Baby Eve

I had a baby!

Saturday, June 25 at 3:14 am Evangeline Jane Delay entered the world. Here is the story. 

My due date was June 14, and as the days passed with zero signs of baby planning on entering the world, we met with our doctors to discuss what our best plan of action was. Arron and I were against inducing unless there was a medically necessary reason to evict our child. Part of our reason for this was that no one was completely sure what my due date was. Our dating ultrasound said June 14, but according to my calculations I was due on June 21. However, because of our miscarriage in the spring my cycle was not perfect and so no one could quite put a date on conception. On June 23 we discussed this with our doctor and the OBGYN and they were totally on our side with that decision so long as we came in for monitoring every few days to make sure that we both were OK. 

On Friday,  June 24 we went in for our morning monitoring test and while there our doctor learned that I had very low fluid levels and that my placenta was beginning to calcify. Both signs that my due date was probably earlier rather than later. The low fluid levels were enough of a concern that we all decided it would be in both of our best interests to slowly start inducing and hope for a birth in the next few days.  I was given a dose of cervadil at 1pm on Friday and I prayed, prayed, prayed that it would be enough to start labour as I wanted to avoid an oxytocin drip at all costs. 

Around 4:30 that afternoon I woke up from a nap feeling a little crampy and gas-ey. I sat for a while wondering if maybe, just maybe, this was the start of contractions. I thought I would time my 'gas pains' and see if they were regular. They were coming every 2 minutes and lasted 45-50 seconds each time. I called my Doula - Jenna - and she confirmed that I probably was starting early labour. She told me to sleep as much as I could as the next few days would be tiring. 

My weak contractions continued every two minutes throughout the afternoon and evening getting steadily worse. At this point Arron thought I was doing awesome and that I was handling labour really well! Around 10:30 I called Jenna because I was starting to not be able to manage the pain on my own. Jenna reassured me that this was still early labour and I had a while to go, but she would come over as soon as she could. 

At 11:30 Jenna arrived. Arron and I were labouring in my bedroom and I was in pain. Jenna started working on breathing and moaning techniques and moved me into a warm bath for a while. Around 12:30 I was in so much pain that I was having a hard time doing the breathing/moaning techniques and I changed my mind about wanting/believing that I could do a natural birth. Jenna and Arron were tricky little buggers though and kept saying things like, "Just two more contractions and then we will go."  and "It's still too soon, they might send you back home." I insisted I couldn't do it anymore and around 1am we made our way to the hospital. I felt bad for Arron being trapped in a car with a screaming woman. I had three terrible contractions in the car, one just inside the door of the hospital, and one in the elevator. I guess elevator shafts echo because when the doors open there were five nurses waiting for us! 

We walked into the Maternity Ward, me screaming for an epidural and not wanting to be checked first. Unfortunately I was only 2cm dialated, which wasn't enough to start an epidural. The worst feeling EVER is when you are in pain and the medical staff tells you that you basically need to suck it up for a while longer before they can help you. At this point I started using laughing gas during contractions, which was the one drug that Arron and I had agreed was 'natural' enough for our natural birth since the drug leaves your body as soon as you exhale. 

Things progressed quickly and shortly later I was ready for an epidural. Jenna made sure that this was what I really wanted - and firmly warned me that there was a good chance that getting an epidural at this point would most likely stop my labour. She suggested a shot of morphine instead - something to dull the pain signals going to my brain. I didn't want the labour to stop, so I had a shot of morphine. A shot that didn't kick in until AFTER my baby was born because shortly thereafter it was time to push. I went from 2cm to 10 cm in just over an hour and a half. It was intense.

Evangeline Jane Delay entered the world at 3:14am after 25 minutes of pushing.

Eve is what is known today as a "rainbow baby," which is a baby that is born after a miscarriage or loss.  Eve/Evangeline is a name that we both liked and it means "Good News". Jane was a name we agreed on months ago as a middle name as it is the root of my middle name (Janette), and my grandmother's name. I was so excited to tell her that we named her first great grand child after her. Unfortunately she passed away unexpectedly 5 days before Eve was born, which makes the name even that much more meaningful to me.

We are home now and doing well. She is a good baby and I have an A.M.A.Z.I.N.G husband (seriously amazing), who helps me with feedings, changes 99% of the diapers, feeds me, and takes the 9pm-3am shift so I can sleep. He's been amazing and made this hard and physically painful transition bearable.

So many people have brought us gifts, food, and encouragement and I have a team of people praying for my healing. We are doing well and loving our adorable little girl.