The first few days.

Since it was already after 10pm when I had Sage, it was after midnight by the time they got me into my postpartum room. Gairod got me some food (I hadn't eaten anything that morning, because I was too nervous, so I was STARVING!), and headed home. He was exhausted, and wanted to get somewhat of a good sleep in our own bed!

Sage was AWESOME the first night! I had to wake her up to nurse her, because she would have just kept on sleeping!! So the next day, I was feeling surprisingly well rested. Gairod came up late morning, and my grandma came up around the same time, and stayed for a short visit.

Normally after an uncomplicated vaginal delivery, they send you home after 24 hours, but because it was so late when I had Sage, they let me stay another night. I wanted the kids to come up and see their new sister, so late afternoon, Gairod went home and got them. They were all thrilled, and so excited to hold her!!

Hayden holding Sage

Kadance holding Sage

Cole holding Sage

Jade holding Sage

They didn't stay for very long, because the kids were bouncing off the walls! lol! A little bit later that evening, my mom came up for a visit. After she left, I figured I would feed Sage, and settle in for another restful night.

Sage had other plans! She was up fussing almost the whole night!! I literally got about an hour of sleep. She was really gassy, and just would NOT settle! I guess it served me right for thinking things would go as smoothly as the night before! lol!

So needless to say, I was very tired Thursday morning, and ready to go home! They discharged me around 11am, so I called Gairod to come and get me. By the time we got home, it was 1pm. Gairod's mom had just put the kids down for a nap, and since I was exhausted, I decided to lay down for an hour too!

Birth Story!

Tuesday, September 29th, I had an induction scheduled for 9:30am. I woke up that morning cramping, and having some bloody show!! When we got to the hospital, they hooked me up to the monitors, to check the baby's heart rate, and see if I was having any contractions. By this time, I was feeling some mild contractions, and the monitor was picking them up! So they monitored me for about half and hour, and everything was good. Then we just had to wait for the doctor to come and insert the catheter!

At 11:00am, the doctor finally got there. She checked me, and I was a finger tip dilated, about 50% effaced, and quite soft. She inserted the catheter. For anyone who doesn't know, what they do, is they insert a catheter into your cervix that is closed at one end. They fill it with saline, creating a balloon which starts to put pressure on your cervix, hopefully releasing your own natural hormones, which cause you to start dilating. When you reach 3cm, the catheter will either fall out when you stand, or it will come out easily if they tug on it gently. This can take SEVERAL hours, it depends on how ripe you are, and how ready your body is to go into labour. Because I was already starting early labour, they were quite confident that it wouldn't take too long.

At about 11:30am, they transferred me to antipardom, since like I said, it can take a long time, so they didn't want me taking up space in labour and delivery. They monitored me for half an hour again, and I was noticing my contractions getting stronger and more frequent. At noon they took me off the monitors, and said that they would come back in 2 hours to monitor me again. So we sat and waited.

At 2:00pm, I was on the monitors again, and I was definitely noticing my contractions getting closer, about 3 - 6 minutes apart, and stronger - to the point that I was starting to concentrate and breath through them. So at 2:30pm, when the nurse came back, she gave a little tug on the catheter, and it easily came out! So they transferred me to Labour and Delivery!!

When I got to labour and delivery, they started an IV, and got me on the monitors again. They said that because I was VBAC, they had to monitor me for most of my labour. At 3:40pm, the doctor came in and checked me. I was at 3cm! Then she broke my water, and said that things should start moving right along!

My contractions were getting quite strong, and I was really having to concentrate and breath through them. They hadn't checked me in quite a while, so when they finally did at 6:20pm, I was REALLY hoping for some good progress, like AT LEAST 5cm. I was only 4cm. That discouraged me, but the nurse explained that from 3 - 4cm can take the longest, but since I was now at 4cm, I was in "active labour" and things should start picking up!

I had told them that with Jade I transitioned really fast. I was stuck at 7cm for quite a few hours, but they figured that her head was in a weird position, and once she shifted, I went from 7cm, to she was out, in 13 minutes. Because of this, my nurse was quite confident that I would transition fast with this labour too. She figured that I would have the baby before her shift was over at 11pm. I wasn't quite so convinced, but was hoping she was right!

