Born Saturday, June 4 at 9:37 pm
Weight: 7 pounds, 10 ounces
Height: 20.5 inches
The baby "Boppy" was due May 29. Just like with Delaney, the due date came and went. It was no secret I was eager to have the baby, I just didn't think I would have it like I did. Mild contractions that I have been having the past two weeks started in the afternoon about 1:00. Nothing to get too excited about. Then, at dinner, stronger contractions were about 20 minutes apart. Again, nothing to get too excited about. Then about 7:15, they were all-of-a-sudden strong and 5 minutes apart. Dr. said to wait until this goes on for about an hour and then call. But only after about a half hour, they were stronger and 4 to 3 minutes apart so we headed for the hospital. This is when all you have to do is imagine all those cliche scenes in movies and TV shows of the wife screaming and panting, the husband speeding down the highway and running for the wheelchair, the water breaking in a most inconvenient place and the doctors/nurses saying, "I am sorry but it is too late for an epidural" ..... and you know what happened to us. It was seriously just like in the movies.
Later we learned that had it not been for the crooked positioning of her head, she would have been delivered in three pushes, less than 10 minutes but instead she was "vacuumed" out after 30 minutes of pain-filled labor. I like to think that those 30 minutes of pain were better than possibly delivering in the car. Madness all over, we had a beautiful baby girl and were looking to settle in for the night when the adventure continued. Shortly after going to the postpartum room, I began hemorrhaging blood without any explanation... so my pain-filled saga continued as doctors and nurses tried to determine the cause. In the process there were 3 failed IV attempts and 1 failed catheter attempt, a little swearing and A LOT of hand squeezing. Bleeding wasn't bad enough for major concern, just extra monitoring through the night until the doctor could explore in the morning. Finally.... sedation and pain relief. They discovered a laceration in the birth canal caused when delivering. A few extra stitches and finally a normal recovery could begin.
It appears the Plank girls enter the world in dramatic fashion. (See the post from July 5, 2009 "Delaney Clare Arrives June 23"). We are so blessed to have them both and wouldn't trade the Drama Queens for anything. May the adventure continue.
