day three.

And so midnight came and went, now it was the 7th. I was so frustrated. My contractions were getting more and more intense. I was about ready to ask for the epidural. Seriously, I was sure this was it! And then all of the sudden, the pain stopped. The contractions didn't. But they weren't near as intense. I had the nurse check me again...nothing. I really didn't know what to think or to do. I was in tears. Seriously, how could I labor this long and not have a baby. No one really knew why nothing would work. They just kept saying, "We are doing something unnatural for the body." Yeah, did they realize I was already overdue, and having contractions...it wasn't unnatural, it was unnatural to have a baby inside forever! So, after I had my little tantrum, I fell asleep.

When I woke up to have the nurse check me, I was FINALLY a 2. Yes, only a 2, but hey, it was something. But, since the contractions were regular, they didn't start me on pitocin right a way. And then...finally...the pain started coming with the contractions. And it didn't stop. It got worse. I was so happy. I haven't ever been so excited to feel pain as I was that morning. I almost got giddy everytime I would grip the side of the bed! Sick, I know...but hey, after that long in a hospital gown with no baby, I was ready. Very, very ready. 

The pain was getting so bad, that I was ready for an epidural. I was only a two, but it was time. There was a c-section scheduled at 7:30, but the way nice anesthesiologist squeezed me in before. It went in smoothly, it was perfect. And then the pain went away, and I was perfect. Finally, things were happening. I was checked at around noon. AND I WAS A SIX! A SIX! I was so excited. Finally, my body decided to do something. So, we waited for my water to break. The doctors, midwives, and nurses were sure that my water would have to break. I had a lot of it, and it needed to go somewhere. Nothing. The nurse came back about an hour later and I was a nine. But, my water still hadn't broken. The midwife got there and checked me. I was fully dilated and ready, but that dang water still was intact, and her head still hadn't dropped. 

It was finally time, and I was still waiting. It was very frustrating. The decided to poke a small hole in the bag of water to slowly break it and let the baby's head drop. The water broke, but her head still wasn't coming down. I started pushing. But then things took an unexpected turn. As her head dropped, so did her heartrate. The midwife very firmly told me, "You HAVE to push, she has to come out now." I looked over at the monitor, and the numbers that had just been reading 156 was now in the low 60s. I panicked. Every one did. There were nurses rushing around calling to get the doctor in with the vacuum to get her out. So I just started pushing. And pushing with all I had, and seconds later she was out! 

She just lay there for a few seconds, "stunned" is how they described. Apparently the umbilical cord was around her neck, preventing her from dropping like normal, and then when she finally did, the cord tightened, causing the sudden heartrate drop. But, she finally started whimpering, and it was the best noise I had ever heard! My baby girl was finally here. And she was perfect. Her head was perfectly round. I overhead the nurses say she looked like a c-section baby because of her perfectly round head that never really was in the birth canal. 

And finally, our family of five became a family of six!