A Baby Story

March 17, 2011...looking back one year ago to Our Baby Story:

Wednesday March 17th - St. Patrick's Day, 2010. Now 3 days past our due date we were scheduled at the hospital at noon to do a 'non-stress test'. They connect you to a monitor that measures the baby's heartbeat and any contractions. Everything checked out fine and we proceeded from there to Starbucks to have a green tea frappuccino in honor of St. Paddy's Day and also to wasted some time before our doctor's appointment. I remember not being able to get comfortable in the chairs and feeling like I had a running cramp in my side.

Non-Stress Test at the Hospital

We then had an appointment to see the doctor. I mentioned the stitch in my side, but she didn't say that it was the start of labour so I thought I was just uncomfortable. Dr. Kolkind did a membrane sweep and attempted to break my water. She mentioned that the baby must have lots of hair because she could feel it through the membrane sack. I was about 4cm dilated. No success breaking our water so we made our way home.

In an attempt to get things started we took Roxy for a walk out in the back field. Doug made me hike straight up a very steep hill and we joked that if this didn't initiate something, nothing will!

That evening with where joined by Norm and Sandra and Roah for dinner. They brought over a very large pepperoni pizz

a from Costco. After dinner we played Candyland with Roah and I remember feeling uncomfortable again. I spoke with Lisa over the phone and I told her I was feeling "funny" and she told Doug that he should get ready 'cause the baby was coming!

Still in denial that this might be the start of labour, we said goodnight to Norm, Sandra and Roah, and we headed to bed thinking that we better try and get some sleep while we can! Doug put on Dirty Dancing to try and distract me. By 9pm the contractions were more defined and coming more regular, so we started to keep track of them. Right away they were coming every 3-5 minutes. There would be no sleeping! By the end of the movie and about 11pm they were coming every 2-3 minutes. We wondered if we should head to the hospital. When I called they said "come if your water breaks, pain is too uncomfortable/unbearable, or there is any bleeding". Hmmm...how do you measure the pain, it was unbearable from the very beginning! Around 11:30pm I went to the washroom, lost my mucus plug, and started shaking uncontrollably. I figured that I wasn't comfortable at home any more so I might as well be uncomfortable at the hospital.

12:30am we were on the road to the hospital. I took this video in the car as we pulled up to the Kelowna General Hospital.

We hit the assessment room and I could tell that this was it! There would be no sending us home. They were surprised to see I was already 7cm dilated. The called our doctor to come down right away and we were quickly taken into a delivery room. The contractions started to become so strong that I was having to tune everyone out to get through them. The doctor arrived maybe 20 minutes later and she stayed with us in the delivery room the whole time.

Soon after our doctor arrive she had the resident doctor break my water. Not long after breaking my water I had the urge to start pushing. The doctor had me try several pushing positions. None of which I liked getting into, but then after I moved into position I was no keen to move again. After a long time of pushing I remember asking "So? What's going on? Can you see the head yet?" I was very disheartened to find out no nothing yet but keep going. Eventually the head did come and I yelled, "well if you can see it, pull it out!" Apparently you have to work for it!! At about 4:05am the doctor said "you're going to have this baby before 5am" and I remember watching the clock and thinking, you better be here before 5am! And sure enough at 4:56am our precious baby was born. Best feeling ever when the baby finally came out fully. They placed the baby on my chest and I was so amazed at how big the baby was and so healthy looking. It took me a minute to then realize..."So is it a girl or boy?!" It was a girl!!

8lbs 1oz 19.5 inches

Unfortunately her head and shoulders were a bit too big and I tore pretty badly. They brought in a specialist to stitch me. It was great to watch Doug watch over her as she had her initial examination. I'm so glad we were all in the same room together. We were able to try breastfeeding right away and she latched on no problem.

After spending some time with her we decided to name her Maëlle June Bryan.

No drugs, 8 hours, and now a year later...I would do it all again no hesitation!

Eh, Oh, Baby Go!

Our friend Kathy, in Calgary, shared this cute story with us. Thought I would share it here on the blog too.

"We were in the car on our way to school when the kids start asking about summer vacation. We talked about the cabins we would be at and that we would see you and Doug and Scott and Christina. So Georgia asks, “do they have any kids?” and I explain that you will be having one any day now and that in a couple of month Christina will have one to.

So as a little encouragement to the babies Georgia pipes up with “eh, oh, baby go” and her and Sam laughed at how clever she is (me too). It is after the cheer pepsi was advertising before the Olympics (the kids were watching a football game at New Year’s and it was on every commercial break). I thought it was very sweet. So there you go Baby Bryan!"

