baby is born, assuming there are no complications). She said she wasn't able to... Perry ended up taking the pictures- I wish he could have been in more of them.

We didn't write down the time when I started pushing, but my doctor said "it was only a couple contractions"! I'd guess ~5-6. It couldn't have been more than 10-15 minutes!! Perry stood on my left to support me, and to hold my leg! The nurse helped with my right leg which was completely numb. I was amazed at how quickly Georgia came! Pushing was much different- and dare I say easy- this delivery!! For those who didn't read Gabriel's birth story, I tried to get him into the world for 2 1/2 hours.

Georgia Jane Whitaker was born at 8:11am... the exact same time that her big brother was born!!!!! What are the chances of that??!! There are 1440 minutes in a day!! I couldn't believe it when the nurse called out the time of birth!!!

{When I saw it was getting close to 8:00am, I asked "Do you think I can make it by 8:11? That's when our son was born." I was mostly joking. Until I saw how much she moved down with each push! I remember glancing over at the clock at 8:10am and saying "It's almost 8:11! But 8:12 would be cool, too." My nurse informed me they have to go by the time on the monitor, not the wall clock, then another contraction came... so I gave it ALL I had!! There was her head... with lots of dark hair just like her brother! And her pretty squished up face!! There she was!!!! I did it!!!! God is so good.}

Our little baby girl came out with a good, strong cry! She was immediately placed on my chest. Her APGAR scores were 9 and 9! Perry cut her umbilical cord and she stayed with me for a while before the nurses took her to the warmer, weighed her, etc.

Excited Daddy couldn't wait to hold his baby girl!!

All the similarities between Georgia and Gabriel's births:

*~2cm dilated and ~75% effaced (at 39 week doctors appt with Gabe, 38 weeks with Georgia) and labor started 2 days later but baby was born on the 3rd day!

*Born in the same room!!!

*Born at EXACTLY the same time!!!!!!

*Gabe's birth date is the 13th (1-3 for the 1st child) and Georgia's is the 23rd (2-3 for the 2nd child)!!!

*Both born on a Friday

*Weighed exactly 1 pound different (Gabriel 7lbs, 14oz vs. Georgia 6lbs, 14oz)

*Same length

So proud! We called Gabriel to tell him the news- we missed him so much!

We couldn't be happier with our beautiful baby girl!!! We have been blessed!