She's Here!!

Well, I figured I would start this blog since it can be seen by all, not just those on xanga. So here we go... As most of you know, Emma Reese Murphy was born on Thursday, July 6th. She weighed 7 lbs 1 oz. and was 20 1/2 in. She has gorgeous, fiery red hair. I have been asked to tell my birth story, so I guess without boring you too much, I will try to sum up those wonderful 32 hours =). I went into labor at 5 am Wednesday morning. Brian was supposed to go work out of town that day, and was getting up in two hours, so I thought I'd let him sleep a little more before I woke him with the news that he would indeed not be working that day. Needless to say, he was thrilled. I already had an appt. scheduled for noon with my midwife, so I decided to keep it and find out how much progress I was making. We went, and I was 2 cm. She was supposed to go on call at the hospital at 7 am the following morning, and I jokingly told her I would love her to be the postpartum midwife who saw me. I in no way wanted to be in labor still when she came on call. Hah hah. So we went on home and I took a nap, knowing I would need some rest in the hours to come. Sometime around 8 pm, we decided it was time to go to the hospital. My contractions were 3 to 4 minutes apart and were a minute long. I had to be way far along, right? Wrong. I was exactly where I had been at noon, which took the wind away from me. But mom and Brian insisted it was time to walk around and try to get things really going. So we walked for almost 2 hours, and sure enough, I was now at 5 cm. We decided I should try a bath, and I did, which got me to 8 cm. I proceeded to stay stuck in transition for a good 7 or 8 hours and I just was not progressing. Added to that was the fact that Emma was slightly turned, making my non-medicated labor the most painful kind it could possibly be. My contractions were like Pitocin induced ones, only they were lasting 3 minutes as well. There was no steady climb to a peak. They would shoot up so quickly that I could barely handle them. But I just kept thinking I would want to push with the next contraction. This went on for hours, like I said, and I was in so much pain I was in tears. My hubby was having to press so hard into my back for counterpressure that my back was all bruised and sore after she finally came. The contractions came on so strong and fast that I became terrified to doze for even a second. If I was asleep at all when it started I could not get control of the pain. Finally around 7 am, my midwife came on call. She knew how much I didn't want to have pain meds, but she also knew that even if I did finally fully transition I was never going to be able to push. So she told me I really ought to get an epidural, and I consented. After 26 hours of labor, I was so tired I wasn't worth shooting, and I actually did not care about the use of needles on me =). Let me just say that I LOVE epidurals. I LOVE them. I told the anesthesiologist that I wanted to put him in my pocket and take him home with me. Did I mention I love epidurals? I slept then for the first time since wednesday afternoon's nap. But I began to get a fever, and I was still not progressing. My midwife was concerned I would need a C-Section if I did not progress soon, so they started giving me pitocin. Brian was watching the monitor, and was amazed that the first five doses they gave me of it made no difference in how my contractions looked. It was working, but that basically meant my contractions without it were just as bad. After the sixth dose, I finally began to progress, though I was unaware of all of this. I was happily sleeping =). My fever reached 102.4 degrees, which is sky high for my normal 96.2 body temp, but I was soon ready to push. After an hour, our beautiful daughter was born, and she is absoultely perfect. Sadly, they stopped the epidural sometime around then. I wished I could have taken it home with me, but they didn't like that idea too much. I would like to say that I could not have done it without my wonderful husband or mom. Brian was always there the second I needed him, and in spite of all of the pain it put him through, he selflessly did everything he could to help me. My mom was wonderful emotional support and another head to help us make decisions. I know it killed her to see me in that much pain but she never let on, and was a wonderful support for us both. Another blessing in disguise was when my midwife came on shift, so did an RN who I went to school with. Her presence revived my mom and really changed the atmosphere. It was providential that she was the RN for me, as RNs only have two patients at a time, and there are TONS of patients she could have had. I laughed as she was helping deliver Emma that I never thought in a million years that she would someday be helping deliver my baby. She agreed...she had never thought of it either =). So there you go. That was the whole thing in a nutshell. I am certain I am forgetting something, but oh well. I am sorry it was so long, but I am actually glad to get it all down for the record. I won't be offended if you didn't read it all and never do =). One more thing...it took about three days, but I am going to have to say it...It was all worth it, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I love her dearly, and am so thankful God gave her to us. She is already smiling some, and it's lovely to see. So there it is. I said it =).