Too cute! Thanks for the Cheer Georgia - we need it :)

Day 1 - Overdue

Visited the doctor again today...and we're now almost 3cm dilated. Seems like things are slowly progressing but no real 'signs' or feelings that real contractions are imminent. She did sweep the membranes in an attempt to get things started. She mentioned that my water could break first or contractions could get started in the next 48 hours. She's hoping I'll go into labour before the weekend so that she can be the one delivering. We'd like that too!

She has order a series of non-stress tests over the next week that take place at the hospital. I should hear from them shortly to set up appointments for these. They'll monitor the heartbeat, regular movement, and any contractions happening to make sure the baby is not under any distress as it continues to stay overdue.

We have another appointment to go back in two days, Wednesday...but perhaps we won't need it!

It was a beautiful day here today - went for a walk on the beach to try and get things going!

Due Date Photo

Here is a Week 40 - Due Date photo

from Sunday March 14th

Happy Due Date Day - Sunday March 14th

Today is our official due date...but no baby yet. Looks like it will be fashionably late! So hard to believe that 40 weeks have past and here we are at our due date expecting baby anytime. It is very rare that babies are born right on their due date - I think like 5% of all births, but those were also the odds we were given to have this baby, so I guess you never know ;)

We're celebrating our due date day by taking it easy and relaxing at home. Yesterday we had a night out with Mike and Ros to see Avatar in 3D followed by a nice yummy dinner at the Cactus Club. Not sure we'll have many evenings like that in our future, not for a little while at least.

We're pretty much set and ready. The nursery is set-up, clothes are washed, diapers ready, hospital bags packed. Just not sure you can ever really be mentally ready for what is ahead. I'm not nervous though, just excited.

Here is a little tour of the baby's room:

Waiting Game

With 4 days till our due date, we are basically playing the waiting game. Wonder when our baby bundle will arrive?

At our doctor's visit yesterday we reiterated that we are happy to wait it out to see what happens on it's own naturally. I'm feeling good and not uncomfortable so we figured no need to rush things with sweeping the membranes. Think Doug wants to get another week of work behind him before he takes a couple weeks for the baby.

Baby is measuring on track and the heartbeat is still nice and strong. I captured a little video to share the sound of the heartbeat with you. It was about 148 I think.

I wasn't sure if the baby was completely engaged in my pelvis because I don't feel like I've read about or had some people describe. I imagined feeling really uncomfortable, that it would be hard to walk, and I would 'feel' the baby sitting low - 'it may feel like the baby is going to fall out, but it won't'! Despite not feeling that way, the doctor says that the baby is engaged and sitting low in my pelvis. She also said I'm 2cm dilated now. She thinks the baby is a healthy size, not too big, not too small. About 7lbs was her prediction.

We have another appointment for next Monday (one day past due) and then she said they would let me go another week before they would induce me. Still hoping for a St. Paddy's Day baby!!

One Week Waterslides!

We celebrated our one week till due date mark with a trip to the H2O water centre in Kelowna, and despite the warning 'not recommended for pregnant women' I just had to try out all three waterslides!

This was our first time checking out the new facility and we had a great time with our niece Roah and nephew Farrell playing in the wave pool, floating in the lazy river, and of course going down the waterslides.

It was a great afternoon, but boy am I wiped out today. Bet the kids slept well too, Farrell must have gone down the kid's pool slide 50 times :)

9...8...7...

It doesn't seem that long ago that I was posting to this blog our countdown of weeks left to go, 9..8..7... and here we are counting down the days instead - I can't believe it!

Today we are 9 sleeps from our due date. I'm feeling great and in no rush, but both Doug and I are getting very excited to meet our little bundle.

No Sweep

I let the doctor know today that I am happy to wait things out for now and let baby come on it's own time. She had thought she might do a membrane sweep which can initiate labour, but I'm feeling fine and happy to actually enjoy some time off to myself before baby. She was fine to hold off - said that most of the time women want her to do anything possible to start things!

Heart beat was 144 and she said I'm still 1cm dilated, but getting close to 2cm.

Very very excited now that we are so close. Wondering if I should follow the doctor's advice and put a garbage bag under the sheets in case my water breaks in the middle of the night!?

2 Weeks till D-Day

Seems really strange to say that we are now 38 weeks. Officially only 2 weeks until our due date...well 1 week and 6 days now! The baby is still pretty active, pushing and moving around lots in the evenings. I can feel that the baby is sitting a little lower, but I don't think it's fully engaged in my pelvis yet. We have another doctor's appointment tomorrow, so we'll get the latest update.

I spent my first day off relaxing, playing with Roxy and doing some laundry. Doug is currently fighting a cold...so loading up on my vitamin C in hopes of not catching it myself.

Attempted my own pregnancy photo shoot in the backyard today using my camera self time - semi successful!