Our Growing Family

I have been meaning to get on here and write out Britton's birth story for awhile now. The past few weeks have been very busy though...we've been getting settled in with our incredible new addition! Finally though, I have the time to get it all down. So here goes!

We were really hoping that Britton would make her entrance into the world on a weekend. The way that Josh's time off was going to work, he wouldn't get his paternity time off right away. So, if I had her on a weekend, Josh wouldn't miss anything. Since we were having a 4 day weekend for the 4th of July, we thought that would be perfect. We tried just about every trick within reason, trying to get things moving. Britton wasn't having it though. 

On July 6th (a Wednesday) I took a nap during the day. When I woke up, it felt like Britton had turned. Her back was originally on my left side...feet and hands on the right side. I could tell because her feet and hands were constantly kicking and punching on my right side, plus the doctor confirmed it. But when I woke up, her kicks and punches were being felt on my left side. I got really concerned that was breech again, plus if she had turned breech and was so cramped at this point, I was worried about where her cord was. I called L&D and explained what was going on and they told me to come in for observation. My grandmother was here, and stayed with Anistyn while Josh and I went up to the hospital.

Once there, we met with Dr. Thai. I don't remember her Army rank, but she's "way up there" and is the doctor who is in charge of every other doctor there who is also in the Army. So basically...she's the one who makes all the final decisions. She was amazing and I was so thankful that she was on duty that night.


She did an ultrasound and found that Britton was not breech! She had "twirled" though, which is why I was feeling the kicks on the other side. Such a little ballerina already. Her cord was fine and so was she! Dr. Thai then started looking over my records and due date. She went ahead and scheduled an induction date for Tuesday, July 12th. I then told her all about Josh's schedule and she decided to "help" as much as she could. So she stripped my membranes again, since Dr. Barrett had done it previously, but nothing had happened. It was painful, but we were hoping that meant good things! When we left, I was at 2cm, but not effaced.


I started bleeding right away, but thats very normal after a stripping. I went home, and started bouncing on the yoga ball, and walking around. The next day was Thursday and I started having contractions on and off throughout the day. I know the rule though...the 5-1-1 rule. Contractions need to be 5 minutes apart, 1 minute in length, for one hour...blah blah. Mine were sporadic. Josh got home at 4 that day, so I told him I wanted to go to the gym and walk on the treadmill to get things going. So, Josh did his workout while I walked. I was on the treadmill for 30 minutes walking pretty fast...and they started. The painful ones. I kept my walk up though, knowing that that was what I needed to do to get things going. The whole time I was singing that song "I am woman...hear me roar!" Ha. Once we were done at the gym, I told Josh we should go home and get our things together. If the contractions lasted for an hour, we would go in. So we went home, showered, and did our final packing. All the while I was working through painful contractions, so we headed in. 


The contractions were so intense. When we got to the hospital, they checked me and I was still at 2 cm. They started monitoring me to see if I would progress. My contractions were sooo painful. The doctor said since my hips are so small, the pain would be really intense for me...and he was right. After two hours of monitering, they checked me again...but I was still at 2cm. So they monitored me for another hour and gave me some morphine to help with the pain. Only it didn't. An hour later...there was still no progression and they wanted to send me home. I was devastated. I also didn't like the doctor who was on call then. He just acted like the pain didn't matter. He came in and told me since I wasn't in active labor there was no need for me to be there. But...it sure felt pretty active to me! He then told me they don't like to induce at that hospital. Therefore...I asked if that were the case, then why did I have an induction scheduled? He didn't really know what to say to that except "Um...you do?" When I said yes, he just said "Well...I guess it just depends on the doctor." Then I told him that I wasn't really in the mood to sit there and have a conversation..so if I was going to be sent home, then just send me home. While I do understand NOW what they were trying to do...its very hard to understand when you're in so much pain! 


So I went home and decided I would just try to wait it out. Josh went to bed and I took a bath which eased things temporarily. When I got out though, the pain was horrific. My grandmother was awake with me and we decided to go back up to the hospital together. I didn't want to wake Josh, because if they sent me home again, he was going to have to go into work. 


When we got there, they checked me and I was at 3cm! So they monitored me for another hour to see if I would progress more. An hour later I was at 4cm so they decided to admit me! My grandmother left then to stay with Anistyn and let Josh come up to the hospital. He got up there right as the anesthesiologist was giving me the epidural. Once I got that, I got settled in and was ready to wait until I was at 10cm. Josh and I fell asleep then and I was so thankful for some rest!


At 8am Dr. Parker came into the room. She was the doctor who had flipped Britton out of the breech position and I was so thankful to see a familiar face! Dr. Barrett couldn't get up to the hospital, so she was going to be the doctor who delivered Britton. She checked me and I was at 8 1/2 cm, fully dialated, and I had a bulging water bag. She said she was going to pop my water for me and she didn't think it would be too much longer after that. So, she did that and left the room while we waited. I felt a lot of pressure a little while later, and I knew then that it was time. I still remembered that feeling from Anistyn. I told the nurse it was time and she went and got Dr. Parker. 


I had Josh on my left side, a nurse on my right, and then the doctor in the front along with the baby nurse waiting on Britton. It was such a relaxing delivery. My contractions spaced out a lot during the delivery so I would push 3 or 4 times, then we would all just hang out chit chatting for about 5 minutes until the next ones came along. I said a lot of pretty funny stuff in the meantime. Josh was amazing through the whole thing. He helped me push and didn't "stand back near my head" like we thought he would. He was actually amazed by the entire event and watched EVERYTHING, ha. He got to watch her come out and once she did, he cut the cord. I'll never forget that moment. I got to see him fall in love with our daughter. One of the best moments of my life. 


The delivery was such a breeze and I didn't need any stitching. Britton weighed 6'6 and her daddy held her first. 


A little while later we moved into another room. Britton instantly did great at breastfeeding. My grandmother brought Anistyn up to the hospital so she could meet her little sister. Seeing the two of them together was amazing. We were both doing so great that they let us go home the very next day! 

Life with two girls is perfection. Anistyn is an amazing little helper and Britton is such a great baby. I am working hard to master breastfeeding. Josh is also incredible with Britton. He changes diapers and everything. He's so hands on with her. I love listening to him talk to her...he calls her "Monkey".  

All in all, Britton is the perfect addition to our family. I can't wait to watch her grow...but I also want to freeze this time with her!