I got to work and I couldn't concentrate! I did everything right- but I was just so anxious and excited that today I could meet my baby girl!! I had only imagined this day and I couldn't believe it was actually happening! I kept thinking to myself that I wasn't really in labor and my body was just tricking me. But against what I was thinking, I REALLY was in labor! I was ringing customers up and I would have 1 or 2 contractions that would take my breath away- I'm sure the customers were thinking I was some freak! After about an hour of recording my contractions- I called my mom to come pick me up because they were coming every 4-6 minutes!
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| I Kept Track of My Contractions on the Back of a Coupon That Was Sitting on the Registers |
I had packed my hospital bags a few days earlier so my mom was able to just put them in the car so we could head strait there -Handy! We got up to the Labor and Delivery floor and they brought me right into a room. The nurse hooked me up to a heart monitor that monitored Kinley's heart and a contraction monitor that- you guessed it- monitored my contractions. I LOVED hearing her heart beat! It made me really happy to know she was doing so well and to know she would be here any minute! The contraction monitor was cool to watch also! (Maybe it's the inner-nerd) I loved seeing how big the contractions were and sometimes I could see one coming before I actually felt it. It was kind of like a game. The contractions weren't too painful when I first got there, but they gradually got worse.
The nurse had us go down to the cafeteria to eat some dinner before they officially admitted me because once I was admitted, I could only eat gross hospital food! My mom and I made our way down there- Me sportin' my hospital gown! We got some yummy salads and those dang contractions kept coming stronger. We would be having a conversation and every couple of minutes I had to have everything quiet so that the contraction could pass, then everything could back to normal and we would carry on with our conversations. Throughout my whole labor and delivery, I was really sensitive to sound.
I had to go to the bathroom so bad when we were eating dinner so I had to to rush to find a bathroom before I peed my pants...well gown! The first bathroom I found was locked so I literally ran (waddled) to the next closest one. I somehow managed to NOT pee myself-Miracle! I had the most painful contraction though. It literally knocked me over and I was on the floor in the stall- Thinking about it now, how gross haha. My vision went all spotty and I felt really hot. I couldn't move anything! I almost had to call my mom to come get me off the floor. I was so scared! I had never felt anything that painful in my life! I managed to stand up and walk out the pain and find my mom back in the cafeteria.
We decided to go back up to the room so that I didn't have any other falling incidences and so that I could be officially admitted and we could get this show on the road! They checked my cervix (OUCH) and the doctor admitted me. I called Nicole and Toby to tell them they could get in the car and make their trip from Salt Lake to Grand Junction. I also called my sister, Jaala because she had to make an 8 hour commute from Las Vegas! My sister, Charnae was in a wedding about 10 minutes away so when she was able to pry herself from that- she hustled right on over. My dad and bishop came to give me a blessing before the crazy labor started. It was such a surprise because I hadn't been planning to have one at all. It was calming and it comforted me to know that priesthood blessings worked even in the hospital when you are about to give birth! They gave me a blessing and left shortly after because the contractions were coming even stronger.
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| My Last Belly Picture I Had Taken When I Was Admitted |
I had a movie on- but the sound of the movie was so annoying when I would have a contraction- so we shut that crap off very soon. My whole plan was to not get an epidural, so we had a list of ways to distract from the pain. I tried the birthing ball (an oversized bouncy ball) for a while until it was too uncomfortable. My mom gave me a back massage- which helped for about 20 minutes- but her touching me got a little annoying. The Labor/Delivery room I was in, had a big bathtub jacuzzi that I really wanted to try. The nurse set it all up and filled it for me. (how nice). By that time- Charnae got to the hospital. It was pretty funny because she showed up in her bridesmaid dress she had worn for the wedding. So I was in a hospital gown and she was in a bridesmaid gown.
I got in the hot tub and that helped a lot! The hot water relaxed me and took the edge off of the pain. I sat in the tub for probably 45 minutes. I had to turn the jets off though, because the sound of them really irritated me. My mom and Charnae were great support and they talked to me and were very patient with me when I told them to be quiet when a contraction came. I got too hot and I started to get back labor so I got out.
