Here's her story:
On Sunday the 27th, Nick and I headed off to the hospital so that I could be induced. Dr. Dimmette wanted to induce me at 39 weeks because of the gestational diabetes, and my induction was scheduled for 10/27 at 6 PM so they could put me on a pitocin drip overnight and deliver my baby girl the next day. Nick's aunt Jill works at the hospital as a nursery nurse, and told everybody we were coming, so when we got to the hospital Sunday night, I felt like a VIP. The admitting clerk already had my paperwork ready to go for me and just sent me straight up to labor and delivery and said she would bring it to me to sign, and when we got up to labor and delivery, there was a nurse waiting there to take us to our room. We got situated and the nurse charted my information, set my IV up, and started the pitocin. Nick and I settled in for the night, or rather he settled in for the night and I made myself as comfortable as possible. I was hooked up to the NST, an IV, and a blood pressure cuff that squeezed my arm every so often and would wake me up. Add to that the fact that they tested my blood sugar every couple of hours and I didn't exactly get much sleep. That night, they had my dose of pitocin so low that I was having contractions but couldn't feel them. We could just see them on the monitor.
The next morning they finally started pumping up my dose of pitocin and I was slowly but surely starting to feel some mild contractions, but I was only dilated to a 3. At about 11:30, Dr. Dimmette came in to check on me and broke my water. That's when things started moving. Let me just say that having the doctor break my water was definitely the most bizarre sensation. There was the initial gush, and then every time I had a contraction it felt like I was wetting myself. So strange and gross. After they broke my water, the contractions quickly started to get stronger and much more intense. It wasn't long before Nick was having to help me breathe through the contractions. He would hold my hand and when I had to lay back and focus on breathing through the pain, he would watch the monitor and coach me through, telling me when the contraction had peaked and when it was almost over. He really amazed me through the whole experience because neither of us had taken an sort of birthing classes or done any sort of research on birthing techniques. I was so impressed with how he helped me through it all and I couldn't have done it without him. About 2 - 2.5 hours after they broke my water I decided to get the epidural. I went into the hospital knowing that I wanted an epidural. I wanted to be able to enjoy the experience. I didn't want to be in so much pain that I couldn't focus on the miracle of what was happening.
Not long after I had the epidural put in, they had me lay in this crazy position on the bed to help speed up my progression, and within a couple of hours I had dilated from a 4 to a 7. Then they flipped me and had me lay the opposite way and before long Dr. Dimmette was back to check my progression, and I was complete! They quickly got me in position for delivery, and Dr. Dimmette had me do one push to see if she needed to wait until the nurses were in the room or if she could have me start pushing while we waited. She told me when to start and almost immediately stopped me and called for the nurses to come. Apparently I am a very good pusher. The nurses all came, my mom, mother-in-law, and Nick got into position, and I started pushing for real. Three pushes later, at 6:46 PM, I heard my sweet girl's little cries. It was incredible. Dr. Dimmette pulled her out and they put her straight onto my lap.
In that moment I thought my heart was going to explode. I could literally feel my heart expanding so much I thought my rib cage would break open. It was the most amazing thing - they put her on my lap and she just lay there, totally awake and alert and calm. She only cried those first few cries right when she came out, and after that she was just mellow as can be. Then they took her to weigh her and clean her up a little bit before we did the skin to skin time. It was really special because Aunt Jill got to be the nurse who did all of that. Claire was 6 lbs, 9 oz, and 20 inches long. Dr. Dimmette was stitching me up (I started to tear, so she cut me to direct the tear), and I looked up to see Nick standing by the scale, holding our sweet girl just staring at her, and I thought my heart would explode again. The look on his face as he stared at her and the tears in his eyes made me want to freeze that moment in time forever. I have never loved my husband as much as I did in that instant, and every time I see him with Claire I just love him even more.
After they put her on my chest to do skin to skin, all of my family came in to meet Claire (who we still did not have a name for at that point). Everyone fell under her spell the moment they met her. She was so tiny and perfect. The one thing that everyone kept saying was how much she looked like my brother, Zack - and she did! The resemblance was uncanny. After everyone left, we got transferred to our postpartum room, and for the first time, it was just the three of us. Our perfect little family. The love and spirit in the room was almost tangible. We finally had a second to discuss little missy's name and both decided that Claire was the right name for her. Claire Patricia. Our little angel. Our sweet baby girl was finally here and in our arms. After Nick fell asleep, I just lay there staring at her. I couldn't believe that she was mine. I should have been sleeping, but I couldn't stop staring at her - our perfect little miracle straight from Heaven. She was, and is, the single most beautiful, most amazing, most incredible gift I have ever received.
I never knew that I was capable of love like that. The love I felt for her while she was growing inside me was nothing compared to the love I felt looking down at her sleeping in my arms. Knowing that she is mine forever in awe-inspiring - that the Lord would trust me to raise one of His prized daughters is both humbling and intimidating. I want to give her everything and I know Nick feels the same. Being a mother is everything I have always wanted in life. I finally feel like I am doing what I was put on this earth to do.
Here is the birth story done by my wonderful friend Shillawna Ruffner. I know I have gushed about her before, so I will just say that I could not possible love these photos more. I cry every single time I look at them. I loved her post so much that I just stole it straight off her blog. Here is what she said and the photos to go along with it.
" I have had the pleasure of welcoming two little ones of my own into this world and those two moments have definitely been the most spiritual of my life. I have never felt closer to Heaven and angels than when I met my children for the first time. Having the opportunity to continue to witness the miracle of birth through the lens of my camera has a special place in my heart and I am so grateful to the women who have allowed me to do this. I know that it's to their benefit to have me there, concentrating on "getting the shot" so that they and their spouse can be in the moment, but I honestly feel like I am the one who is given a gift every time I get to be a part of their birth experience. The thought that runs through my head as I am rushing out the door to the hospital is that I am about to walk with angels again. I hope that the photos I capture help to preserve the amazing experience of meeting their children for the first time because it really is an experience like no other! Without further adieu, I present to you baby Claire's birth story..."
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