Birth and how different two babies can be

So she is here!  All 5lbs 12.2ounces and 18.5 inches or 19.5 inches depending on whether you go by the hospital or her first doctors appt...I don't think she really gained an inch in 3 days :)  So much for an over 7lb baby!  She is a beautiful, lighter version of her big sister.  She has lighter eyes (the doctor even thinks they may be blue!!) and lighter skin.  She does have a mongolian spot (dark spot on the back or buttocks of babies of color - Jason's grandmother was Japanese), but it is a very tiny/light one whereas her sister's is larger and much more obvious.

At my doctor's appointment on the 31st I had still not made any progress and my doctor said that I would likely not go into labor on my own.  In his words, my "cervix sucks."  He did an ultrasound and noticed that Alana's weight had begun to fall off the curve, although not enough to be concerned (by ultrasound she was 7lbs 2oz).  He suggested we go into the hospital and do a 24 hour prostaglandin gel prep followed by an induction the next morning.  He said that if we chose to wait another week that it was fine, but that we would just be having the same conversation the following week.  Since my mother and father had come into town that day we decided to go ahead and go for it.  Saturday morning we arrived at the hospital bright and early to start the gel.  The doctor had told me that I wouldn't feel anything with the gel, that I may contract but wouldn't really tell that I was contracting.   Well, that was wrong I started having strong contractions almost immediately.  

After 12 hours they came in to take out the first gel and give me a break before putting in the second.  I thought for sure after all the strong contractions that I may have made some progress, but nope still 1cm and now 40% effaced instead of 30%...woo hoo :/  After a shower and some dinner they placed the second gel and gave me something through my IV to help me sleep.  The contractions continued to get quite a bit stronger so sleep (even with strong meds) was not going to happen.  At 1:30AM I felt like I may have pee'd myself and so got up to use the bathroom, on the way back from the bathroom my water broke all over the floor.  We called for the nurse and they came in and checked me and took out the gel since with my water broken it wouldn't stay in.  I was only 2cm and 50% effaced at this point...woo hoo :/

At this point they said I could have an epidural if I wanted and they would call and talk to the doctor.  He asked them to place a scalp clip on Alana, but I told them no since she was staying on the monitor fine and there was no medical reason to have it placed.  The times for things get a little hazy at this point as I was exhausted from the sleep medication and lack of sleep due to the contractions.  But sometime around 2 or 2:30 AM I asked for the epidural and they placed it for me (after a couple unsuccessful tries :( ).  It worked for about 2 hours and then quit working entirely on the right side.  They started pitocin at about 5 AM and placed a scalp clip on Alana to monitor her heart rate better since she had dropped her heart rate a couple of times.  

Around 6:30AM I talked to the nurse about options for pain management since my epidural wasn't working and I was getting very uncomfortable.  She checked me and I was 3cm and 80% effaced...still making slow and steady progress.  They also came in a bolused my epidural with something stronger...it worked for just under an hour before it completely wore off.  I called the nurse in and she said my only option at this point was to have the new anesthesiologist come in who came on at 7AM and place a new one.  She asked if she could check me again since I seemed to be much more uncomfortable and when she checked me I was 8.5 cms and 100% effaced....WHAT?!  I just went from 3 cms to 8.5 in one hour (this was at 7:30)?!  Well, no time for a new epidural...le sigh.

Woke Jason up and he jumped in the shower.  They called the doctor and he said he was going to jump in the shower and then be on his way.  While Jason was in the shower I was in a lot of pain and when he got out of the shower I called for the nurse.  I told her I was feeling a lot of pressure and she checked me and sure enough I was complete!!!

Now where was that doctor?  He was apparently still on his way and since I didn't have a working epidural I seriously had the urge to push.  They just told me to blow through the contractions...ugh!  That was awful.  The anesthesiologist showed up and gave me a bolus again but warned me that it probably wouldn't work until after Alana was born...great!  So then the doctor runs in the room and gets me set up and two contractions and 5 pushes later she was out.  She was born at 8:07AM just an hour and a half after I was 3cms.

That last couple hours were CRAZY!!!

Now she is home and it is apparent that she is a very different baby than Ava was.  She will sit awake and just look around, she also will sit in her swing awake and not cry.  She even nurses different.  Ava would nurse for an hour and then sleep for awhile.  Alana was nurse for only several minutes and then sometimes fall asleep right away and sometimes not.  She also nurses much more often.  Just different babies I guess :)  Ava is very cute with her and other than the first day home from the hospital, which was rough, she hasn't shown too much jealousy.  Ava likes to give Alana kisses and hold her.  They just melt my heart.  Jason has really had to step up and cover a lot of the slack since I can't do everything for Ava anymore.  And, he has.  He is such a great dad to both girls...I love watching him with his girls :)  Having my mom here has also been a big help.  I know when she goes home I will have to find a balance while Jason is at work, but for now the extra pair of hands is great!  So thanks mom :)