Reagan Renee Jones
Born August 18,2014 at 12:59pm
8 pounds 4 ounces
20 ¾ inches long
I wish I could easily put into words just how amazing this
experience was. I apologize if I add too many details, but this is a birth
story after all and I am writing more for my own personal benefit than anything
else.
After going in and out of the hospital dealing with preterm
labor, and contractions on a daily basis from 33 weeks, I went into my 37 week
appointment relieved that we made it full term. At this appointment I was measuring ahead by a
week and dilated 1cm (which I had been at for four weeks). My doctor, Dr. Lamb,
decided that because I was measuring ahead in addition to all the prep work my
body had been doing, it would be a good idea to induce me if she didn’t come
before my due date. He asked my opinion and if I was interested in this option.
Without hesitation I said, YES PLEASE! The end of my pregnancy had been
frustrating, uncomfortable, and stressful. Everyday I would wonder whether or
not it was the day Reagan would come. I counted contractions, got very little
sleep because of the painful contractions along with the need to pee every
hour, had little energy, and was just so very uncomfortable all the time. We
tried to plan the best we could what we would do if she came each day, but in
reality, with Scott’s job, we couldn’t plan much. We would have had to play it
by ear for the most part. I was dying to meet this little girl and had reached
the point where I was up for anything to have an end in sight and a plan. Dr.
Lamb checked the calendar and called and scheduled for me to be induced on
Monday the 18th. I was going to check in at 6:00am. By this point I
would be 39 ½ weeks along, and there would be no major risk to our little girl.
Fast forward to a week later, at my 38 week appointment…
There was no change in my cervix (still only dilated to a 1) and was now
measuring ahead. They said I was measuring at 41 weeks with two more weeks
until my due date. Because of this and the fact that my cervix hadn’t changed
in 5 weeks, Dr. Lamb decided to send me in on Sunday night, the 17th,
at 8:30pm to start the induction process instead. I was thrilled.
All day Sunday I was getting anxious and so excited. I
wasn’t induced with Chloe, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Chloe seemed to know
something was going on too. We had been explaining to her for a while that she
was going to be getting a baby sister. She seemed to understand pretty well for
a two year old, but suddenly she was not being her sweet self, and was
especially different with me. Maybe she could sense my eagerness, or maybe she
just knew something was going to be changing soon. She was yelling a lot,
throwing a ton of fits, and hitting and kicking me, all of which are not
typically much of an issue with her. I tried to be sensitive of her, after all,
her life was about to change big time. All of ours were. That evening, we went over to Scott’s parents
house for dinner and her attitude changed completely. She was so happy to be
over there, and though she still could not have cared less about me at the
time, I was so glad to see her in a better mood before we left for the
hospital.
At about 7:45pm, my sweet husband and father-in-law gave me
a blessing. It definitely calmed my nerves a bit and helped me relax. Shortly
after that we kissed Chloe goodbye, told her we were going to the doctor
because baby Reagan was coming, and off we went. Chloe stayed with her
grandparents until we got home and surprisingly really seemed to understand
what was happening.
We got to the hospital and checked in by 8:30pm, waited
while they got our room clean and ready, and got around 9:00pm. We went in and
after getting hooked up to the IV and getting settled I was given something to
soften and prepare my cervix. I was given this at 10pm to help overnight and in
the morning would be hooked up to Pitocin. I was already having contractions
but they still weren’t strong enough to dilate more. I was still only at 1cm
and at a -2. So Reagan was still pretty high up. I was given an Ambien to help
me sleep overnight while the softener did its magic. Unfortunately sleep wasn’t
much of an option because of my excitement of knowing Reagan was coming. I could not relax enough to actually fall
asleep.
Around 4:35am my contractions started to kick into full gear
and I was really needing to stop and breath through them every few minutes. The
pain was getting rough and I was starting to look forward to getting an
epidural. By 6:30am, they checked my cervix and I was dilated to 2cm. They decided
to break my water. I was already in a lot of pain by this point. The nurse
asked me if I wanted an epidural and I quickly told her I did. I wasn’t going
to be able to get one until after they broke my water though. I was so nervous
for this because everyone told me to get an epidural before having it broken
because it hurts so much. They came in and with a little tool that looked like
a crochet hook the broke my water. I must have been lucky it didn’t hurt as much as I was expecting.
