40 Weeks and we have a baby girl!

Well, I didn't need to do my 40 week belly bump photo. Saturday night I went into labor and Sunday afternoon beautiful little Piper Jean Schmidt was born. B and I are so thrilled and absolutely the happiest and proud parents you could even imagine. I don't think 10 minutes pass where one or the other of us says "oh my God I don't think I could love her more."

Piper Jean Schmidt 6lbs 14 oz 18 1/2 in long

Piper's Story:

We had a Dr's appointment on Friday, our 39 week appointment. I was 1 cm dilated and 60% effaced. B our Dr and I came up with a game plan, scheduling some appointments and testing and if no Baby by the 15th I would be induced. The Dr scheduled the induction and we scheduled some other tests so we were all set up with a game plan. We both felt so good after that appointment, feeling prepared and ready for baby in a few weeks. I told B I don't know what to do if I actually go into labor, but I guess we figured it out because Saturday night it happened. Luckily I asked B to a "date" on Saturday afternoon, we tried a new restaurant and then had some friends over to grill on Saturday night. It was fun, just hanging out talking, playing with our friends cute little six month old. I started not to feel very good and about 8ish the last of them left and I went up to take a bath. I was cramping and getting stronger Braxton Hicks for a couple weeks so I thought that's all it was. But after the bath I found out I lost my mucus plug, having to send a picture to my sister to make sure that's what it was (sorry, TMI!). She said it was and it was a lot. Of course, because I had a plan in place and thinking it would be a couple weeks, I was nervous but my sister said to just keep track of the contractions and see if they are regular. So I put on "Friends" and laid in bed and started my contraction timer. They were more regular but still anywhere between four minutes to seven and then three and then five so I wasn't sure what to think. They were getting more painful but I just stopped keeping track and tried to relax and rest. B kept saying your in labor, but I just didn't want to go to the hospital feeling unsure if I was in labor and also I was in fear of being sent home if I was. But I kept thinking if this is not labor I don't want to know what is because it was getting painful. I tried to sleep that night, B came into bed as well, but they were getting very painful I couldn't sleep in between it so I told B to go to the other room and sleep so I didn't keep him awake and Izzie and I laid in our bed and kept breathing and trying to relax. At 3:40 a.m. I felt like I had some pressure and something made me jump out of bed which in turn broke my water. I yelled "oh no" thinking I was peeing my pants. B rushed into the bedroom asking what happened and I told him I thought my water broke, which at this point I was calm because I knew it was OK to go to the hospital, but it made B freak out! It was so funny out nervous and scared he became! 

We got to the hospital just about 4 a.m. B called our moms and my sister to let them know little "cookie" was on her way. The nurse checked me, made sure I was for sure in labor, and got settled into our room. B and I planned on a natural childbirth so I started laboring in the tub, it helped a little, I was able to relax between contractions and the jets really helped. I got out to try something else as I was in there for a couple hours, the nurse checked and I was at 5 cm. I labored a little longer mostly on the toilet it was comfortable to stretch out my legs and take pressure off my back. It was getting harder and a lot more intense, the nurse wanted to monitor the baby for a while so I had to get back into the bed. B had to hold onto the monitors for me because the sleeve was way to tight to put on or wear during the contractions. At this point I asked the nurse to check me again and I was still at a 5, she tried to say she can stretch me to a 6 but I knew it would still be hours, and I also knew the chance of them giving me pitocin was high since my water broke. B and I talked about the labor part a lot and we said if I was asking for the epidural to tell me encouraging words and try to talk me out of it, but at this point I knew I wanted it and B finally gave in. The nurse was so encouraging either way and was so supportive. Thankfully it was a slow day and the anesthesiologist only had one patient before me so the nurse had time to give me fluids she also gave me another drug to help the pain before the epidural so by the time the anesthesiologist came in I was so out of it between the drugs the nurse gave me and the pain and lack of sleep. He was asking me questions but I apparently just ignored him. After the epidural I was comfortable, happy with my decision and ready to relax before Miss Cookie arrived. For the most part after the epidural it was smooth sailing for a while, the only weird thing was my contractions were giving the front of my legs charlie horses which I couldn't feel the pain but I could feel the tightening and with that on already numb legs it was so uncomfortable. B tried rub them for me but I eventually had to turn up the medicine on the epidural one more time. My Dr. was not available that day so the Dr on call came in and checked me a couple times, the last I was at 9 1/2 cm so he said the nurse would go to lunch and let me progress and then we would start pushing after. This gave me some time to get a little nap in before I started pushing as well, I was exhausted by this point. 

The Dr. and nurse explained how to push and how the rest of the delivery would go and informed me that pushing usually takes about an hour and a half. B and the nurse helped me start pushing, holding my legs and counting for me. They were so encouraging, I couldn't feel anything but the top of my uterus so I just pushed towards that, which apparently worked because I had to rest for a few contractions as they had to find the Dr. because little cookie was coming. Only 30 minutes of pushing and out comes little Piper Jean! The Dr and nurses were so surprised by how fast it went, the Dr. was saying I had to have had four kids before because no way would pushing be that easy. So apparently I deliver babies well. 

The hospital staff was amazing, teaching B and I so much in the couple days we were there, they did anything they could to make us comfortable, answer questions and they always were supportive with any decision we made. 

We're home now, my mom is in town helping with Baby. I'll do an All About Piper update, we are taking lots of pictures right now!