Hi ladies!

I wasn't going to do a "birth story", so it may be scattered, but I definitely wanted to put down how everything's gone so far.....as I definitely never want to forget this!

My EDD was Oct 13, with an M/C before this pregnancy, a level drop in March (HCG was being monitored every 7 days, I began dropping after having crazy high levels early in this pregnancy), end of March/early April a weekend in hospital with a hemorrhage, some family stress from April to September that no one should have to ever go through ever, and then finishing the pregnancy on sick leave for 6 weeks, this pregnancy had been a bit of a roller coaster! If any of you read October Mama's thread, or belly pics, know I had a lot of fun (literally!) with pregnancy weight gain, starting weight of 140lbs, got to 196lbs, just shy of my 200lb goal!

Back to baby! I thought all along she would be late, and one of my bffs from university/university roommate had asked me to be one of her bridesmaids -her wedding date? October 20, 8 hours from home. I said I would love to go the 20th, to not only share that special day but "really" have the excuse to miss the wedding.

Ok progress at my 37+ week appointments, and at my appt at 40+4 we scheduled induction for today, October 23, 8pm!

....someone else had plans of her own!

DH and I were out for dinner Thursday night (18th!) and contractions began as we had a great evening, they were inconsistent and I figured nothing would come of them! I was having 6-8 an hour, varying length, and they continued through the night. I got some sleep, and in the morning, still so inconsistent said to DH...head to work!

Off he goes, and my only plan for the day was to rest, and I did have a biophysical U/S scheduled for 1pm. I went, contractions were AWFUL laying on my back for the U/S but everything looked ok, and home I could go. I stopped in at L&D since I was already there "just to see" if I was right in going home and everything being ok so far! I was still walking and talking through them, nurse said she'd take me in and check me, but really, going home and progressing more was probably best! I agreed, headed home, and waited for DH to get home. Driving through contractions? Not safe....!

My body must have known when he got home, kicked into gear and contractions got long, strong and consistent!!

We decided at 8pm, Friday night we'd head to the hospital! My "birth plan" was go in with an open mind, natural would be cool, but if not, open to whatever seemed to be the best as we went through labour!

Upon arrival to the hospital, I was incapable of being human through the contractions, it was awwwful! Nothing of what we learned in birthing class was helping, and it was just incredible to be in that much pain! I think I would have said before all this I am pretty tolerant person, and have no issues taking pain so to speak....but this labour business whooped my butt!

I was admitted and when we finally got the room (the walk from being admitted to the room included two contraction stops, ha!) they asked if I wanted some morphine.....I was a little hesitant, but at this point knew I wasn't likely near as progress as I could have hoped for, and thought it might be best.....morphine in!

Morphine did zero....zip...nada....no help....I began throwing up through contractions, had zero hope in heck controlling my breathing I was so panicked in pain and things were not going well! The nurse said that the epidural would likely help, and since I had been checked, was only 4cm and was more than happy to have the epi to help me through the pain.

WHAT HEAVEN!!!!

Got the epi around 11pm. The worst part of it was curling my back and into a pillow, I couldn't breathe and was told to stay still so couldn't adjust to get air. After it began to set in, DH and I then decided we were going to hit the hay, we snuggled in, and got an awesome few hours sleep, I honestly have no idea how I would have gotten through labour alive, and then onto pushing had I not had it.....! At about 5:30am, October 20th, I was fully dilated and ready to think about pushing. My doctor was there, but sleeping, so the nurse went to wake her to notify her that we were good to go.

There was a slight delay, but I guess no real urgency at that point for my doctor to get into our room, but I said to DH....you need to go get someone, I need to push! That sensation was incredible....I don't think I paid enough attention somewhere along the line, I never did expect it to feel like I needed to poop so badly, I expected the pain to be more forward in my lady parts! I asked the nurse how many people poop themselves.....apparently my modesty hadn't completely gone out the window, she told me 9/10 don't, last check on me I had nothing in there anyways and would probably be fine....I decided to believe her, and we were totally ok in that department!

Just after 6am we really got going with the pushing. I had DH on my right (who kept leaning on my IV, owwie!), my doctor (I had a family doctor through pregnancy, and for the delivery!) at my bottom, and a nurse on my left. 7am was shift change -it was super distracting to swap nurses, but 7am onward nurse was an incredible pushing coach, that was really, really cool!

sidenote...throughout pushing, DH would offer water, someone would grab something for me and I was always very "yes please", "no thank-you" typical me, I try to be polite. At one point a nurse stuck her head in the room and asked if the paramedic students could watch.....with not a moment of hesitation I spat out "F%^& NO" and everyone burst out laughing at my potty mouth.....that was the answer to that question! Honestly had it been earlier, maybe, but I think we were about 15-20 mins from baby!

Doctor, DH and nurse kept telling me I was doing great, but I couldn't figure out if they were just being nice, or if I was actually doing well. I said to DH at dinner on the 18th that beyond happy and healthy, I would be disappointed if she didn't have any hair, no real reason, was just really hoping for a thick, dark mop of hair like I have! Well....the comments began, and they haven't stopped! DH, Doc and nurse began saying "look at all the hair" as she progressed, and I still wasn't sure I believed them! When she crowned and I got the point where I had to hold my pushing, that was the best part for me, it was the most insane feeling ever feeling her move outside of me, until that point it was just a boatload of pressure. I did the stop, go, stop, go, stop, go pushing and suddenly my doctor had her in her arms! That was pretty dang awesome....!! DH cut the cord, she had a low, sobbing cry, and holy crap....we had our baby!!!

She weighed 9lbs, 1oz, 22.5"! Arrived at 7:46am.

They didn't really tell me, but there were some complications with me delivering the placenta. That was the most awful part of it all, it was an awful hour post-delivery trying to get it out, pushing, pain, awfulness. I had a few stitches done as baby Beebug was tended to by two baby nurses!

I got DH to get to my phone and asked him to message my friend, I needed my bff getting married to know she had arrived....sure enough the timing of him sending the message, she had just gotten her make up done....whoops! Needed a little touch up!!

Baby Beebug remained nameless for a couple hours following delivery! We struggled with names through the entire pregnancy, and apparently even once she was here, we were no better!! As she latched on for her first nursing session, DH sat down with me, and we went through the lists we'd made and tried to give this little girl a name! Crossed names off and got to a "final" list of six. I said to DH I had two of those names that were my picks and he could pick from there! Her name is Chelsea, and her middle name is Karen -my moms name!

Every shift change, every person that sees her for the first time, the hair comments are just hilarious, she needed a haircut (kidding!) before we left the hospital!

We came home early Sunday afternoon, and she has been doing great! Nursing well, and we are settling in and finding our way!

Here are a few pics