Even though I was really sensitive to sound- I always made sure I could hear Kinley's heart beat. The nurse would mute the sound, but I would always tell her to turn it back on or I would do it myself. I just always wanted to know she was doing well and the sound of her heartbeat was the closest I could get to her without her being in the world.
The contractions were getting so painful and every time one would come, my vision got a little hazy and I would toss and turn because there was no way to find comfort. I'm not one to be very dramatic so every contraction, I would get really quiet and tell everyone to be quiet. The nurse had a hard time knowing when I was having one or how painful it was. She kept asking me if I wanted an epidural but I always said no.
The contractions were really painful so I told the nurse I would be able to handle the contractions for another half hour and then I wanted to get the epidural. She said that the epidural would take about that long to be put in and working so she called the anesthesiologist in. We are friends with about 8 anesthesiologists that work at the hospital but none of them were on call that night. So a guy I didn't know was the one who put in the epidural. He had me sign a waiver, which pretty much I signed my life away. He asked me about 500 times if I read the stupid paper and me, being in so much pain, wanted to say 'YES!!! PUT THE DANG NEEDLE IN MY BACK!!' It felt like forever before he was finally putting it in me. I had REALLY painful contractions when he was putting the epidural in. I looked at the chart, and the contractions were going off the chart! I was shaking so bad because of all the adrenalin. I had never felt anything as painful as that before. I was so scared and I didn't know what to do! Luckily I had my mom there to help coach me but most importantly to hold and squeeze. I had the urge to push and that was hard not to do. My mom probably thought I was going to break her because I was squeezing and holding her so tight. The doctor finally got the epidural in and I could feel it taking effect. When the epidural was in, I was dilated to a 9! It seriously was like a wave of relief to be able to think strait and focus on pushing this baby out. I went from hell to being able to laugh and joke again!
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| Epidurals Are Seriously the Best! Dilated To a 9 and My Sense of Humor Was Back:) |
When my epidural was in full effect, my real doctor finally got to the hospital so he was able to check me again and see where I was. I was 100% ready to start pushing a baby out! I couldn't believe it! I had a HUGE smile on my face! I had waited 9 months for this- I was more than ready!
My mom held a mirror so that I could see what was going on down there! The doctor broke my water and within seconds I could see black hair! It was really happening! I was going to have a BABY! Yikes! It took me forever it seemed like to push her out! It was hard becauseI couldn't feel anything! My mom and Charnae held my legs and helped coach me! Finally at 11:01 pm, a cute little face popped out and I remember I looked right at Charnae with the biggest smile! They pulled Kinley the rest of the way out and my mom cut the umbilical cord and they laid her on my chest!
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| My Sister Caught This Kodak Moment When They Laid Kinley on My Chest |
I cried like a baby when I first saw her! I gave her a million kisses! She was crying too but it was the sweetest sound! She was (and still is) perfect! She had the biggest red lips and LOTS of black thick hair! She was everything beautiful I ever imagined her to be! The love I gained for her was so overwhelming! I have never loved anything or anyone this much! I just kept looking at her and couldn't stop staring! They had to pry her from my arms so they could weigh her and measure her! She weighed 6 pounds 8 ounces and was 20 inches long! She was just a tiny thing! My mom held her and my mom was crying and staring at her! It made me so proud to know I made such a beautiful girl! Charnae held her and talked to her!
I had my first visitors about an hour after Kinley was born. My friends Colton and Sierra came together and they held Kinley and we talked a bit. When they left, My good friend, Brynna came and she was able to hold Kinley of course. She ended up staying for a few hours! They moved us up to the recovery floor to settle down for the night. I still couldn't believe I had just given birth to this baby!! My adrenaline was still pumping and I didn't want to sleep at all! I had the biggest joy in my arms and I didn't want to miss a second!
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