On the previous Wednesday, June 11, we had our weekly appointment with our OB only to find out that we were just about the same status as we were before during the past
two weeks... that is 1 cm dilated and 80% effaced. This time, the doctor said that the cervix looked pretty good and more thinned out; she had actually said a lower number for the percent effaced during the last appointment, so I guess it depends on positioning and is a bit subjective. Anyhow, we were disappointed a bit, thinking we may make it to the weekend once again without a baby, and we were really hoping not to be induced even though we made an appointment just in case the pregnancy went longer. That evening, I went to bed at 1AM but beforehand noticed some blood when I went to the restroom, so we called our OB's office whose answering service forwarded us to the labor and delivery. We spoke to a nurse who wanted us to call them back and let them know if it was still there the next time I went to the restroom. So, off to bed we went. Later in the evening, I noticed it hadn't gone away and called to let the labor nurse know, but it was essentially dismissed as being normal, so we were going to call the doctor's office in the morning since the last time she had me come in just to make sure everything was okay with me and the baby. At about 2AM or 2:30AM, I started to feel bits of pains when the baby moved. Junior was still sleeping, and I told him I was hurting a bit with the movements of the baby and at first, he was going to go back to bed, thinking it's just the baby moving. Well, of course I got a bit upset and asked if he should be keeping record of every time I felt it. He then became more awake and realized that it couldn't be just the baby moving since that didn't cause me pains before. We tried to rest some, knowing that we were calling the doctor's office the first thing in the morning, and I let Junior know every time I felt something.
In the morning, Dr. Dydell had us come in, saying that we can come in at any time, and they would work us in. She had expected us to actually be in the office shortly after we called or sometime that morning. However, I decided to stay home a bit longer knowing that if it was indeed labor, they won't admit you into the hospital until you are far enough along. I busied myself with trying to finish up a photo book I was working on and continued to tell Junior every time I felt something.
The contractions were getting closer together as the time went by, and my lower back started to hurt, so Junior would massage my back when I felt a contraction. Finally, we headed for the hospital shortly after lunch around 1PM. On the way to the hospital, Junior was saying that we may be leaving the house and coming back with a baby, but neither of us were definite. Along with Lola (grandma, my mom in law), I got out of the car first, walked, and took the elevator to our OB's office as Junior parked the car... I continued to have the contractions and was in a bit of pain at one point in the waiting room, standing up and trying to figure out what to do, with Junior trying to help me. I think the other two people in the waiting room looked at us. Shortly after, Dr. Dydell checked me out and said "You're going to Labor & Delivery"... wow, so it has started... and we really were going to stay at the hospital. Dr. Dydell quickly wrote out the orders and had everything ready for us. She asked if I needed a wheelchair, and at first, I said it was okay, thinking I can make it downstairs since I walked to the office. In the hallway, I had a bad contraction, and thought okay, maybe not. Dr. Dydell had just gone out to the hallway and saw and quickly tracked down a person with a wheelchair who wheeled me to our room. The labor nurses noted my info from the doctor and mentioned that I was at 7cm; I arrived at the hospital 6-7 cm dilated. In my opinion, active labor was one of the hardest part of the whole labor since contractions are most intense then. We had decided beforehand that we wanted to try for non-medicated/natural birth, but that a bathtub soak may help somewhat. But because the jets in their tubs retain some of the antiseptic cleaner, they normally fill the tub, drain it, and fill it up again. By the time it was ready, it was too late for me to use it. I was in the pushing phase for more than two hours and just wanted her out; we all thought she would come out fast since she was already so low, but that was not the case. Dr. Dydell was the doctor until 5PM and then Dr. Whitman was on-call after that, so there was a shift and doctor change. Towards the end, the medical team was concerned since the baby's heart rate would drop every time I pushed, so Dr. Whitman had to come in and intervene. They assisted in guiding the baby with a vacuum while I pushed (the doctor said they
wouldn't be pulling the baby so I still had to do the work and push through the most painful part... it was either that or caesarean). Finally, when I felt like I couldn't push anymore, our little bundle of joy arrived. The doctor had to perform a episiotomy as well. Apparently, what made it more difficult was that our Sweetpea insisted on coming out with one of her arms/hands next to her head, so it wasn't just the head I was pushing out. She was delivered with her hand next to her head. In the days ahead, we noticed that she really loves her hands. Though we've had little sleep at times, we are enjoying our little blessing. We love seeing her lovely smile and spending time with her when her eyes are wide open and curiously looking around.
During the first few days after birth, we found out Sweetpea lost 10% of her weight when they weighed her during our postpartum visit on Monday. We were told that this was normal for breastfed babies, and once they reach their lowest point, they start gaining weight at a rate of 0.5 to 1 oz per day... typically, getting back to their birth weight after 14 days. At first, we were a concerned and was told to supplement by tube feeding 0.5oz of formula or pumped breastmilk after each feeding. Thankfully, we only needed to do this for that day since she had done really well in terms of not losing any more weight and gaining some back when they checked her weight again in the second postpartum visit the following day. 
wasn't as bad as we expected from watching her friend Lia's footage on their blog. I fed Sweetpea first to calm her down, so she was asleep in my arms. I was holding her upright when they pricked her foot. Of course, she started crying a few seconds after but eventually calmed down and continued sleeping as they continued to fill in the circles. We've taken a picture of her little bandaged boo boo. Overall, the checkup went pretty well, and we are optimistic about her future visits with her doctor.
