June 8th, 2011

I met the love of my life.

The absolute most gorgeous 6lb 3oz baby girl who has proven to me that even after every single thing i've been through in life, I am capable of believing in love. I never believed in "love at first sight"... until I held her for the first time.

Tuesday, June 7th - I started having contractions at around 8 AM, they were uncomfortable and pretty steady. I had my 40 week checkup that day at 1:45pm so I figured I would just wait till then and see what they said. As my appt neared the contractions got more intense to where I finally had my sister call the office and see if they could squeeze me in early if possible. We showed up and waited for the Dr. My Dr I had seen throughout the whole time was out of the office and I was seen by a partner of his. He told me my cervix was soft but that I hadn't dilated any. He gave me a perscription for ambien to help me sleep that night and sent me home to contract it out some. I got home, sat in the tub for awhile, paced, laid down, stood up, wallered around until finally around 5PM I absolutely had all I could take of the pain. Mama brought me up to the hospital and we went through the ER.

They bring me to L&D and set me up in a room, they monitor me and obviously my contractions were getting intense, extremely intense as time went on. I was only a centimeter when they checked me. My nurse at the time Beth told me it was likely I would be sent home because I wasnt dilated very much. I almost had a fit. I told her I needed to stay, I couldn't go home. Dr Vasquez called my Dr. (Dr. Dueno) & he was told to admit me and keep me. I LOVED Beth & Dr. Dueno for that. I was given meds to take the edge off, they helped some but I was in pain and labored all night.

The next morning (the 8th) around 4 AM, Dr Vasquez and a nurse come in, wake me up- they break my water, hook me up to pitocin and order my epidural, I was 2-3cm. When my water was broke there was meconium. Because I was overdue they said she'd already passed a bowel movement. You hear about that and you know it's bad for the baby. Here I was drugged up and confused, thinking something could be wrong with her, I was upset. Thank goodness for my amazing bff, she had my nurse Shay (who was absolutely amazing) explain everything to me and calm me down :)  

I give all kinds of credit and props to women who go through labor without the drugs, me.. I couldnt do it. My contractions were so intense my body wouldnt let me catch a break. The first time they checked me I was at 3-4 centimeters, time passed I slept some.. a few hours go by and i'm at 7 cm. They told me it as probably going to take a little while till I was full 10. Not even twenty mins later I kept feeling this immense feeling of pressure. Probably the funniest thing I said the entire time was when I looked at Wendy & Ashly and said "my butt hurts and it's not from Tacos"... total inside joke. I told Shay that my right buttcheek felt like it was on fire. She checked me again and I was 9 and 3/4, my next contraction I was 10.

She asked if I wanted to start pushing and I did. We pushed until I was crowning then called Dr. Gerrard and the NICU team in. After 15, yes just 15 minutes of pushing at 1:59 PM - McKinleigh Renee Bridges weighing 6lbs 3 oz and 18 1/2 inches long was born. They cut her cord and the NICU team took her to the warmer and checked her out. I heard her cry and bawled... It was like an immense damn of emotions just burst and I couldn't hold it back any longer. When she was all cleaned and bundled up they brought her over to me to finally see her. I cried, even more. She was beautiful, breathtaking and mine <3.

The NICU Nurses

Nurse Shay <3

One day old :)