Like Gavin and Camden I started to have contractions 2 weeks before little miss Avery arrived. I had a doctors appointment on Wednesday and against my better judgement I had the midwife check me. I was dilated to a 3. I was never checked prior to labor with the other three. This just made me go crazy. I kept wondering if today is the day. Never again! On Friday, I started to really feel the contractions become stronger as I walked Brent to school in the morning. I had plans to go with Becky and Robin to Bay Cities Deli in Santa Monica for lunch so I was hoping this little one wouldn't come. We enjoyed our lunch! Later in the evening they got stronger and stronger so we headed to the hospital. The nurse and midwife checked me and I was still dilated to a 3. This was good news for Ryan because he had to coach Brent's baseball team in the morning.
The next day we went about our usual activity. We had baseball in the morning and in the afternoon I went on a long walk. Every step I took I felt like she was going to fall out. I had to pee twice on my walk, stopping at Whole Foods and McDonald's. By now this is reminding me of Brent's Birth Story. On Sunday my contractions were still the same. My family went to church without me. I went on another long walk but in the opposite direction as the day before. My contractions started to get stronger later in the evening. After pacing the living room and hall for awhile I decided to get some sleep. I don't know how much I really got but around 2 am I called a friend to come stay with the kids so we could go to hospital.
We arrived at the hospital around 3 am. We were check in and given a room. Right away the nurse, Lorraine wanted to hook me up to monitor my contractions and baby's heart rate. It took her awhile to find a good spot to monitor the baby's heart rate. Then I remembered that she is very active when I lay down. So I lied in the bed for an hour so they could get a good reading. Then it seemed like my contractions stopped but actually they didn't. The midwife came in to check me and low and behold it was Anne, who delivered my other 2 that I had at UCLA. By the way she is retired and what are the chances of her just happening to be filling in for someone. How awesome is that! I was at a 6 but she said she could stretch my cervix to what ever number.
Anne remembered from Camden that I go fast once my water is broken. So a little before 6am she broke my water and I started to walk the halls. Ryan and I adventured outside the labor and delivery halls but soon returned to my room because of all the fluid leaking down my legs and onto the floor. I decided we should just walk up and down the hall right outside the delivery room. At this point I needed something to distract me so I put in my headphones for my iPod and started to listen to Lady Antebellum. I always wondered why there were railings on the walls in labor and delivery hallways. Now I know. When I was getting close to pushing my contractions got so intense that it caused my legs to hurt and go weak so I needed something to hold on to. Thank you railings!
I had Ryan go and tell them it was time but they were in another labor room. The nurse told Ryan they would be here in minute. By the time the labor and delivery team got there and was ready for me I had already pushed once while standing up. I cant remember if it was 2 or 3 pushes later Avery was born with the cord around her neck and cover in vernix (white slime). I was given pitocin after delivery as a precaution because I needed it before with Camden's delivery. I am so glad this little girl is here! And of course she had to wait to be born on a Monday like all of her siblings.
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