About an hour and a half later, just before 8am, they came
in to give me the epidural. I remember placing the epidural hurting a lot when
I got it with Chloe. They came in, had me sit on the end of the bed as they
raised it, and put my feet on Scott’s knees as he sat by the bed. I bent my
body over as much as possible while they gave me the shot to numb the area.
Then, right as they were placing the epidural I had a bad contraction. It felt
like it was taking forever to end. I was having a hard time bending over as
much as they needed me to, because having a contraction and bending your body
in half at the same time was nearly impossible. It hurt so badly. I can’t even
put into words the pain I felt at this point. Thankfully they were quick to place the
epidural and the contraction was over soon too. I was so glad Scott was there.
He was amazing and so supportive. It made it easier than it would have been
without him that’s for sure.
After the epidural they checked me again. I was dilated to
3cm. It took a few minutes and a couple more contractions before the epidural
started to take effect. When it did I was surprised that I could move my legs
as much as I could. With Chloe, my epidural made it impossible to have any
control over my legs at all. This time I could move them pretty well. The only
downside to the epidural is how itchy it makes me. I would take the itching
over the pain any day though. At 8:20am they hooked me up to the Pitocin to
speed up the contractions.
At 9:25am I was dilated to 5cm. The Pitocin was definitely
doing its job. Two hours later, by 11:30am I was dilated to 7cm. After this, I
started to feel a ton of pressure. With Chloe I didn’t feel any pressure or
anything at all until the epidural started to wear off. This time I could feel
a lot more, though not the pain from the contractions. After waiting a while,
the pressure was so strong it was making me a little nervous. I called the
nurse to ask her if it was normal to feel that much pressure. Since with Chloe
I didn’t feel anything, I wasn’t sure what to think. At 12:02pm they came back
in to check me. I was at 8cm, and her head was very low in the 0 position.
At 12:45, Dr. Lamb came in to check me. I was at 10cm. It
was go time! Time to push! He told the nurse to have me start pushing and page
him when she was about to be born. He left the room and at 12:50pm I started
pushing. I pushed through one contraction and the nurse told me to stop and not
to push again until my doctor got there. She was coming NOW! About 5 minutes
later Dr. Lamb was back and I continued to push through the contractions. They
told me Reagan’s umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck, but not to worry,
just to keep pushing. Then her shoulder got stuck. Seconds later 3 or 4 nurses
came rushing into our room where they jumped in to help. They were pushing on
my stomach trying to angle Reagan so her shoulder would come out, while I
pushed. Finally she was born at 12:59pm (9 minutes after starting to push). I
pushed through a total of 4 contractions before she was born.
Her face was blue and she wasn’t crying. The nurses were
getting nervous and about to rush Reagan out of the room when she let out a big
cry. Thank goodness she was breathing. Besides her umbilical cord being wrapped
around her neck and her shoulder getting stuck, her entire face was bruised
too. It was bruised because of how quickly she was moving down, which is also why I started feeling a ton of pressure so quickly. Poor girl had a traumatic delivery. After checking her vitals and
monitoring her breathing, they were able to check her weight and length. She
was a whopping 8 pounds 4 ounces and just under 21 inches long.
I was able to hold her right after they knew she was okay.
Then, shortly after, Grammy and Poppa brought Chloe in to see her new sister.
She was so sweet. She smiled and said, “It’s my sister!” Her and Grammy looked
at all her fingers and toes and all her little features. Chloe gave Reagan a
stuffed bear she picked out with Grammy and Poppa. After that, Scott gave Chloe
a present we got her. It was a toy camera that actually takes real pictures.
She loved taking picture after picture while we were there.
We stayed in the hospital overnight and left the next day,
shortly after one to get home.
It was so nice to get home and be able to relax
a bit instead of being in the stuffy hospital. It is amazing how quickly the
adjustment to being home has gone so far. Hopefully it continues to go
smoothly, especially as Scott returns to work next week.
I feel so incredibly blessed to have this little girl join
our family. She has such a sweet, timid personality and is such a good baby. She
is perfect! She is so loved by her big sister, who smothers her with kisses
everyday. I can’t help but feel overwhelmed by the love I feel for her, Chloe,
and Scott. I was nervous before Reagan was born that I wouldn’t be able to love
her enough, or the same as I love Chloe. I realize now how ridiculous that was.
I am so lucky to have another little girl who I love with all my heart.
