Our baby girl finally arrived!!
Three weeks prior to my due date, I was 1 1/2 centimeters dialated and 50% effaced. This was such a great bit of news ~ I was starting off in a much better position than I had been for Caden's labor.
The following week, I was 3 centimeters and 80% effaced ~ even better news!!
I stayed at 3 centimeters until 'real' labor hit..here's the rest of the birth story:
I went in for my weekly check on Tuesday, September the 8th and was told I was 3 centimeters still. That evening around 5:30 pm, contractions started. I had braxton hicks for a good chunk of the pregnancy and knew these were different. Off and on all night long they came. After a good period of consistent, close contractions, we headed out to Monterey to be closer to the hospital. We decided to head over to my doula and Monterey BFF's house to see how things went. We were there ALL day. I walked over 3 miles...things were very inconsisent but we decided to go in and get checked. Contractions stopped upon our arrival...the nurses thought we were nuts...it was false labor. We headed home to Hollister feeling deflated and wondering when we'd get to meet out baby girl.
After 26 hours of false labor on the 8th & 9th, Mommy had a day to rest before 'real' contractions started at 5 am on Friday, September 11, 2009...after laboring at home and running some errands with the help of my sister, Serena...around 4 pm, Daddy was summoned home from work. Mommy really didn't know if this was 'real' labor since the previous stint had been quite a let down and she wasn't interested in going to the hospital again only to have the contractions stop upon walking in the doors.
At about 5 pm, Mommy had a high leak and decided it was time to begin the 45 minute drive to the hospital. We walked in the doors at 6:10 pm and were admitted shortly after. Mommy was a good 4 centimeters dialated. The on-call doctor checked Mommy a bit later and said I was 5 centimeters. At that point, he decided to finish breaking my water...what a relief that was! From that point, everything went VERY fast.
Around 10 pm, the nurse checked me and said I was complete. I was very ready to start pushing. My doctor was called and I yelled "Hurry up!" as the nurse and the doctor talked like old friends ; ) Thankfully, he came quickly and after 5 or 6 pushes, Miss Madison Kyleigh Isabella was born at 10:29 pm. She weighed 8 pounds 15 ounces!! and was 21 inches long just like her brother. She was born naturally ~ not a spot of drugs needed or necessary. I was overwhelmed with joy as they put her on my chest right away and I got to see and hold my baby girl. I'm grateful that Steven, my doula & dear friend; Tracy and my mother-in-law; Georgette were there by my side to help me through labor and delivery and to be there to welcome Baby Madison to the world!
The story behind the name: We both loved the name Madison and constantly saw and heard the name over the pregnancy in weird instances, so we felt that was the name for her. Kyleigh is in memory of Mommy's cousin, Kyle who died tradgically earlier this year. Isabella is a name Steven loved and so, we decided she'd have 2 middle names.
We hope you can meet her and delight in her beauty and sweetness just as we do!