They checked me again at 7:45pm, and I was 4 - 5cm. Again, I was really hoping that I would be farther along! I was starting to get even more discouraged. My contractions were getting more and more painful, and I was REALLY hoping for a drug-free delivery, but I wasn't sure how much longer I could go for! The nurse kept on trying to get me to try different positions, saying that changing positions would help speed things up, but the most comfortable position for me was reclining in bed. I was mainly feeling pain in my lower uterus, and the tops of my legs, so I wanted to take any excess pressure off of those areas. I was so tired, that I was almost falling asleep between contractions, and they were only a couple of minutes apart! With each contraction I would squeeze Gairod's hand, breath, and try to concentrate on seeing my baby. As each contraction let up, I would let go of Gairod's hand, and just relax every muscle in my body. At this point I had my eyes closed almost all the time. I felt somewhat disoriented, and was really struggling to keep my thoughts positive.

At 9:00pm, they checked me again. I was 5 - 6cm. By this time I had been tossing around the idea of getting an epidural for a few hours already, and I decided I really wanted to get one. I had no idea how much longer this was going to take, so far I was gaining less than 1cm an hour. So theoretically, we could easily be looking at another 4 hours or more until I got to 10cm, and then who knows how long of pushing!! I was totally exhausted, and in so much pain! I decided that I didn't need to "prove" myself to anyone, and no one really cared if I got an epidural but me. So Gairod told the nurse, and she called the anesthesiologist.

It didn't take long for the anesthesiologist to come, and start getting his stuff ready. I had to sit on the bed, hunched over, which was one of the MOST uncomfortable positions for me! I just kept on telling myself that after a few more contractions, the pain would be gone, and I could enjoy the rest of my labour and delivery! So he started trying to find a spot to put it, and had a hard time finding a good epidural space in my back. He finally found a spot (after SEVERAL painful contractions) and threaded the catheter in. He hit a blood vessel. He said that that happens about 10% of the time. So he had to try and pull it back a bit, to get it out of the blood vessel, without pulling it all the way out of my back. After several more contractions, that were getting even more painful, he thought he had it out of the blood vessel, but wanted to try giving me a bit of the epidural before he finished it all, to see if it was going to work. So I had to wait a few more contractions, still sitting up hunched over, to see if it was going to take effect. By this time my contractions were almost one on top of the other, and I was feeling quite a bit of pressure with them, and almost feeling like I needed to push. The epidural, wasn't working, so the anesthesiologist said he would have to pull it all out, and start all over again, this time with me lying on my side, to see if he could find a better epidural space. This was about 45 minutes after he started the whole process!

I was debating whether or not to let him try again, and the nurse wanted to check me before he did anything else. So I was finally able to lay down again, and with my next contraction I could feel my body starting to push! It was 9:57pm, and the nurse checked me, and I was at 7cm. The doctor was just outside the room and heard me pushing with my last contraction, so she came in to check me as well. She checked me while I was having my next contraction, and said "Your body is ready to push. You are at a 7, but you are just going to push the rest of the cervix away, so you go ahead and push!!" At 10:02pm, only 5 minutes after I was 7cm, I was at 10cm. They had to get me to slow down my pushing while the baby was crowning, so I wouldn't tear too badly. After a few more pushes, my baby girl was born, at 10:06pm!! I beat my old record by going from 7cm to baby out in 9 minutes!!!

Sage Autumn Begg, was born Tuesday September 29th, 2009, at 10:06pm. She was 8lbs 4ozs, and 20 inches long.

I was SOOO shocked that she was a girl!!! I never really had a feeling of what the baby was throughout my pregnancy, but I guess I really was expecting a boy! lol! But I am SOO glad that she is a girl, because in all honesty, that is what I was really hoping for! <3

It's a.........

GIRL!!!!!!!!

Sage Autumn

Born September 29th, 10:06pm
8lbs, 4ozs, 20 inches.

More details and pictures to come!!! :)

24 Hours

When I started this post, it was exactly 24 hours until we have to be at the hospital for my induction. Now it is only 19 1/2!!

I keep flipping back and forth between being anxious and excited! lol! If I think about it too much, I start to get nervous, thinking of all the things that could potentially NOT go the way I want them to. So I am trying not to think about it too much, and just let what happens happen. As long as baby and I both come out healthy, that is all that REALLY matters.

Luckily, I am pretty busy today with getting all the last minute things done (one of the benefits of having a scheduled induction!), such as grocery shopping, laundry, a bit of cleaning, etc. So I really don't have a lot of time to sit and think!

