Charli's Story

I love to read birth stories and for Charli's sake here is her birth story.

I was feeling really lucky having the last few weeks of my pregnancy over the Holidays. I was so busy and with so much going on I didn't have any time to sit and feel sorry for myself that I was huge and pregnant! I went to my Dr's appointment on the 21st and was dilated to a 2. I had a little bit of anxiety of being in the hospital over Christmas and did not want that to happen. I told Brenden if this baby does not come by the 22nd I do not want her coming until after the 25th! After going to the Doctor on the 21st I felt pretty confident I would make it until my induction date on the 30th. My doctor told me to get some contractions coming because he would be on call the next day and then after that he was on vacation. Ya right I thought. He had me schedule another appointment for Monday after Christmas and said I could hope the Doctor I saw would be concerned that I was still measuring small and not growing and maybe induce me. I held onto that hope and went home and continued to get last minute stuff ready for Christmas and wash some baby clothes.



Sure enough I awoke to some pain around 1:00 AM. You know when you are so tired that you don't know if you really feel something or not? Yes, that was what it was. Sure enough more came. I got up and started doing some house work, because who can really stay in bed when you have that much adrenalin running thinking you maybe going into labor and thinking about what your body is about to go through? I wanted to make sure they were for real, but didn't want to wait too long. I had a short labor with Cason and was very worried this one maybe short also. I wanted to make it to the hospital! Once I decided they were for real I called Brenden's sister Krissy to see if she could come stay with the boys. Luckily she answered right away and came right over. I ran got dressed and threw my clothes in a bag and clothes for baby! By the time she arrived I was in pain and knew for sure this was real! I about died the whole way to the hospital and was so afraid I was not going to make it. These contractions hurt way worse than with Cason. FYI: My contractions never really hurt with Cason and I had him extremely fast once I made it to the hospital, so you can only imagine what was going through my head. Contractions 1 min apart and they hurt!



We made it to the hospital and I ran as fast as I could all the way to the birthing center, which is pretty far! Once we made it up there and they put me in an exam room. I was pretty much freaking out since I had my last son very quick in that same exam room! Once I told the nurse that she kicked it into high gear and wow, they went to work fast and told me I was dilated to a 3! A three! With Cason I was a 7 and the next thing I knew he was born! I felt kind of stupid but was in so much pain I knew I was not going anywhere! The contractions kept coming stronger and stronger, shorter and shorter apart and I thought I can not do this natural again!! They had to get some antibiotics in me because I had Group B Strep. That took awhile to get going all the while the contractions never stopped. I asked for my epidural, but they would not give me one until I had one dose of antibiotics in me. You are supposed to have 3 doses of antibiotics, but the way I was contracting that was not going to happen. Finally I couldn't take it anymore I demanded Brenden go get my nurse and tell her I need an epidural now! I was still in an exam room, because as they stated, "there was no room in the inn!" They were cleaning a room for me! They wanted me to wait until I made it to my room to get an epidural. Well, my room was cleaned and my antibiotic in me and they wheeled me down to my room and I was ready for my epidural! A friend of my parents gave me my epidural and it was pure heaven after that! I was dilated to a 9 after my epidural! You would think I could have just done it natural, but oh no! It is amazing to me how each labor can be different. If this one was like Cason's I for sure could have done it natural again, but oh no, I don't think I ever could have! The rest was just like a vacation..sweet memories of little Charli Lyn entering the world at 4:49 am. We were trying to convince Brenden to cut the cord. He didn't think he could, but then Charli came out with the cord around her head so the Doctor had to hurry and unwrap and cut it! He got off the hook. I do have to say the 3rd times a charm. He was a great coach this time! We thought my mom would probably be there to help, but unfortunately her and Hayley were both gone for the night and next day to Oregon to a funeral. I had a great time trying to get them to answer the phone that morning to tell them the baby was here! Needless to say they were shocked. We didn't think little Charli would come two weeks early, but it was amazing and so exciting to have her two weeks early. We have been having so much fun having this sweet little girl in our family! The boys were shocked to wake up and find out they had a new baby sister. We told them she would be here after Christmas, so they were beyond excited. The excitement hasn't dwindled either.