Our Baby Story

***This is extremely long... and may have too much information for some readers... but the pictures at the end are fun to look at***

So it all began Monday, April 25th after what would be our last pre-natal visit to Dr. Kauffman.  Dr. Kauffman preformed a "stripping of the membranes" procedure, an attempt at naturally inducing labor.  Phillip will tell you, as we drove home to Salina from Wichita, I was disappointed because I wasn't even feeling so much as a tiny cramp from the procedure... I was convinced that I would be pregnant indefinitely.

Shortly after arriving home,around 11 am, I went to the restroom... when I felt something that was definitely not normal.  I had lost my mucous plug!  Unfortunately this simply meant that labor could start anywhere from the next 24 hours to the next 2 weeks.  But I was still excited... something was happening!  I proudly announced this as Phillip was nearly walking out the door for work... and his response was simply "gross".

I was just ecstatic that something was actually happening (though no contractions or even cramps at this point), I called Mandi and we made pedicure appointments that evening (how could I possibly go into labor with un-painted toes?!)

Monday night was my very last full night of sleep... to this day.  I woke up Tuesday morning at 8 am, because a guy from the Sprinkler company came to fix our sprinklers (that had been placed 2 feet outside of our property line, thus being outside of our newly fenced backyard... you can imagine how happy Phillip was upon this discovery).  After meeting with the gentleman (& setting our alarm system to arm the house) I went to lay back down.  As I tried to settle back in to sleep just a little bit more, I noticed some "cramps" that were fairly regular, nearly every 20-30 minutes, just uncomfortable enough to not let me sleep through them.  When Phillip came home for lunch around 1 pm, I mentioned to him that I was feeling these occasional cramps.  He needed more firm data and requested that I start charting when they occur.  Once I did, I noticed that they were anywhere from 10 minutes to 30 minutes apart, irregularly, but never stopped.  I told Mandi about them, and we decided to go for a walk on the Dike (a 4 mile walking path in Salina) to see if we could make them any stronger or weaker.  They remained irregularly consistent.

Phillip got home and was starving, I had been too preoccupied with my day to make dinner, so we went to Chili's... where the contractions started to get closer together, and a little stronger.  At this point, Phillip and my mother were convinced we needed to head to Wichita... I was not so convinced.

On our way to Wichita, we stopped at my friend/nurse Crystal's house... where she checked me and revealed that I was dilated to 2-3 centimeters.  I was still not convinced that the contractions were intense enough to be true labor... so we decided to sleep at my mothers house... just to kind of wait things out.  I charted contractions all night long... they were every 5 minutes from 1 am -5:30 am... but still just not so strong that I was convinced it was the real thing... so I let everyone sleep and tried to rest in between.  Then suddenly... they spaced out, to every 30 minutes again... and they remained that way for most of Wednesday.  Phillip and I went on 3 walks, anywhere from 1 mile to 3 miles (trying to walk out this baby!)  He was so anxious the whole time... he just wanted something to happen!  But our little girl was just taking her sweet time.  Crystal came over to my mother's house around 6 pm where she checked me and said that I was dilated to 4 centimeters.  After she checked me, the contractions became more regular, every 3-5 minutes, and more intense.  It wasn't until around 9:30 pm that they became strong enough that I decided (after much convincing) that we should go to the hospital.  I showered, did my hair & makeup... all in between contractions... I refused to look totally awful after labor!

My dream delivery... everything worked out perfectly... God was watching over us

When we got to the hospital... around 11 pm, it was so busy, there were NO clean rooms!  (Mind you, I was supposed to work this night!) Phillip and I waited in the waiting room for 1 hour while we had 3 housekeepers doing a super thorough deep cleaning on our room... believe me, it was worth the wait :)  When I was officially checked in, Crystal checked me and said I was dilated to 5 centimeters.  She started my IV and asked if I wanted any pain medications... I only asked for nausea and heartburn meds!  The contractions were still not unbearable... and I wanted to wait to get any pain medications until I just couldn't stand the pain anymore.

My amazing support person.  I wouldn't have wanted anyone else coaching me through this.  He's amazing... Callie and I are lucky girls...

In Labor and Delivery, we define the active phase of labor as being when the cervix dilates 1 centimeter an hour (you start at being closed or dilated to 0 and then must dilate to 10)... due to Miss Callie's position (occiput posterior - Sunny side up, still head down, just facing the wrong way)... My labor had stalled out at 5 centimeters, so Dr. Kuhlmann (my second choice of Physician after Dr. Kauffman... because my doctor was out of town for a mere 24 hours that he had told us about on Monday) decided it was time to break my water to get things moving along.  I had heard that once your water is broken, the contractions become "a while different ballgame".  But I still wasn't in horrible pain, and I wanted to feel the intensity of the contractions that make women behave they way they do when I take care of them.  So I continued to hold off on pain medication.  About 20 minutes later... I felt that pain.  Phillip said he looked in my eyes as I was concentrated on breathing through the pain and watched as my pupils dilated.  I finally told him... "GO FIND SOMEONE"... I was ready for the epidural (knowing full well that it would still take about 20 minutes before all the pain was gone).  The epidural was bliss... I felt SOO much better... and Phillip and I were going to attempt to get some rest... it was nearly 4 am at this point.

After another check, I was still stuck at 5 centimeters, Crystal asked Dr. Kuhlmann the terrifying question of "do you think she'll deliver naturally or by c-section?"  Dr. Kuhlmann replied by saying, "lets start some Pitocin"... I think everyone was beginning to get a little worried at this point.  So Crystal started the medicine, and with the next check, I was nearly dilated to 8 centimeters... and Callie had turned around to face the right way.  It seems like then, all of a sudden, it was nearly time to push.  Crystal left the room, and let Phillip and I have a little time together, just the two of us.  We said a little prayer... and then I got a little emotional.  What a pivotal moment to be in... in just a very short time... we would be meeting this new person... this new generation in our family... it was exhilarating... it was terrifying.

Dr. Kuhlmann came in to the room, helped get me into the pushing position, had me push a couple of times and then hurridly put on his delivery garb while Crystal called in Kelly, the nurse that took care of Callie.  A couple more pushes and we could see hair... then with one last push... she was here.  The feeling was overwhelming.  At 9:36 am, April 28th, 2011, Phillip and I became parents to the most amazing thing (in our books :) God ever created.  She was perfect, came out crying... and placed right on my chest.  This innocent little being... given to us.  I'm so grateful I had another nurse, Monica, in the room at the time to capture it all (immediately after delivery) on camera.  I haven't had a chance to watch the video yet, but I can't wait to relive the experience.  I can't believe that I have the opportunity to be a part of this experience for so many people... it truly is a miracle.

Immediately after delivery... we both said at one point "I wish Sneebie was here"... we love our little family!

Our Sweet Caroline...

Our AMAZING delivery team...

I think she's beautiful... but don't all mom's say that?

Big Brother Sneebie loves the smell of his new sister... he just can't wait to meet her and play with her :)