Gabrielle's Birth Story

I had my amnio a week ago today, got the results mid morning Tuesday, and was scheduled for a 10 a.m. induction on Wednesday. I thought it was kind of cool that although Gabrielle wasn't due on the 26th (like ALL of my other babies) she would be born on the 26th (unlike her sisters). It was very different driving to the hospital, nervous, but completely pain free. There was a lot of northbound traffic due to an accident--right next to the hospital exit of course--that required three lanes of traffic to merge into one. We were half an hour late and I was so afraid they would make me reschedule. Luckily they didn't. I'm not sure my nerves could have handled one more day of waiting.

The midwife broke my water at 11:15. It was painful which it never was when it broke naturally with the other girls (I'm sure they broke it with Jacob, but I can't remember--it's a bit of a blur). At 11:45 I got my IV in preparation for the all-important epidural. Happily the nurse only had to stick me once (Laina's nurse took three tries).

I got my beloved epidural around 1:20 p.m., admittedly before I even felt painful contractions. I figured why wait if they were willing to give it to me and I was really nervous of the delays I experienced with Alaina. That time I didn't get my painkillers till about three hours after I started requesting them. They started the pitocin around 1:40 and somewhere in that mix they started me on oxygen because as the midwife said, "baby's like it."

Turns out Gabrielle didn't like the pitocin-induced contractions. She kept having a "variable heart rate" so the nurse turned it off. Luckily she responded just fine to my natural contractions which turned out to be more regular and frequent anyway.

.

We settled in for a long wait. Andrew even played Phase 10 with me. Midway through our card game, though I started to feel a lot of pain on my left side only. The epidural had settled so much on my right side that I could not move my right leg (not until after the baby was born) and the left side was no longer numb. In addition to that the baby was facing the wrong way so I experienced back labor (well, half of me of anyway) for about an hour until I got another special dose of epidural.

.

The midwife seemed slightly annoyed that I managed to get more drugs. She was concerned that I wouldn't feel pressure when it was time to push and said she needed me to "lay off the epidural" for a bit. Whatever. I had a little button that allowed me to administer additional as needed doses and you can bet I used it.

When I finally did feel like pushing the midwife was busy delivering another baby. The nurse asked if I would mind having a doctor deliver the baby. I said I didn't care who delivered the baby. I would take whoever got there first. After the doc arrived things went pretty well. Gabrielle had turned so she was facing the appropriate way, she came out without a cord around her neck and cried right away (as opposed to her two sisters).

.

Somehow I forgot how purplish-gray and cone-headed babies are when they first come out.

I was SO relieved to hear her cry that I was kind of nervous when she stopped crying and kept asking the nurses if she was still breathing.

Pre-cleanup baby: Post cleanup baby:

Andrew had guessed that this baby would be born with dark hair. I said, no way, she'll be bald like the rest. I'm glad he was right. It's fun to have some variety. So far we think she looks like me, but that could just be the hair. I was also born with a nice amount of dark hair.Proud Papa:

Gabrielle didn't pass her first hearing test which made us kind of nervous. Andrew was only nervous for a few hours though because I forgot to tell him about it for a whole day. Happily she passed on her second try.

.

She seems to have attached lobes like me (and long feet, fingers, and toes). I'm sure we'll see some Nielson in her later, but so far we just notice the Barnes side. Happy and relieved, not yet sleep-deprived:

Daddy always picks the girl's going home outfit:

He also always dresses them in his chosen outfit:

Andrew was very ready to leave the hospital. He gets bored and he hates his sleeping arrangements. I keep reminding him that I managed to sleep just in fine in a similar chair bed while I was five months pregnant (when Alaina was hospitalized last January). He reminds me that he has broader shoulders than I do. I would stay in the hospital for a week if they would let me. Yes it's boring during the day, but I love the built-in babysitting, especially at night.

We feel so blessed to have another little baby girl in our family. Thank you to all our family and friends for your prayers and support. Thank you espeically to Nana for coming up to help and for Tricia, Wendi, Michelle, Sharon, Sarah, and Kristen for watching Alaina so I could make it to my many non-stress tests.