Remembering Sofia's birth.

Sofia was born February 16th, 2004 at 3:04 am. She weighed7lbs 8 ozs.
I had my membranes stripped on friday the 13th..... I was at 3cm.
I woke up the night of the 15th to contractions which were more painful than I thought they should be, but they were coming only every 1/2 hour, so I could still sleep between them. I knew I'd be in labor the next day. I woke up at about 8am, and the contx were still 1/2 hour apart. By 11am, I was ready to get things moving, so Alex, Olivia and I decided to walk to the store and then the post office to see if that might help progress me. Contx were then anywhere between 5 and 8 minutes apart. We walked about 1/2 block when I had a contx that had me doubled over in pain. Alex thought that we should bring Olivia to her friends house, and we should run our errands in the car, then go to the hospital. I agreed.
We got to the hospital with contx every 4-6 minutes at about 12:30pm. I was checked and the doctor told me I was at 3 almost 4cm, and that I couldn't possibly be in labor. My cervix wasn't ready, he said. He sent me home, defeated. I knew I was in labor, but I stayed home from 1:30 to 6:30. I didn't want to go back to the hospital to get sent home again. I was in the bath for the last 2 hours at home. Contx were every 4 minutes and I was crying through them. Alex was with me the whole tome. Alex told me it was time to go back to the hospital, so we went.
At the hospital, I was still crying with the contx, trying to breathe, but was so frustrated because I was afraid of being sent home again. The nurse saw my pain, and didn't even put me in triage, just led me to my room. (The first resident checked me and told me I was 10cm and needed to get ready to push.... THAT was freaky! I am glad he was wrong. I was not about ready to push without getting my epi!!) I was checked by my doctor,and I was a good 4-small 5cm.That was discouraging. This was at about 7pm. I was immediately started on an IV and labs were drawn for an epidural. An hour and a half later, I was in heaven. My mom and dad both came to meet us. I labored to 6cm with my epidural, and at about 11:30 I started to feel pressure. The nurse assured me this was normal, and it shouldn't get too bad. It did. By midnight all my feeling was back. I was at 6cm. I also had the urge to push already. They said that it was because the baby was so low, even though my cervix wasn't open enough. It happens sometimes, I guess.
I was contracting every 2 minutes and had about 30 to 45 seconds in between contx with the urge to push too early. I alternated between panic, and good breathing. (I would get checked, a little progress, but not enough in my book... I would get discouraged and panic, cry, forget to breathe.) After a while, I'd be breathing through the contractions. Get checked again, (after thinking that I had to be complete by now) with just a little more progress.. panic again. All the while they were trying new numbing meds in my epidural to see if it would help at all. It didn't. I had to fight the urge to push for 3 hours. It was the most excruciating pain I have ever felt. Alex, my mom, dad and my nurse were all amazing and made me feel so strong. It's because of them that I made it. During my last 2 contractions before they let me push, I KNEW I was complete. It's amazing how strong that urge to push was. The good side is that she was out within 3 contractions because she was already so low. Pushing was scary. It felt good to push with the contractions, but the burning feeling was intense. I was sure I would tear end to end, but I only had 2 small tears, no stitches needed.
They announced she was a girl and put her on my chest while Alex cut the cord. She nursed immediately. While she was nursing the doctor was checking me out and delivered the placenta. Alex said that the DR put his hand right up in there and made sure my uterus was empty. I've heard of that. I did not even know. I didn't feel a thing. Her apgars were 9 and 9. She is beautiful. My father videotaped the birth, and it's amazing. (He got a wonderful angle that wasn't too revealing)
I wasn't sure how I'd feel with my mom and dad there, but I am so glad they were. It was an amazing experience and I don't think I'd even trade even the pain for anything. It's nice to know now that I can do it again, no matter how bad it hurts.
Olivia was extatic when I called her in the morning and told her she had a sister. She desperately wanted her to be a girl. I was so happy to tell her.
She is nursing every 1.5 to 2 hours, co sleeping and I love it! I am so happy, life couldn't get any better. I have been having periods where I just want to cry looking at both of my beautiful daughters, but the tears are pure joy. Life is amazing. I am making my birth announcements, and found a quote for the bottom.. I'm sure you've all seen this one:

Before you were conceived I wanted you
Before you were born I loved you
Before you were here an hour I would die for you
This is the miracle of love. -Maureen Hawkins

Being a mother is absolutely what life is all about. I love everything about Sofia and Olivia.