I love telling people Henley's birth story. I love to watch their faces when I get to the good parts and hear other similar stories. I brought the baby name book to the hospital because we weren't 100% sure on the name. Gavin looked at her name in the book again the next day and wouldn't you know her name means, "surprising." She was a surprise in so many ways, including her delivery!
I had a doctor appointment on July 28th. I was 90% thinned and dilated to 1 1/2 cm. At the end of the appointment, I said something about my next appointment being scheduled for August 6th. To which the doctor said, "oh we'll see you before that." At that time, I'd been having some practice contractions randomly, but not often and not painful. That Thursday was my last day of summer school, I was so happy to have been able to make it to everyday of that. I took it real easy that last day of school. I was having about 4 contractions an hour that morning at school. I even sent Gavin a text message that he should maybe come home at lunch so I could lay down and I really thought that was going to be the night. I laid around that afternoon and the contractions went away and Thursday night and Friday I felt great.
That Saturday, Gavin had a bachelor party for a good friend. It was an all day thing and he had to be there, he planned it and was the best man. Bayden and I were invited to go to a friend's lake place to spend the night, about an hour and a half away. I couldn't decide if I should go or not. It would be a fun day for Bayden, I would have lots of help with her, I wouldn't have to be home alone. However, if something happened we wouldn't be close to a big hospital. Finally, about 30 minutes before we had to leave, I decided to go. We had a plan in place if I were to go into labor at the lake.
We had a great time at the lake. Bayden got to play in the sand and water, go on a boat ride, a golf cart ride, play with other kids, and it was a great day. I got to sit outside with my feet up while my friend and the older kids took care of and played with Bayden. I had some more practice contractions, but nothing that made me nervous.
Sunday morning, I woke up feeling like I shouldn't push my luck anymore and was a little anxious to get home. Bayden and I were gone about 24 hours that weekend. We spent the rest of the day just hanging out. That night, Bayden cried for me to put her to bed. She never seems to want me or Gavin over the other and Gav puts her to bed more than I do because at that time it was getting hard for me to lift her into the crib. Maybe she knew I was going to be gone a couple nights or that it was the last night she was my only baby.
I was irritated that night going to bed for no reason. Just crabby and picking a fight, I can't even remember what about. I woke up at 12:35 with my first contraction, this one hurt. I went to the kitchen and wrote down the time and went to the bathroom. They kept coming. I circled the island in our kitchen as the contractions came every 5 to 7 minutes. The books say to head to the hospital after an hour of this, but I called labor and delivery at 1:00. A nurse told me to try and relax, get some sleep, maybe take a bath, call back in an hour if I was still having contractions. I let Gavin know and grabbed a pillow to try and sleep on the couch. I laid down for about 30 seconds. Contractions kept coming and closer together. At 1:30 I told Gavin to call his parents to come stay with Bayden and said I was calling back and was going in no matter what they said. Contractions were painful and sometimes only 2 minutes apart. I had also had some bleeding at this time.
Gavin's dad was here quickly, we grabbed our stuff, and were on our way. It was a painful drive trying to sit still in the car. Gavin went through one red light, "because I squaked" he later told a nurse. After that light, I told Gavin, I was sure I was at 10 cm. We parked at the emergency room door beings it was the middle of the night. I walked in, pacing and in pain. A cop was with someone talking to the only person working at the entrance. Luckily a nurse walked up and said, "looks like you are not comfortable" beings the person in the ER didn't seem in a hurry to help me. She took me up to the 6th floor through a back elevator and told Gavin to move the car and come right up. I remember looking at my phone in the elevator at 2:10 with a contraction.
They got me right to a room at 2:11. There were about 7 people in there opening equipment, getting ready, and asking me questions. They handed me one of those bands to put on so they could get a monitor on me. I danced around trying to get my pants off and that on all while telling them I needed to push. One nurse found the heartbeat, while another checked me. I was complete and ready to push. Gavin and the doctor arrived. Gavin said, "I guess you were right." I pushed twice. I did say to Gav during this time, "this hurts more than Bayden." Henley was born at 2:22. It was so wild and didn't even seem real because it happened so fast.
A nicu nurse came in for a few minutes to monitor her. A lot of fluid had to be suctioned because she came so fast. We didn't even have the camera, it was in the car. Gavin went to get it and I held Henley while the nurse got me checked in and the doctor stitched me up, I had tore. The nurse gave me a shot in my leg (beings I didn't have an IV for the pitocin) and an ibuprofen.
We called our parents and stared at Henley in disbelief, seemed like just 18 weeks ago that we found out we were pregnant. Wait, that was just 18 weeks ago!
If I am ever pregnant again, I am going to the hospital with my first contraction, and not leaving town!
