Berger Family: Audrey Elise

Audrey Elise is finally here! After unexpectedly finding out we were pregnant, fast forward 8 or so months and here she is. Here is her birth story.

Friday, July 5th we had a doctor's appointment with a different doctor (mine was on vacation) and when we got there and found out I was still only 1.5cm dilated after a week with no progress, and hearing the new doctor telling me I was having a moose... I was very deflated. I figured I'd be birthing a big baby, but never been told it was going to be a moose. Oh well. I was just not a happy camper at 39 weeks pregnant and seeming like there was nothing happening. I know with my head that things with second babies can happen suddenly, but tell that to someone at that stage of pregnancy, in the summer, and watch what happens to you. We know, but it doesn't make the waiting any easier. I had an induction scheduled for July 16th just in case nothing happened on it's own and the thought of being induced again made me mad. Not because of what it feels like but because I somehow felt like I was being cheated out of knowing what a "normal" birth experience feels like. To just go into labor, and not force it to start. But either way, I knew my days of being pregnant were numbered.

When we woke up Saturday morning we figured we'd take advantage of a cooler morning and head to the Portland Saturday Market. It was a good call since Sam can stroll with those crowds and not feel rushed... and even better mommy could walk ever so slowly. After a couple hours of that it was time to head home. I was still feeling pretty out of it but was doing better. Another day down.

July 7th, Sunday morning, I woke up at 5:45 with what I thought might be my water breaking. You hear so many different stories of water breaking, a gush, a trickle, nothing until you're in labor, I didnt' know what to expect, but it woke me up. I got up and after cleaning myself up went to the family room to relax. About 6:30 I started to feel what I thought might be contractions. Again last time I didn't experience early contractions, only Pitocin induced you are now in labor kind of contractions. I started timing them. Every 8-12 minutes or so I felt them, lasting about 30-45 seconds. Josh was still in bed and I decided to let him sleep as long as possible. I still wasn't sure this was the real deal. Sam woke up about 7:30 so I headed in to get her changed and that's when Josh woke up. I filled him in on what was happening and we waited a while longer to see how the contractions were doing. We always hear the hospital will send you home if they're not close enough together. About 8:15 or so I decided to call the doctor and Josh took a quick shower. Of course my doctor was still on vacation but the on call doctor I talked to decided I should come in just in case. So after my mom got to the house to watch Sam, Josh and I headed in.

We got to the hospital about 10am and got checked out in a smaller room in the maternity ward. It was decided that yes, my water did break, and yes my contractions were coming on, and becoming more regular. I was staying. We told my parents, and left a message for Josh's mom (Sunday morning for a pastor, she was busy or something). We got checked into our labor and delivery room about noon and luckily I was able to eat some food before things really got going. By the time I saw the doctor Josh was on his way to the car to get everything we had since we were convinced we were just going to go home and didn't want to haul everything in and out. Since I hadn't been checked since my Friday doctor's appointment she decided to see how things were progressing and everyone, mostly me, were surprised to find out I was 6 cm dilated. Not sure where that came from, but it was great news. All of this by noon. I was ready.

I walked the halls once and tried to find a "comfortable" position for contractions, leaning on Josh, sitting in a glider, leaning over a table, and being told I was 8cm, and then again an hour later, 8 cm, and then 8cm... I decided it was time for the epidural. When I was standing up I honestly felt like I could feel Audrey dropping and putting tons of pressure on me. I got the epidural hooked up about 4:30 and then of course was stuck in bed, but ok with it. I think because the anesthesiologist heard I was 8cm he cranked the epidural way up. I was done. I could not feel a thing from the waist down. Not a horrible thing, but also not helpful when it would come time to push. Epidurals make me just get the shivers, I wasn't cold, but just shivered. So much fun. The anesthesiologist came back in and turned it down so I could feel something, anything. By about 5:30 I felt like things could happen. It was only Josh and I in the room so once the nurse came back in it was about 6. She asked if I thought something would happen if I pushed. I said I thought so but didn't want to try without anyone there. So she decided we could try some "practice" pushes since the new on call doctor wasn't in yet. (The first one was great and stayed 2 hours past her time but finally had to get home to her 6 month old) After about 5 "practice" pushes the nurse told me I was overachieving and she could see baby's head. So we waited... at 6:20 in walks the new doctor who was also great and was told we were ready for her. She got her hair out of her face, gloved up and came over. 3 pushes later Audrey Elise was born at 6:30 pm. I realized that the pressure I was feeling and being told I was having a moose, and realizing I needed an epidural came from the fact that Audrey was born a healthy 21 inches, 9 pounds 12 ounces... ya, a moose! Josh and I are both convinced that if the epidural hadn't been set so strong to being with, and if there was a doctor there earlier Audrey could have been born about an hour earlier. It's funny because I didn't care at that point and after 3 hours of pushing with Samantha, 3 pushes and less than 10 minutes was great. I was so happy. Not only to meet my baby girl, but to know it was done. To know that we don't want any more kids and I was done being in labor and being pregnant!

Samantha was the first we brought in to meet her baby sister, and while hesitant she was still very interested in her. Then all the grandparents came in and we finally revealed her name. About 2-3 hours after delivery we were moved to the recovery room and by 10:30 Josh and I split a cold hospital dinner we had ordered hours earlier.

This time around was not only so different from the first time because of going into labor naturally, but just in emotion being more alert to what was happening only being hooked up to an IV and then the epidural for 2 hours. No Pitocin, no magnesium, no checking my reflexes every half hour, I was left alone a lot more, it was daytime, not the middle of the night. I was able to get up and use the restroom, I was able to shower the next morning, I never took anything stronger than IB Profin the next few days, and we were heading home 49 hours after checking into the hospital.

Tomorrow Josh heads back to work, and I know it will definitely take some adjustments with two kids, but we'll survive. Luckily grandma's are in abundance, and friends come into town over the next couple weeks. Sam has definitely warmed up to Audrey over the last week and loves to touch her nose, toes, give her kisses and hugs. She is concerned when she cries and always wants one of us to hold baby so she can hang with the other one. It's quite cute.

For now, I'm done rambling, it's time to get ready for bed! But first, pictures of course.