The Birth of Kristen

Well...I did it! I conquered my biggest fear! I gave birth! :) Yes, it was definitely the most painful thing I have ever experienced...but it kind of feels good to know that I can do really hard things. My due date was January 8th. Well, when January 8th came and there was still no baby and I was feeling way too big, way too uncomfortable, and way too excited to meet little Kristen, I decided I would help the process out a little. So, I shopped...and I shopped...didn't really buy anything, but I kept shopping. It must have worked because at about 1 a.m. on the 9th I began active labor. I went into the hospital at about 10 a.m. with contractions starting every 2 minutes and lasting about a minute and a half, (I am talking about curling up in a ball and wanting to hold your breath type of contractions). About an hour after arriving in the patient room, they sent me home because I was not dilating fast enough (I was stuck at 3 cm). I was soooo mad! How could they send someone home in that much pain.

When I got home I had no idea what I was going to do with my self. The morphine shot did nothing but make me vomit. All I could do was pray that somehow Heavenly Father would bless me with the strength and knowledge to get through this (Bryndee I hope you are not reading this). At about 4p.m. I could not take it any more and so I went back to the hospital. This time I demanded to talk to the Dr. on the phone. When she called me, I literally begged her to not send me home. She said they would keep me for a while longer and see how I progressed. My prayers were answered because just as my hour was up, I had progressed just enough (now to a 3 1/2 cm) to stay. It was a good thing because an hour later, I was dilated to about a 6! Just when I thought I was going to die :) the epidural came at about 7 p.m. ... truly the best $200 I ever spent! Oh...it was heaven sent! The only negative side effect I noticed was the shaking. I shook/shivered uncontrollably for about a half an hour after Kristen was born. But it took away all of the pain during the rest of labor.

I began pushing at about 1:30 a.m. and we were progressing so fast that the nurse told me to stop. So I tried to stop but Kristen started coming on her own, (how appropriate for the first girl to be so helpful to her mommy)! Don't worry; the doctor arrived just in time to deliver the most beautiful healthy baby girl in the world (yes, I may be bias)! 8.1 lbs and 18 inches of pure innocence and beauty. When the Dr. handed her to me it was surreal. All of a sudden, all of the pain I had felt in getting this beautiful little girl to the earth was forgotten. I would do it over in a heart beat,(preferably not any time soon )! She is so amazing! Wow! I love being a mom! There is nothing like it in the whole world!