And We're Back!!

Just a short 2 year hiatus from blog posts...sorry about that, life got in the way, as they say.

Our sweet Elaine was born April 7th, and I found myself revisiting this blog to see what TR was doing @ a month old, 2 months, etc.  So, I figured why not record how Elaine is doing as well.  So, without further ado....

Elaine Evalena Ziegler was born at 6:57pm on Sunday, April 7, 2013.  We were 39 weeks 5 days, and didn't think this one was coming anytime soon.  Her brother was 8 days late, so as ready as we were, I was trying to stay patient and wait to go past my due date.  I was surprised when I woke up that Sunday morning with a painful contraction, went for a long walk, had a few more on and off that morning, and they subsided.  I mentioned to Thad about the different contractions, but not to get his hopes up because they could be nothing.  Well...that set the excitement wheels in motion, and before long, he'd texted everyone that I was having contractions.  Can't blame him for being excited, but I just didn't want the pressure.  So...we just went about the day.  Went to Starbucks, managed through a few tantrums thrown by TR the Toddler.  Went for a walk around the neighborhood, and asked Lynn to pick up TR after his nap so we could just rest and hang out.

Uncle Sammy & sweet girlfriend Caroline swung by San Antonio on their way home from Austin to have lunch with us.  We hadn't seen Sam in a while and hadn't met Caroline yet, so it was a great distraction from the several contractions I was excitedly hiding from everyone.  After they left, I laid down for a nap and was woken up by yet another painful contraction around 2:30pm.  I had a couple more, so decided I should probably start timing them - surprisingly, they were 6-7mins apart!  Lynn came over as planned to pick up TR, and while I was managing through contractions, they were starting to pull my focus.  She left with the Bird around 4, and I knew it was time to get in the bathtub.

This time around, I was convicted to go without an epidural and wanted to labor at home as long as possible with Thad and our Doula, Salli.  So, there I was, practicing my breathing exercises, relaxing in the tub, staring at the green leaves up in the "Treehouse" as we call our upstairs master bedroom & bathroom.  We had spa music playing, Thad was next to me timing contractions, and everything was completely calm & serene.  As contractions started to get more and more intense, we made a call to the OB on call to let them know that we would most likely be coming to the hospital to have this baby soon.  We asked Salli when she should come and she responded with "Whenever you need me."  Although this sounds like an arbitrary response...there was a definite distinction when the time came that we needed her.  She arrived at 6ish and we decided to have her check and see how far dilated I was to determine if we needed to go to the hospital.  By this time, contractions were very intense and required complete focus and breathing techniques. Just getting on the bed for her to check me was a major accomplishment.  As she started, my water broke and Salli exclaimed that "You're complete, we need to go to the hospital now."  Side note:  Salli is very cool, calm & collected.  So, "now" means NOW!

Well, as i mentioned, we were upstairs, and the thought of getting myself downstairs seemed utterly impossible.  I made it downstairs, but then had an overwhelming urge to push.  Thad saw the look in my eyes saying "I can't make it, let's just stay home", and he grabbed my arm, threw it around his neck and basically carried me to the car.  We sped down Broadway, got on I-410, sped down the open highway, and when we got to Fredricksburg Road, I said to Thad "You can NOT stop this car until we get to the hospital.  I don't care if you have to run red lights and drive around people, but this baby is coming now!" 

Thad pulled up to the first hospital entrance he saw, grabbed someone with a badge and a wheelchair and we began to RUN to Labor & Delivery.  We got to a room with no sheets on the bed.  They got me into a gown and began an IV.  I was positive for Group B Strep, so I knew I needed antibiotics during labor.  After a few minutes of people buzzing around me turning things on, getting my vitals, my body said that it was GO time, so I exasperatedly asked "When can I push?!"  I heard a calm voice next to me saying "Just do what your body is telling you to do."  Sweet Salli - you can always count on her to be the calming force in the room.  So, Dr. Mark Hedges came in and directed me to give a strong, slow push, and 3 pushes later, she was born!  11 Minutes after arriving to the hospital  Thad and I gave a sigh of relief and disbelief and then I heard the nurse say "Don't you want to know what it is?"  And the next thing I know, Thad is saying "It's a girl!  We have a baby girl!  We have a daughter!"  What a moment.

I held her for only a few seconds, until they whisked her off to the NICU for a pneumothorax (ruptured lung) and antibiotics due to my GBS+.  It wasn't the ideal situation, but I'm trying not to dwell on it, and just remember that I have the healthiest, happiest baby girl God could have ever given us.

This experience is not one I will ever forget.  Laboring in the bathtub, looking at the trees, feeling my powerful body doing what it already knew how to do, feeling Thad's confidence in me, laughing with him during early labor, and then pushing her out without anything numbing the mental or physical experience.  I loved every bit of it, and would do it again in a heartbeat.