Labor and Delivery the entire story.

NOTE: This is the whole lengthy story, so the beginning is stuff I have already blogged, but I wanted it all in one post from start to finish. There is plenty of details and it wont be gross at all, but there are plenty of details, so beware.

As posted before my water broke around 8:30 the morning of July 15 while I was in the shower. When I got out Kenya and Grandma had gone outside to play and so the first thing I did was call Robert and tell him that my water had broken. I had a doctors appointment for 10:00 so I just got ready and headed to the Dr office. It took a little longer getting ready than planned because I had to make sure that I was not leaking all over the house when I was getting ready. I asked my mom what I should do until I got to the office because I was still leaking water and her first suggestion was to put a towel there to catch everything, which is what I had done and already soaked through 2 hand towels. Then as we were leaving she suggested a diaper. Yep, you got it I got a diaper and laid it in my underwear. It worked great!! Then off to the doctor we went. As we were just a ways down the road from my house I had to turn around because This was left outside. Knowing that this was probably my water that broke I did not want to leave her outside all day in the heat and possibly all night and the next day because I was thinking we would not be coming back to Rexburg, I turned around to go find her and put her in the house. Robert left from work and met us all at the doctors for our appointment.
My doctors appointment went well and sure enough confirmed that my water had broken. The doctor had a kit he was going to collect some of the fluid to test and see if it was my water and as he began to check it gushed out. Knowing there was nothing I could do I just apologized and he said, "Yep, that is the water." The nurse Karen asked if he wanted to have slide made to check and he said no. So, the doctor called the hospital and told them I would be coming in. He relayed the message to me that they already have 5 women in labor and that it might be a few hours before they start me on Pitocin. I asked about going to get lunch because I knew from experience with Kenya that when on Pitocin you can only have clear liquids. So as shown before we went to Pizza Pie Cafe. Then we ran to Wal-Mart and stopped by a friends house to talk to them about possibly staying the night, or at least Kenya and Grandma.
I checked into the hospital at about 1:00pm. It took them a little while to get me hooked up to the IV and get going on Pitocin. Toni who was doing my IV had a really hard time getting it into the vein on the back of my left hand. It didn't hurt much then, but she really dug around and then the vein shriveled up and she had to do it a different one anyway. She got one on the outside part of my wrist on my right hand (about the worse spot to put one, I think). I had a hard time bending my wrist and such and it was my right hand too. The back on my left had still has a HUGE bruise and is more sore now than any other day. She got me good! I think it was probably after 2:00pm when they started the medicine. So, then it was just waiting. The monitor began to show contractions, but I really didn't feel anything. Kenya and Robert went to our friends house at about 5:00pm so I could get some rest and Kenya could play with friends and get out of the hospital. Grandma was amazing and had taken her on some walks through the hospital to keep her entertained as well. It was about the same time Robert and Kenya left that I began to feel the contractions and was able to recognize them when they were coming. So, needless to say the rest I was wanting I was not really getting. I was able to get up and walk around with a portable monitor and I think that really might have hurried to contractions along.
Just after 6:00pm I was feeling the steady contractions and Robert and Kenya were going to be coming back for dinner. I decided to get the epidural because I didn't want Kenya to be there when I got it and I did not want her to see me go through the contractions. I think it might have scared her because she is sensitive to when other people get hurt. It breaks her heart to see other get hurt. Kenya and Robert got back just after 6pm and then Grandma took Kenya down to the cafeteria to get some dinner. The anesthesiologist came at about 6:30pm and we went through all the legal garbage and risks. Then away she went. Well, the first time she tried she hit a blood vessel and so she had to take it out and try again. (Of course we all know that I was having contractions through this whole process.) It took her nearly 30 minutes to get it done. At the end of it all she explained that she is the 2nd in line on the the on call list and that the man who usually does them was in a different case. Well, that makes sense now! Everything went fine though and it worked great! (Yep, I am going to do it again with the next.)
