Welcome to our family...

Charlotte Jane Zmoos

Born September 11 at 4:27am

8lbs 3.8oz 21in

 Charlotte 4 days old

It all started almost 4 weeks ago... My OB gave me an early check upon my request.  Charlotte was super low and I was having random contractions.  I was 2 cm, my OB said, "we may not see you next week!"  Of course a week went by and there I was again in the OB office... 2 cm and 60% effaced, again my OB said, "we may not see you next week!"  Another week and another appointment.  4cm and 75% effaced.  The OB then said again, "we may not see you next week!" By that point I was so tired and defeated I seriously thought, I'm going to be pregnant forever and I will make it to my next appointment!  OB's do not tell exhausted, aching preggos that their baby is coming any time... that preggo may just kill you.

On the 10th I was having contractions 6 minutes apart.  I walked target, walked the trail by my house and all the contractions stopped.  Boo.  On the 11th I was having contractions 6 min apart again, I ignored them since obviously I was going to be pregnant forever!  At exactly midnight I woke up to a trickle of my water breaking, but as I moved around the trickle stopped and even as I changed positions nothing.  So I got confused... I even asked Ethan to check my pants, and in an awesome obedient husband way he checked my pants and said, I don't know!  Do you remember when I thought I was pregnant with Maddy and couldn't read the test Ethan graciously peed on a stick so I could see a negative result.  Yeah, amazing husband!!!!

I convinced Ethan that we shouldn't wait around and that we should go.  During the car ride my contractions slowly started to become regular and increasing in strength, but nothing too bad.  By 1:00am we got checked in and hooked up to monitors, I was about 6 cm.  The nurse was convinced that my water broke, but nothing was really coming out because I had a bulge and the tear in my sac was really high.  While they were monitoring me they noticed with my contractions the baby's heart rate was not responding as it should so the decided to admit me and immediately ordered an epidural.  While they didn't say it, I knew that that meant they wanted that epidural asap in case the baby still wasn't responding and they needed to do a c-section.  After a moment of internal panic and one quick prayer later all my fears subsided and I knew everything was going to be ok.

We got into the room and they continued checking me, at the same time they started carting in all the baby stuff and delivery gear.  Things were moving pretty fast!  My contractions were increasing in strength, but since I wasn't on pitocin they were totally manageable.  This was my first labor with out pitocin and it was great, I can see how people go all natural.  Pitocin is of the devil.  As soon as they finished all their paperwork in came the anesthesiologist... This epidural is a little interesting... he didn't warn me that he was going in and he was a little off,  I could totally feel it and Ethan said I was making some pretty interesting faces.  I informed the Dr. and he was off to the right, so he moved the needle over and numbed me up.  I called it a super epidural because I was soooo numb I couldn't believe it.  My OB then came in and broke my water. The baby's heart rate was looking good but my contractions were irregular again, so I did end up getting a little pitocin, but the lowest dose possible.  

After a little bit, I felt the baby move and a huge contraction.  I was so numb and kinda felt pressure, so the nurse checked me and I was ready to go.  They called my OB, he said to do a little pushing to move the baby down, and that he'd be right there.  I did half a push and suddenly every started saying, "stop, stop, stop" and Ethan said "the head is right there!"  So even though I felt like pushing I stopped and waited for the OB.  He came in and we got to business.  2 or 3 pushes and there was Charlotte!  It was great.  One of the nurses commented that it was good that there were no teenagers around because I made labor look too easy!  Ha!

Charlotte was beautiful and perfect and even nursed right away.  I had some bleeding and had to get a shot and they inserted some medicine in a place you don't really want to insert medicine... if you know what I mean. After a while I eventually stopped bleeding and I was fine. 

I'm in process of healing and feel like I'm doing well.  Charlotte loves to sleep, which is sad because I have to wake her up to eat and I'm trying real hard to keep up my milk supply and do better breastfeeding this time around.  My mom is here and is amazing keeping Maddy and Elliott fed and happy while I take care of baby Charlotte.  Maddy is completely obsessed with Charlotte and cries every time she has to leave her.  Elliott barely acknowledges her existence. 

 Thank you to everyone for your love and support!

Hooray for babies!