Long overdue!

Ok, so this is long overdue, but it isn't because I am too tired, or don't have the time, it was simply because I was waiting for Joel to proof our labour and delivery story.  As most of you know by now, on March 5th at 6:37pm we welcomed our beautiful little girl Mikaela Caty Hayward.  Mika has been amazing, and both Joel and I can not imagine what life was like before her.  Joel took a week off of work after I gave birth, but is back there now.  Monster has been great with the baby.  He checks on her constantly and worries when others come into our home to visit and hold her.  He listens much better and is learning more everyday!

Now for why this took so long, this is how my labour/delivery went.  Joel still has not proofed this, so it is completely based on what I remember. 

I woke up Friday morning around 3:30pm with some cramps. Like period cramps, but I just thought they were braxton hicks or something. I waited for like 30 minutes and decided to take a bath to help ease the pain. I ended up loosing my plug after I got out of the bath but from everything I read, it could still be weeks before real labour set it.  By about 4:30am though Joel was awake (he heard me in the bath and figured we would be going to the hospital) and started to time my contractions. I was having them every 3-5 minutes lasting only 15-30 seconds but my water had not broke. I decided to shower and "get ready" (basically just killing time at home) before going to the hospital. We got there around 8:30am. They checked me at triage and I was 4cm dilated.  They ran a test to see if my water had broke, but it was still in tact. They had a machine on me to monitor the baby's heartbeat and my contractions. The contractions were only showing at about a 30 on the machine, and were surprised I could even feel them! They debated about sending me home, but after I started to feel sick and eventually throw up, they decided it was better to have me stay at the hospital. They asked me to walk the halls for 2 hours and come back to see if I progressed. I checked back into triage in between throwing up and was checked again.  This time by the doctor scheduled to deliver our baby.  I just wanted to lie down, so I asked that if I was not going to be admitted that I would prefer to go home so I could at least lie down. She told me they would admit me (this was around 1pm) and gave me a private room. I had access to the birthing tubs so I asked that they set one up for me. I sat on a birthing ball and bounced for 30 minutes while the tub filled up. I was in the tub about an hour sleeping in between contractions. They were coming every 3 minutes, lasting anywhere from 20 sec - 50 sec. I stayed in the tub until about 4pm when I decided I wanted to go back to our room. The contractions were now causing me a lot of discomfort so they called the doctor to check me again.  They hooked me back up to the machine and my contractions were now peaking between 130-140!  I tried 2 different positions while waiting for the doctor to come and check me. Around 5pm when she arrived she found that my water still had not broke but I was 9cm! She used the scalp clip and broke my water for me. I started pushing after 6pm and had her at 6:37pm! The doctor had called into our room (knowing I was pushing cause she broke my water) to see if she should come around 6:20pm. The nurse told her no, that the head was still a ways up there. One push later and Joel started to yell at the nurse who was charting (seriously they didn't even have everything set up for her arrival in the room yet) when he saw her head coming out! She called the doc in a panic and pulled the emergency cord.  3 nurses rushed into my room!  The charge nurse took control and had me breathe through 2 contractions before I couldn't anymore, the baby was coming!! 2 pushes later and I heard the baby crying.  It was amazing.  The doctor walked in to find them cutting the cord. She was so unimpressed because she had called minutes before to see if she should come. Besides the room not being completely ready, and being delivered by a nurse, everything went so smooth. The doctor stitched me up (which I couldn't feel at all although I think they might freeze the area) as I had 3rd degree rips. Mika started to breastfeed quickly after delivery and they left her with us (everything happens in these rooms from labouring to delivery to recovery to postpastum stay) on my chest while they cleaned up. After about an hour they gave her a bath. Around 10pm our parents and Joel's sister and brother in law came into the room (they had been waiting for awhile) to welcome her. Auntie Sarah even came with gifts! She had gotten a book and had the family sign it while waiting to meet her.  I read her that story often as it has become one of our favourites.

I have been doing really well.  I have showered everyday since bringing Mika home and Joel and I have managed to have at least 2 meals together.  All meals have been hot for at least one of us and we have only used a few freezer meals. I have gone out quite a bit, shopping, for walks, to the doctors, etc. and we have spent a fair amount of time at home cuddling too.  Mika sleeps beside us, but when I wake to feed her I move into her nursery and use our rocking chair.  After she eats, I rock with her for 10-20 minutes and then we are back to bed.  I have managed to get enough sleep and use the weekends to catch up a little more.  Breastfeeding was challenging at first.  I was trying to be very technical with it and follow the instructions from each and every nurse.  By our third day at home, I gave up on the "right" way and did it my own way.  It is just a different hold, but for me it was much more comfortable.  I figured at that point I had nothing to loose.  It actually has been going much better now, and although I get sore, I have not yet had any cracks or bleeding.

Life is good! Here are some pictures for you to enjoy ~

1 week old

This is the first day home from the hospital

Taken by my talented cousin Sasha!

Mika watches hockey (the Flames) with her dad

Team Canada onsie with skirt and headband from Sheree and Sasha

Me and my little girl!

P.S. my mom wins for having her prediction closest to delivery date, and Aunty Sarah wins for correctly predicting gender and closest to her weight. :)