A Year Ago Today...

I woke up around 6:30am. I was so uncomfortable and couldn't sleep much because I was 40 weeks and 4 days pregnant. I made pancakes for Brady and I, but Cory didn't eat because it was Fast Sunday. We hung around not doing much because church didn't start until 1:00. At 9am I decided to finally get in the shower. I was just rinsing off and about to turn off the water when my water broke. I experienced a rush of emotions right then. First, I was incredulous, then I was beside myself with excitement!

Brady was born via c-section because he wouldn't drop. I was a perfect candidate for VBAC, and my doctor thought so too. I could have had a second c-section around October 23, but I opted to wait and see what would happen. At my appointment on October 28, my due date, my OB determined I was not dilated and that it was unlikely I would go into labor on my own. Induction methods don't really work after a woman has had a c-section, so I figured I would go under the knife again with this baby. We set the c-section date for November 4. I did not want my baby girl's birthday to be within the same week as mine.

Now you can understand my excitement when my water broke, in the shower no less, on November 1. It took me an hour to get dressed, blow dry my hair, call ahead to the hospital, and get Brady ready to go. Cory somehow reached Scot and Becca at church to tell them it was time. Becca left right away so she could meet us at the hospital and take Brady home with her.

I checked in at 10am and started the long process of getting hooked up to monitors. I was only dilated to a 2 or 3 at that point.

Not knowing what was going to happen, Cory decided he'd better break his fast with a Subway sandwich at noon since nothing was happening yet. While he was gone the contractions started. By 12:45 I got an epidural and told myself it would be a long day. Thank goodness I had eaten breakfast because I was starving by then. When evening came I was only at a 6, so they started me on Pitocin. I got a grape Popsicle, which I later puked, and we watched Amazing Race and Celebrity Apprentice. We got as comfortable as we could on our respective beds, but went to sleep thinking it was still a strong possibility that a c-section would be inevitable. We'd been there once before and didn't want to get our hopes up. Around 1:30 I woke up and called the nurse because I was feeling a lot of pressure. She checked me and said that I was at a 9. It was then that Cory and I allowed ourselves to hope that this VBAC might actually happen. I still remember the grin on his face.

I told the nurse I had no idea how to push, so we did a couple practice rounds, just she and Cory there holding my legs. Nobody told me that delivering a baby would be less painful and faster than the first time I went to the bathroom after my appendectomy. I requested a mirror to see what was going on. I felt like I missed everything with Brady's birth, so I wanted to be in on the action this time. Six pushes and 15 minutes later, at 2:25am on November 2, Brooke entered the world and went straight into my arms. I didn't really know how to hold her since she was so slimy, but Cory cut the cord, bravely kissed her forehead, and then the nurses took her over to clean and weigh her. I honestly could not have asked for a better birthing experience. I would feel very blessed if my other children came VBAC as well.