So, here we are at about 7:00 and I asked the nurse to check me. She finished up a few things and then did. I was dilated to a 6. When I asked her when she would check me again she said about 2 hours. I was fine with that I did not know how long it was going to take to dilate or how fast I would go. So, then around 8:00pm Kenya and Grandma went to go to bed. Grandma said that if it was after 10 or 11 not to call when the baby came. So, Robert ate dinner in the hospital room with me and I just waited in bed until time to be checked. Well, the nurse came in just before 9:00pm and said that Dr Hopkin had called and asked that I be checked because he was getting ready to leave town. The nurse checked and in a matter of just starting to check she said, "Your complete." Then she went and called the Dr and came back to tell me that he would be there in 10 minutes. I called Grandma and she said that they were just starting to get to get into bed and so she came back up. So, now in the room was Grandma, Kenya, 2 nurses, Robert, me and Pascal via Skype. Robert had been chatting with him for a while and so he just stayed on the computer. He lives and was in Shenzhen, China. I am not really sure what all he saw or what angle he got of the whole thing, but he was there. He like most others was just SUPER curious about the gender of then Baby Inside.
So, he goes the delivery. (With Kenya I got a slight tightening in my lower back with each contraction and so I knew when to push.) As soon as the doctor was there and ready I pushed on the next contraction. I did 4 pushed with that contraction. They said there was black hair. The next contraction 1 push and than another. With that second push a hand and the head. The third push, a baby! 9:20 pm IT A GIRL! She screamed and I smiled! (Kenya did not scream. In fact I did not hear her make an noise until later in the NICU.) I was able to hold her right away and love her. Then the placenta delivery actually took longer than the baby. No tearing, woo hoo!! Then the clean up of course. 9:35ish, the doctor left. What a job he was there for less than 30 minutes. I bet he is thankful for the quick easy delivery as well. He mentioned at his office that he does his best work before dark and it was twilight when Jasmin was born. What a great team we all make! I nursed her right away and it only took one try for her to latch on. She has been a great/strong nurser ever since.
Kenya was in the room the entire time. She did not have a direct view of what was going on, but she did see everything. She just sat on a chair and excitedly waited for Baby Inside to become Baby Outside. I was worried about having her in there at first, but she handled it so well as they were prepping that I told her as long as she stayed on the chair she was able to stay in the room, but if she wanted to her and Grandma could leave and wait outside. She did ask a few times what was going on and we would just tell her. When the baby came out she came right over to see. She was able to see all the aftermath and just asked me things like, "Mom, you got blood on your "bingo"?" (This is the word she uses for vagina.) I would just tell her that I was okay, but yes I do. I would tell her that it was just part of having the baby come out. Crazy thing is I am fairly sure she understood and felt comfortable with it. She went over when they were cleaning the baby and watched her get weight and cleaned. All, she kept saying was "I want hold her! Please, may I hold her!" It was instant love from Kenya! This was a very sweet part of the experience that I never would have wanted to have, but it was amazing!! I am so glad Kenya was there and I think it made it a little more special for all of us!
The baby never left our room or sight really and that was great! Kenya and Grandma left just after 10:00pm to go to bed. That girl was tired! So, we were getting ready to move rooms and it had been about an hour and a half (11:15pm). The nurse said that I could shower if I could stand and support myself. Well, my left leg buckled ever time I tried to stand on it. It was the weirdest feeling trying to move it and stand on it and then all of the sudden it would buckle. So, I was wheeled to the "mom and baby" unit for recovery. Baby Outside nursed great through the night and slept with mommy most of the night. She had her first BM at about 4:00am.
The next morning at about 8:00am Kenya and Grandma came back. Kenya shared breakfast with me and then Robert Grandma and Kenya went down to get there own breakfast. After everyone ate breakfast everyone left Baby Outside and me to get my sister Amy from the airport. While they were gone Dr Hopkin came and check on us and gave us the go ahead to leave at dinner time.
Everyone got back to the hospital at 1:00pm. Around 2:00pm our friends the Hunts came to see the new baby. Amy and Grandma left at about 5:00pm to go home and get a little rest or whatever and we stayed for our dinner and to try and name this baby. It took us 2 and half hours to finally give into the name Jasmin Elena Draper. We left the hospital at 7:30pm and drove our new family home!
It was wonderful!