At this time tomorrow, I will hopefully be in labour, making some good progress! I won't have access to a computer at the hospital, so I will have to wait until I get home to update. But as soon as I get a chance, I will let you all know how it all went!!

I can't believe I am actually going to have my baby VERY SOON!!!!

40 weeks, 3 days.

Okay, I am going crazy! This baby needs to hurry up and get here!!! At least I know that if not before, it will be here on Tuesday (or Wednesday)!!

I had a bit of a stressful day yesterday.

A while back, I posted about how my in-laws were going to be away this weekend, at a wedding. Well shortly after we found that out, my mother-in-law changed her mind, and said that if I hadn't had the baby yet, she would stay home (they don't even really know the people who are getting married, so I really don't know why they were planning on going in the first place!!). That made me feel much better, since she is supposed to be watching the kids while we go to the hospital. So I told my mom not to worry about being a back-up, and since then, my sister has started going back to work, and my mom is babysitting Lily most evenings and weekends, so it would be harder for her to come out here and watch the kids anyways (that's a WHOLE different story, and I really don't feel like getting into it right now!).

ANYWAYS, for some reason I was having a bit of an emotional day yesterday, maybe it was because I watched the season premier of Grey's Anatomy while the kids napped, which ALWAYS makes me cry, pregnant or not! lol!

Just as I was getting the kids up to go get Jade from school, my father-in-law stopped by (he ALWAYS stops by at the most inconvenient times!). I was trying to get Hayden to stop crying (he was still tired) and get everyone's shoes on, and my father-in-law says "so, you know we're going to that wedding this weekend, right?" and I said "Yeah, but Lorna's staying home, right?" and he said "No, she's coming now, didn't Gairod tell you?!" I said "NO, what are we supposed to do if I go into labour???" he said "I don't know, I thought Gairod talked to you about it". At this point I was PISSED, and I HAD to leave to get Jade, or I was going to be late, so I was really short with him, and left. I almost started crying as soon as I got into the suburban, I was totally pissed off, and freaking out! I called Gairod on my cell, and he said that Thursday night his dad called him on his way home from work, and said that Kody and Kim really wanted Lorna to come, so that Kim would have someone to talk to and hang out with (besides Durno, Gairod's dad), since Kody is in the wedding party, and they really don't know ANYONE, except the groom! Gairod told him that he would have to talk to me, because he didn't know if my parents would be available or not. But Gairod forgot to talk to me about it Thursday night, and apparently Lorna and Durno just assumed it was fine for them to go.

I was SO pissed off! You don't tell someone you are going to be home and able to watch their kids, and then at the last minute change your mind!! Apparently Kim needing a "friend" to talk to, is much more important then us having someone to watch our kids if I go into labour!! I AM overdue, and statistically, the chances of me going into labour go UP every day that I am late!

Gairod was pissed too, and yesterday before they left, his dad told him to call one of their cell phones if I go into labour, and Gairod said to him "Why? What's the point?? You aren't going to be here anyways!!"

So I talked to my mom, and she said not to worry, she would come out and watch the kids, no matter what time it is, and if she had to, she would just bring Lily out with her! She could probably tell I was holding back tears as I talked to her on the phone, so she was trying to be very reassuring and supportive!

So now I am really hoping to go into labour this weekend, just to spite them! I probably won't and everything will be fine, but it's still the principle of it! Lorna called me before they left yesterday, and said "don't have the baby this weekend", to which I replied "the baby is going to come when it wants to!"

They tried calling this morning, to check up on me, and I purposely didn't answer the phone! I know that's mean, but I am still mad at them, so I'll let them sweat it out for a while, wondering if we are at the hospital!!

40 Week Pictures!

Today I am officially 40 weeks pregnant! (although I just realized yesterday that my doctor has my due date as Sept 22nd, but I am still going with the 23rd, since that is what I have been going with the whole time!)

Anyways, still no sign of baby coming anytime soon, but I guess that can change quickly, right?!? I am SOOO ready to be done (the kids are driving me CRAZY, and it is super hot again, it was 34 degrees today!!), but at the same time I am sad knowing that in less than a week, I WILL be done. I will miss feeling my baby moving inside me, I will miss the nice smiles I get from strangers, and I will miss having a reason to be fat! lol!

40 week prenatal appointment!!

Today I had my 40 week prenatal appointment - my FINAL one!!

