Caroline Lois Clapp
Born January 7, 2013 at 2:02 am
8 lbs 12 oz and 21 inches long
Big Sister meeting Little Sister. Eliza like her feet.
Birth Story: Several weeks before Christmas my doctor told me she didn't think I would make it to Christmas. I was dilating already and she thought that the baby would come early. That made for several anxious and uneasy times. I couldn't really feel my contractions that were dilating me. So I couldn't tell if the ones I did feel meant that it was time or they were false. This made me worried. Every week, we'd do to the doctor and I would be dilated more. The doctor was amazed the baby wasn't born. For the last two weeks of my pregnancy I was dilated 6-7 cms and still no baby.
On Sunday the 6th, I felt so tired physically. My body was just done being pregnant I think, but I didn't think the baby was coming any time soon. The doctor had offered to induce me later that week but I had decided to wait to see what would happen. I was still only 38 weeks and 5 days so I had a little while left. On Monday the 7th at 1:08 am, I was awoken out of a deep dream. I remember thinking that I just had a painful contraction. I got out of bed and went to the bathroom. I had another contraction about 2 mins later that was more intense than the ones I had been feeling for the last few weeks. I woke Kase up and told him to call his brother Ryan to come stay at our house while Eliza was sleeping. I called my neighbor who was planning on taking birth photos for us to tell her it was time. We called my parents to tell them to head here. I called the on call doctor to tell her to expect us.
My contractions were very close together and more painful. I started to panic a little. I was afraid we wouldn't make it to the hospital. I felt weird and I knew the baby was coming fast. Kase's wonderful brother, Ryan, showed up just as we were getting in the car. We drove off in a hurry. I felt a pop and my water had broken. I had remembered to bring a towel and put it down in the car thank goodness. Kase was driving like a crazy person. I was watching the clock and I felt a lot of pressure. I was so worried we were not going to make it.
We got to the hospital and Kase dropped me off at the ER and went to park. (You have to go in the ER entrance in the middle of the night.) I walked in and turned around expecting Kase to pull into the 1st parkign spot only to see him drive out of the ER parking and into the regular parking. I thought I would pass out. I just knew I'd have the baby right there in the lobby. The ER front desk lady looked at me like I was crazy and asked if I was by myself. I said no and she told me to sit in the wheel chair next to the door. Finally Kase came in (He didn't want to park in the ER lot becaues it said for emergencies only (HELLO!) and he is nice.) So he wheeled me down the hall. I asked if he remembered where to go right as we turned into a dead end hall. Then we finally found he elevator, got on, got back off and we were on the wrong floor! Finally, we made it to the right floor and the nurses told us to go to room 216. I thought we would never make it!
We rolled up into the room and I expected there to be a lot of nurses and the doctor, etc. There was only one nurse name Valerie. I hoped out of the chair and began stripping off my clothes. She told me to wait that she didn't have a gown ready. I didn't care I was ready to get the baby out! Just as I had gotten undressed, the rest of my water broke. I had asked her if I could get an epidural and she said she would try but when she checked me she said it was too late. I climbed the in the bed and they got the gown on me and were putting an iv in. When my neighbor walked in just in time. (I am amazed she made it so quickly. Next time she may need to drive us there. ha ha.)
At this point, I think it was around 1:58 am about 50 minutes from when I woke up. I was hurting bad and I was frustrated that the nurse kept acting so calm. I told her I felt like I had to push. She told another nurse to get the team ready. She came over to check me and Kase told me later he could see the baby's head. But noone told me that at the time so I was panicing a little and thinking that if I had much longer of this pain, I would not be able to do this. The nurse told me to push but I had been focusing so much on not having the baby yet and I was in pain so I had trouble figuring out how to position myself. It caught me off guard because it was nothing like my birth with Eliza. Noone counting to ten or waiting for a contraction. So I was a bit confused. I pushed 3 times and our sweet baby was born. She was so plump, I had to push an extra time to get her belly out. She was born at 2:02 am less than an hour from my first contraction.
I remember being shocked that she was out already. I looked down and there was the little plump baby with all these fat rolls. She was so cute. She looked so much like Eliza but different. She didn't come out screaming that I remember. Kase cut her cord and they handed her to me and I just remember thinking "Oh this is my baby, this is my baby." I was in shock I was holding her.
I had always wanted to try a labor without an epidural but I don't think I would have ever made the choice on my own. While it was more painful, I have to say it was nice to have the freedom to walk around right after birth. They didn't have to monitor me as much afterwards. And the whole after birth part where they push on your belly was much less painful this time. I also feel like my body was less swollen and I've physically recouperated much faster. Although, that may be from having a fast birth.
My sweet neighbor got some awesome photos of the whole thing, but our internet has been going in and out and I have not been able to upload any. I'm lucky if I'll even be able to post this. Also Blogger is crappy.
Eliza and Caroline: Eliza came to the hospital to meet her baby sister. She was excited I think but she was very worried about things in the hospital. Like she was afraid of the phone in the room. She was fascinated that we had a baby and that my belly was smaller. She wanted to see my belly and I had to show her that it is squishy now becaus there is no baby in it anymore. She was very concerned when the nurses were checking Caroline. So much so that the nurses held off on giving Caroline a shot until Eliza left so as not to worry her. The night we stayed the the hospital was rough for Eliza. She told my mom that she was "very upset" and that she was worried that mommy was sick. Eliza has been a great big sister so far. The first time Caroline cried at home Eliza said "Oh mommy mommy will you get my baby!" She was very worried when Caroline cried. I think she is getting more use to that. Eliza also helped us give Caroline her first bath by washing her feet.
(In other news Eliza had worn big girl panties to daycare this whole week! She has not had an accident either! I'm so glad we don't have to buy diapers anymore!!!.... Oh.... wait.....)
Caroline's First Week: I have been shocked all week. I didn't know a newborn baby could sleep this much or cry this little. The difference between newborn Eliza and newborn Caroline is night and day. I have to wake this baby up to eat. WAKE HER UP!!! I never had to do that with Eliza because she never slept and she ate constantly. Caroline actually has awake periods and she just looks around and DOESN'T cry. It is seriously amazing. We picked the right name. She is a sweet Caroline. I have recovered pretty good this time. Don't get me wrong, I am tired. She lost some weight (down to 8 lbs 1.5 oz) so we're trying to get her back up to her birth weight. So I have to wake her up every 3 hours and then she has trouble going back to sleep at night of course. But compared to newborn colicky Eliza I will take this any day! I was even able to have my neighbor come take newborn photos of this baby. I love newborn photos. Adore them. But Eliza never stopped crying so I was never able to get them of her.
We are so excited to have Caroline in our family. Looking back over her birth story, I can see the Lord's hand in how everything worked out. That night before going to bed, Eliza prayed that baby sister would be born (I didn't know she even knew that word). I prayed that when I went into real labor, I would know it. (Boy did I ever!) The whole way to the hospital, I prayed that we would make it in time. If I had went into labor during the daytime with traffic we probably wouldn't have made it. If I had to get to the hospital from work, or Kase from his work, we wouldn't have made it in time. We are so blessed that everything went so smoothly. (Although, now I am frightened to have a 3rd baby. Home birth anyone?)
We are so glad to have our little Carebear Caroline.
