Little Sophie's Birth Story

Sophie's due date was January 8th. On Wednesday, January 6th I had a doctors appointment. I was dilated to a 2. He said that on Friday, my due date, if I was dilated to a 3, he would induce me. And if I wasn't, he was sure I would have her by the weekend. He wanted to induce me because he was worried about preeclampsia. I had high blood pressure during my pregnancy and sometimes protein in my urine. I called my mom and she got a plane ticket for Thursday night. However, he flight was delayed in Chicago and she didn't end up getting here until Friday afternoon! Anyway, when I went on Friday, I still had high blood pressure and I did have protein in my urine. When he checked me I was dialated to 3 1/2 centimeters! He said, "I'm going to call the hospital and let them know you're on your way." I started freaking out! I was like, "Wait, I'm having the baby today??"

If anyone knows me, I am a huge planner. In Junior High and High School, I used a Franklin Planner religiously! I planned my outfits out everyday and when I go on vacation I like to know exactly what I'm doing everyday. Anyway... you get the point. So, I was ecstatic when I was having my baby on my due date :)

Anyway, I checked into the hospital at 11am and I was dilated to 4 1/2. They offered me the epidural but I heard the longer you wait for the epidural the faster delivery goes. So, instead they put me on a pain killer fentanyl and also pitocin drip. The doctor came to check on me. All of the sudden I felt all warm! I said, "Dr. Noorda! I think I just peed my pants!" He started laughing and said, "No, Brittany, I broke your water!" I was laughing so hard. The water was like pea green soup... which was meconium. So, after he checked me I was dialated to a 5. Soon after my mom showed up and I was SO relieved to have her there! Her, Cory, and I hung out in the hospital and we actually had so much fun! I wasn't in any pain and was doing well. When I was dilated to a 6 they came and gave me the epidural. Which, by the way, was not painful AT ALL and was way weird! It's so strange how your body goes so numb!

I started dialating really fast and by 6:15pm I was dilated to a 10! After you're dilated to a 10, the doctor likes you to rest for an hour before you start pushing. The nurse came in at 7:20 and said, "It's time to start pushing!" I couldn't believe it! Labor is nothing how you imagine it. You picture bright lights and tons of people in the room. However, it was just the nurse on one side, Cory on the other, and me pushing with the lights dimmed. At about 7:50 they could see the babies head so they decided to call the doctor. She said usually the baby comes about 10 minutes after they call the doctor.

When Dr. Noorda got there, I continued to push. He kept saying, "This is going to be it! She'll be here after this push!" And then she wouldn't! This continued for about 20 minutes! He kept getting my hopes up. Anyway, the pushing wasn't working so he gave me a small episiotomy, I pushed once, and little Sophie entered the world at 8:37pm. She was 8lbs 1oz and 20 inches long! It was the most surreal moment of my life. I just couldn't believe it when I saw her. She wasn't even crying! They hurried and gave her to the respiratory doctor and the NICU nurse since she had meconium in the placenta. They ran all her tests, pumped her stomach, did a few breathing treatments, weighed her, and then I finally got to hold her. She was so precious.

The nurse gave Cory and I a few minutes with her before we had family come in. Then, about 30 minutes after giving birth I was in terrible pain. It came on slowly but then it was the worst pain I had ever felt. They had everyone leave the room and gave me pain medicine. It wasn't working so they gave me something else. I was screaming and crying. I was inconsolable! This went on for about an hour. They were about to call the doctor to come back when all of the sudden the medicine started working and I was okay. But for a while there it was awful! They took me up to my room and the nurse gave Sophie a bath and then I fed her.

They took her to run some more tests and take her picture. My mom left and Cory and I decided to lay down and get some rest. About 30 minutes later the nurse came in and woke us up. Sophie was desaturated and they admitted her to the NICU. I was so devastated. She said in about 20 minutes we could go down and see her. We got up, got dressed, and rushed down there to see her. She was hooked up to monitors and had oxygen. It broke my heart.

It was the hardest week of my life that she was in the NICU. Even after they discharged me, I did a Hotel Stay at the hospital. They let you rent out a room so you don't have to leave your baby. I was so happy when she was able to come home!