Wednesday, February 24, 2010...Princess Abigail Arrives at 3:36pm.

I woke up that morning half-groggy and out of it from the Ambien and the emotion. I suddenly felt overwhelmed and like crying...the nurse hit it on the head when she said that it was hard because we had come to the hospital expecting to have a baby and more than 24 hours later...we didn't. They gave me an anti-nasuea medication (phenergan)that ended up making me nap (when they offered, I didn't refuse...I had thrown up during my labor with Adam and it makes things worse...just ask Todd, he got covered once). I woke up feeling less "hungover" and less sad.

The plan was to break my water and see how things progressed from there and if need be administer another drug in the IV to get the contractions moving. The midwife who had taken over for Dr. Coty (intially I was disappointed I was losing the dr. because I liked him, but I ended up liking her) said we'd have a baby by ten tonight. Todd, being Todd, said "How about by 4pm"? and she counter-offered with five.

The rest of the day, I think this is what happened...I may have screwed up the order a little, I was in pain and a little high :)

It turned out that once my water was broken, things started moving pretty fast...because it had been so hard to monitor her heartbeat with the stomach monitor, they put a little clip on top of her skull in-utereo. I was supposed to get into a chair and get on my hands on knees to help rotate her a little bit better, but as my contractions came on strong, her heartbeat differential wasn't as good as they liked. They also put a contraction up me that was able to better gauge the contractions. Some of that was lost on me at the time, but they had me get on my side...which for me was incredibly painful and was hard to stomach...but once Todd explained to me that being on my back was compressing a vein and causing her problems, I was able to curb my panic at being in so much pain.

I was dilated to 5 cm and I asked about pain medication options and the window for an epidural. Todd says I said "I think I want that IV drug now". Sounds like me!! Anyhow, she told me that stadol could be given in my IV and would take the "edge" off the top of the mountain of pain. And an epidural had to be administered before 7cm dilated. I liked what the midwife said next. She said "if that is your choice". I said "I choose the stadol". There's so much mixed emotion and message about pain medication during birth, I appreciated they way it was put. I said "I choose Cytol".

When having Adam, I had had an epidural that didn't take...I was numb but I could still feel the pain. It was awful. I also hated when they put the catheter in my spine to administer it. We ended up waiting for it to wear off and I pushed him out. That and because I didn't want to do anything else to delay the arrival of our little girl led to my decision.

But I had to wait until they got our daughter's heartbeat regulated. I didn't fully understand at the time as my contractions were so painful until Todd re-explained it to me. When they gave it to me, it was exactly like Kathy had said. It took the peak off the pain and that's how I mentally got myself through the next couple of hours telling myself "it could be worse". That...and Todd being there for me by my side. He talked me through the worst and helped me focus on not being scared. He said later it was so much better than Crouse because Oswego respected our experience...whereas the nurses at Crouse kind of stepped in and did the coaching. I was better able to curb my panic at the pain this time...partly because of this different experience...but I wouldn't have been able to put it into words until Todd did for me the other day. Also, we both agreed we didn't feel as "pushed"...less of a baby factory.

I think around 3pm the drug seemed to wear off and I was ready to try something else or more...I thought I had hours left to go...but they checked me out and I was 9cm. The baby was ready. And I admit..I started to lose my composure...I said "I wish I had taken more pain medication" and the nurse Jeanette said..."Almost every woman says that now". But it didn't matter...the baby had other ideas. The last couple of contractions Todd thought I was holding my breath, but my gut was literally holding itself in as our daughter decided to try and get out.

I had pushed for two hours at that point with Adam and said something to the effect of I didn't think I can handle two more hours..and the nurse said "you won't"! And I said, "Promise not two hours?" She did and boy, was she right, it only took like ten minutes. I couldn't stop pushing. I didn't hear her cry initially because I pushed her too far and they couldn't squigie her nose and mouth (Todd told me this later). And there she was..beautiful with lots of hair..

It was 3:36pm on February 24, 2010 when Abigail Maire Butler entered the world at 8lbs 11oz. The midwife guessed when she handed her to the neonatal nurse she was 8 pounds...she didn't and still doesn't feel like her weight. She's all girl...dare I say delicate?

Todd cut the cord and teased me that I didn't need to see the placenta again (I had insisted at Adam's birth...hey I was curious!). Proud papa taking her picture...me holding her...Todd texting everyone...with that smile on his face...it was over and to be honest, it wasn't fun...but it wasn't the traumatic experience I had with Adam.

Todd asked me what her name was. I asked her if she wanted to be an Abigail or a Rachel...she made a little funny face when I said Rachel...so Abigail it was. It suited her head of dark hair and little delicate nose...and Daddy said right away...you look like Mommy! I think she does, too, but I don't think I'm THAT cute....