Oriana Marilynn Burke finally made her way into the world at 11:43 am on February 4, 2013 when I was 41 weeks and 1 day pregnant. I was scheduled to be induced that morning at 7 am, but luckily she changed those plans. I really wanted to have the experience of going into labor on my own, and my baby girl gave me that! She waited until the last minute, but that's ok! : )
The night before "my induction", my mom came to town so that she could stay with Owen while we were at the hospital, and we are lucky she did! The night before was also the Super Bowl, and Ryan went to a friend's house to watch the game and eat yummy party food. Owen, my mom and I went out to eat and then headed home to relax. I was excited for the next day, but also a little anxious that when I called the hospital the next morning, they were going to tell me they were full and couldn't take me. I was ready to have this baby!
I didn't sleep that great that night (not that that was a change). I was tossing and turning and thinking about the next day. I also had a dream that I was at the hospital and Angelina Jolie was my nurse. She was about to give me medicine to start my induction when I woke up to a gush. I looked at Ryan, who was awake, but didn't say anything and just ran to the bathroom. My water had broken! Luckily, it wasn't a whole lot and I didn't have a mess to clean. I went and told Ryan and my mom what happened. It was about 4:40 in the morning. Ryan started getting dressed and mentioned he had been up since about 1:00 because he didn't feel well. GREAT. I'm about to have a baby and my hubby is sick! My mom asked if I was having any pain or contractions. I wasn't, so we decided to wait a while before going in. That way Ryan could try to sleep some more, and I wouldn't have to be in the hospital any longer than necessary. Ryan went back to bed, but had to get up a few minutes later because he was sick.
Over the next few hours, Ryan slept while my mom and I watched tv. My contractions started not too long after my water broke, but weren't bad. At 6:00, I called in like I was supposed to for my induction and at 6:30 I woke up Ryan to see how he was feeling. Not good. I told him my mom offered to take me to the hospital and he could stay in bed and come later, but would have to take care of Owen when he got up. So a few minutes later, my mom and I were on our way to the hospital. The contractions were steadily getting more intense, but I wasn't really timing them because I figured there wasn't much point. My water had broken, so I was definitely in labor. By the time I finally got to my room, I could barely walk or talk through the contractions. And my water kept gushing out with almost every contraction.
My nurse didn't know yet that my water had broken, so she asked why my baby was being so stubborn that I had to be induced. I told her there was a change in plans! She got me settled in my room, asked me a bunch of questions and then said the midwife would be in soon to check me and see how things were going. When the midwife, Sandy, got there, she was happy to see on the monitors that I was contracting regularly. She checked me and I was at 4 centimeters and said she thought I'd have a lunchtime baby. She knew I wanted an epidural, but they needed to start an IV and check my platelet count before they could do that, so she put in the order for all of that so I could get it as soon as possible. The nurse got all of that going and then told me the anesthesiologist was in a C-section right now and it would probably be another 30 minutes or so. By this time, I can't talk through the contractions and they seem to last a really long time. The nurse asked if I wanted some drugs to take the edge off while I wait, but that it would probably make me a little loopy. I said no. And then she came back about half an hour later and said it was still going to be at least 25 more minutes, and she had called the on call anesthesiologist and he was at home which was 20 mins away. Did I want some drugs now? YES! She only gave me half a dose (at my request because I didn't want to be out of it) but it did help for a while. It was about that time that I called Ryan to see when or IF he was coming, and that it probably wasn't going to be too much longer and I'd be ready to push. He said he was coming and he and Owen would get ready and leave.
When the anesthesiologist finally got there, my drugs had worn off a little bit and I was in a lot of pain again. Thankfully, everything went well with the epidural and after that was in place and I was comfortable, the nurse checked me and I was at 8 cm, and Ryan and Owen had arrived. It was not our plan for Owen to be at the hospital at all until after she was born and I was off monitors and IVs, because I didn't want him to get scared, but I guess plans change. We all hung out in the room for awhile and when Owen got restless, my mom took him for a walk around the hospital. While they were gone, I started feeling pressure, like she was ready to come out, so I called for the nurse. And yes, she was ready! I was at 10 cm and her head was "right there".
Since Ryan wasn't feeling well, I told him that if he wasn't able to stay in the room, that was fine, but he said he was fine. Luckily, there were two nurses and the midwife there, so he didn't have to do anything but stay by my head and be there for me. I don't know how long I pushed, but it was longer than with Owen. I had some scar tissue from Owen's delivery that wouldn't stretch like normal tissue, so it was making things more difficult. My midwife ended up having to cut that tissue a little bit, and soon after, Oriana was born! The nurses, midwife and Ryan were surprised at how big she was and started making guesses at how much she weighed. I really couldn't tell that she was any bigger than a "normal" baby, but she ended up being 9 lbs 5.6 ounces! Then I was surprised! She was also pretty long, at 22 inches, so she really wasn't too chubby. I have a friend that had her baby just the week before, and her baby was 9 lbs 2 oz, and when I saw a picture of her, she was a CHUBBY baby and I remember thinking, 'Poor girl, having to push that big baby out!' And then I go and have a baby even a bit bigger! Thank God for epidurals! Although I don't know if my friend had one or not. I just know I am thankful for them!
Now for some pictures.
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| Fresh from my belly : ) |
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| Big girl! |
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| There was a little bruising on her face because she was stuck for a while before my midwife made the decision to do a small episiotemy. |
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| Meeting big brother Owen |
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| My dad arrived not long after she was born. |
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| Nana and her new granddaughter |
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| First day home |
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| What a good big brother! - 3 days old - |
My mom got to stay with us for the week, too, which was a big help. The worst part was that Ryan had to work Friday and Saturday nights and then had to go out of town Sunday through Tuesday for work, and my mom went back on Saturday, so I was a "single mom" for a few days right off the bat. I was pretty nervous about being the only one, but things went really well while Ryan was gone. Owen is a really good helper, always eager to get diapers or wipes for me (or even find the remote for me!).
Owen will be going to daycare three times a week while I'm off work so he can have time with his friends and it gives me a bit of a break. I have a hard time getting him to nap anymore, so on days when he is home, I don't get to sleep when Ori sleeps.
Ryan's family will be coming to town this weekend to meet Ori. Owen's excited because he knows he will get to swim at the hotel with his cousins. He LOVES to swim!
Ok, now time for a nap...
Read about the day Owen was born here.
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