McKynzie's Birth Story

At our last doctor appointment the Wednesday before Easter, our doc made a joke that he had to teach Sunday School on Easter and he'd rather not, so he was hoping to get a call Sunday morning that I was in labor. But it was not to be. I didn't feel huge, but I was extremely uncomfortable and ready for the pregnancy to be over. We celebrated my birthday on Saturday and Easter on Sunday. By Monday, which was our due date, I was totally ready for the pregnancy to be over and hoped that a lot of walking on Monday would do the trick. Monday night I was feeling some contractions, but they didn't every get too close. But I decided to sleep on the couch instead because I just couldn't get comfortable in the bed. I had contractions all night about every 20 ish minutes. I felt much better pushing through them this time than I ever did with Josslyn.

In the morning they were about 8-10 minutes apart, so I woke Nate up at about 8 a.m. and told him to get started, get dressed and ready to go and we would see where we were at. After getting Josslyn up and dressed and fed, and the rest of us dressed, fed, and packed, we headed to Nate's parents to drop off Josslyn. In the car the contractions slowed down a lot and I was pretty disappointed and worried that I would be sent home, but we decided that since it was already 10 a.m. and Nate obviously wasn't going to work, we would head in anyway. They still were pretty slow all the way in to the hospital but since I was a day after my due date they went ahead and admitted me anyway. After getting settled, they checked me to see if I was progressing any, and I didn't expect any at all, but the nurse announced I was already at 4 cm!

I was so surprised! They then ordered my epidural and we only had to wait about 30 minutes for him to come in. I have been really blessed (especially after hearing MANY horror stories) to have two really excellent epidurals. I could still feel the pressure, but was not uncomfortable. I could still lift my bum and move my legs. It was wonderful. I felt totally present in the moments of my children's birth because I wasn't totally bent over in pain, but wasn't so numb that I couldn't participate in what was happening. From this point it was a waiting game. My doctor came in at about noon and broke my water and I was at about 5-6 cm then. After he left things really moved quickly. The nurse came in to check on us about every hour and kept telling me the other nurses had told her to turn down my pitocin because it was obviously too high if my contractions were going that crazy and she kept having to tell them that I wasn't on any! This baby was just ready to come!

When my doctor had come to break my water he joked that he was sad he'd had to teach Sunday School, but he had a board meeting that day at 3:30 so I could make it up to him by getting him out of that instead. Well at about 3:20 I started to feel a lot of pressure. The nurse came and checked me and I was at a 10 and ready to go! She called my doc, who was happy to skip a meeting and come over to us instead! He came in at about 3:30 and I started pushing and baby girl slipped right out at 3:38 pm!

She was so big! I knew she would be bigger than Josslyn, but she was about a pound and a half bigger than her sister! She weighed in at 8 pounds 5 ounces and 20 inches long. All of us were surprised at how I had been able to keep this big girl in me. I also realized that all the adorable newborn size outfits I brought for her to wear were NOT going to fit her. But we were happy to have her, and quickly! And glad I hadn't changed my mind about going in when the contractions slowed down in the car. From start of really active labor to birth was only about 7 hours. I have said a lot since then that I if raising kids were as easy as my pregnancies and especially this delivery had been, I'd have a whole bunch.

We love our two girls to the moon. They are happy and beautiful. They are so smart and we love having a house of princesses and pink! We have frequently heard how much McKynzie looks like Nathan and Josslyn has always looked just like me, so looks like we have one of each of us!