Everything is still fine, baby is head down. My uterus is measuring 40 weeks, and baby's heart rate was 140 bpm. He checked me again today, and no change - my cervix is softening, but not doing anything else. My doctor is still confident that I will go into labour on my own, within the next week. BUT, in case that doesn't happen (and I really don't think it will), he booked me in for an induction next Tuesday, September 29th, at 9:30am!!!

I am excited, scared, and nervous, all at the same time! I really wasn't expecting him to book anything today, I thought I would come back for one last prenatal appointment next week and THEN he would book something. Having an actual date makes it all seem so final. I WILL have my baby by next Tuesday (or Wednesday, depending on how long it takes!) I am SOOO happy that he is willing to induce, since so many doctors won't induce a VBAC. He said we will start by inserting a catheter into my cervix, to try and get it dilating. Then if we need to, he will start me on a low dose of pitocin. That makes me SO happy (yes, I KNOW I just said that!)! I didn't think he would use pitocin, but I am glad that he will :)

It's kind of scary and surreal. In some ways I am totally ready, but in others I don't feel ready at all. It also doesn't help that Gairod's work schedule is CRAZY right now, so he would like me to put off having the baby as long as possible. - Yeah, okay honey, I'll just keep it in here for a few more months, until things settle down a bit!! But seriously, I do feel somewhat guilty that I am going to be having a baby right away, and taking him away from work. I know that sounds crazy, but it is just how I feel!

SO, I would still prefer to go into labour on my own, but not this week! lol! I would like to hold off until the weekend, so that Gairod can at least get a full week of work in! But whatever will be, will be! Next week at this time, I will either have had my baby already, or I will be in the hospital, only hours away from having it!!!

Work

For the past 8 months, Gairod has had hardly any work, and we are now getting down to a scary point, where we have hardly any money left.

Luckily, in the past week or two, work has been picking up. The only problem is, this is a BAD time for him to get really busy!!

It is 9:50pm right now, and Gairod is STILL not home from work. He left at about 5:50 this morning. He figures it will probably be long hours like this for most of the week.

As hard as it is taking care of the kids by myself all weekend AND all week, I really can't be mad, because we NEED the money. It just sucks because I will be (hopefully) going into labour sometime in the next week or so, and I am going to need him there (and AWAKE) to support me! I am worried that he is going to work too hard all week, and totally exhausted himself, and then I will go into labour, and he will be too tired to function! THEN, when we come home with the baby, we will BOTH be exhausted.

So I am happy that he is finally getting some decent work, but it is just coming at a crappy time!

Frustrated

My determination to have a good week paid off, and I DID have a good week, up until today. Today my kids are frustrating me again.

I KNOW that they still need an afternoon nap, because when they don't have one, they are very cranky by late afternoon. But I am STRUGGLING with trying to get them to nap! I KNOW that a BIG part of the problem is the fact that there are three of them in one room, but there really is no other option right now, so that is just the way it has to be!

As soon as I put them down, they are all up laughing and giggling and jumping on beds, and playing around. I can't, as my husband suggests, stand at their door, and go in and yell at them continually, until they finally stay in bed and go to sleep. I have tried this, and all it does is make me more and more mad! Plus, it is not practical, and completely defeats the purpose of me getting a chance to get anything done, or relax and have a little break.

So I have resorted to putting them into their beds, and then leaving them, HOPING that they will eventually settle down and go to sleep. Some days they play, talk and giggle for a bit, then go to sleep within 1/2 - 1 hour. Other days (like today), they just get rowdier and rowdier, and eventually start destroying their room. They get into child locked drawers, and pull out ALL of the wipes, and they get stuff down from heights that there is NO WAY they should be able to get it down! I have often heard the suggestion to take everything out of their room, except for their beds, but again, due to MAJOR lack of space, that is NOT an option for us!

So I am at my wits end! I don't know what to do. Today I went into their destroyed room, sat on the floor, and just cried. I need them to nap, and I know that THEY need to nap, but I don't know how to get them to consistently do it!

Baby Pool

I have decided to start a last minute baby pool, thanks to the suggestion of a few friends on Facebook! There is no prize, it is just for fun! But if you want to get your guess in - Birth date, sex, and weight - leave me a comment, and I will get you on the list! :)

To be fair, this is the info I shared on Facebook: Due date is Sept 23rd. With Jade I was induced at 1 week overdue. With triplets I had a scheduled c-section due to slowed growth of baby A (Kadance). I am carrying the same way I did with Jade - low and out front!

I will let you know who won after baby is born. Have fun guessing! :)