Kaitlyn

My due date was November 14, 2004.  For the weeks leading up, I had been told over and over again by my OB that I wouldn't make it to my next appointment, my cervix was effaced, she had dropped and I was ready.

Imagine my frustration when my due date came and went.  I had tried everything to help her out!  Lunges, long walks, castor oil, baths, bumpy rides but nothing did anything.  Well, the castor oil did make me sick, but not for any good reason.  On November 16, Kaitlyn's dresser finally came in after being on back order for a couple months.  We picked it up, put it in her room and put everything away.  Her nursery was complete!

It seems that was what she was waiting for because the next morning I got up at 5 to painful contractions.  By 8 AM, they were about 5 minutes apart and I was in pain.  I was ready to go to the hospital!  I woke up Dusty, he showered, got ready and we were off!  That 10 minute car ride to the hospital felt like forever.  When we arrived, we found that I was having regular, strong contractions, but I wasn't dilated at all.  I was given something to help me sleep and sent on my way home.  I was told that it would probably be another few days and this was just false labor.

We got home around noon and I made myself walk up the stairs to our apartment.  I slept for about 1/2 hour when the contractions picked up.  I stayed on the ground, on all fours, trying to rock the pain away.  I would fall asleep in between every contraction and wake up in pain.  It was miserable.  I think I scared Archie.  All I could think was "if this isn't real, I don't want to go into labor.  Ever." And I was too scared to go back to the hospital to be sent home again.  Finally, around 1, I told Dusty I had to go back just to get pain medicine.  Then, I could sleep and get on with our day.

We headed back to the hospital.  Before I could be sent home with pain medication, the nurse needed to check my cervix.  Instead of not being dilated, I was at 5cm!  This was it.  And the best part was that I was going to get the best kind of pain medication I could think of, an epidural.  We were getting admitted!!

Our parents were there at this point and Dusty was starving.  In all the running back and forth to the hospital, I guess he didn't get a chance to eat lunch.  While he enjoyed a subway sandwich in the corner of the room, I got to stay very still, prevent myself from withering in pain while they put in an epidural.  The next couple of hours were pure heaven.

Our entire families were there to wait for her to make her appearance.  I was in a great mood, until that epidural stopped working on my right side.  Kaitlyn was also having dips so I had to wear an oxygen mask and lay on my side to get her happy again.

Finally, at 7:30, I was fully dilated and ready to push.  I figured it would be easy!  We had decided to have our mom's in the room with us while we pushed.  The epidural had completely worn off, but the relief of pushing was great!  After an hour and 20 minutes, I was tired.  I kept asking "how much longer" as my doctor thought it would be appropriate to make jokes about putting out a Macy's ad to encourage her to come out ;)

We had decided that I would get more epidural meds, he would grab the vacuum and we would get her out.  I had to sit up in bed to have my epidural adjusted.  When I did, the urge to push was stronger than before.  I was told not to push, but I couldn't help it, so I did it quietly.  ;)  Then, I felt the burning.  I told the nurse, she was coming, she was there, it felt different.  She went to get my doctor and as he came in, she was ready to crown.  Kaitlyn Reagan was born crying, weighing 7 lbs and 3 ounces and just perfect. She made her arrival on November 17 (her Uncle Dennis's birthday)in 2004.

Since then, Kaitlyn has always been an easy baby and an easy child.  I kept an online diary of everything she did to serve as a baby book:  Kaitlyn's Website