December 25th 4:30 pm - 5:30: So after having strong contractions 3 min. a part we finally arrived at the hospital after a very eventful Christmas Day, and they gave me a room this time instead of going through triage! I was so excited because to me, that meant they really thought I was in labor. So I got to wear the lovely gown that they give you, and they immediately hooked up the monitors to pick up my contractions, and to check the babies heart rate. I suddenly became frustrated because my contractions were not feeling strong like they were at home, and they suddenly became inconsistent! This isn't what you want when you want to have a baby! The nurse right away after looking at the monitors told me that she wasn't sure I was staying. She said "I don't know if you have the golden ticket." They checked me and at this point I was only 3 cm. So they decided to let me walk the halls for a few awhile to see if I could get the contractions going again.
5:30 - 7:00 I walked the halls, and timed every contraction, and definitely they were getting stronger again and more consistent. I wish there was a way for them to have me hooked to the monitors while I was walking around. I was getting very frustrated at this point, thinking I can't spend another day being pregnant feeling these kind of pains!
7:00 They decided to hook me back up to the monitors, and the nurse said again to me, "I don't know if you have the golden ticket to stay". At this point, I said to her, "What is this golden ticket you talk about"? She said we have to see some sort of change in your cervix, or your contractions need to be consistent and close together. So I kept my fingers crossed. They checked me again and I was at 4 cm, and she said my bag of water was bulging. Then the nurse left the room without saying if I was staying or not. So I sat in the bed, and honestly I really started feeling some pain with the contractions. I looked at Cain, and said there is no way they are sending me home. I know this baby is coming soon!!!!
7:30-8:00 Suddenly a couple of nurses came in my room (luckily not the nurse who kept telling me I needed the golden ticket, her shift I guess was over at 7 pm) and my Dr. all came in my room, and finally they told me I was staying!!!!! Woohoo!!!!! This baby was coming, and I didn't care if it was on Christmas. I couldn't wait to get her out and have the pain all go away! So I had a nurse start my IV, to have the IV not take, and then a second nurse tried, and that one didn't take, so a third nurse tried, and that one didn't take. At this point, I was feeling like a pin cushion. So they then got their top nurse for IVs to come in and try, and finally they got it in. Then the Dr. broke my water, and I knew we were well on our way!!!! I did look at the Dr. and I warned her that my other 2 girls came super fast, and I almost didn't have a Dr. in the room for either of them when I had them. I also told her I wanted to go natural, and I was hoping I could do it! I went natural with both of my girls, so I think part of me wanted to prove it to myself that I could do it again. At this point the pain wasn't to bad, so it seemed within reach!
8:00-9:15 My contractions were picking up quite a bit, and by now Alisha finally got there to join Cain and Megan for this experience! I have to admit Alisha was a great coach, and between her and Cain, I always had someone right beside me cheering me on. By this time, the lovely contractions were also rotating to my back, causing not only contractions in my front, but also in my back. I had back labor with both of my other girls, and I was so hoping to avoid this, but the reality is, this is the only way my babies know how to come into the world! At this point I felt relief sitting on an exercise ball and bouncing just slightly. Then either Cain or Alisha would press on my back to get me through the contraction. I did breathing techniques as well, to get me through and my mouth kept getting extremely dry, so I would shove ice chips in my mouth whenever I could. Suddenly I started reaching a wall, where I wasn't sure how long I could continue to do this. My contractions were literally spiking and only coming down halfway before they would spike right back up again. I was getting no break from them whatsoever! My mouth was so dry, I could hardly swallow, and I literally just got over having bronchitis just a few days before this, so this was getting quite tough! I then told Cain and Alisha that I wasn't sure if I could go any longer without pain killers. My nurse, which by the way was a neighbor of mine, told me she wanted to check me, but I was getting so frustrated with the pain I didn't care, I just wanted the epidural. So she went to call for it!
9:15-9:30 Finally the anesthesiologist got to my room, and suddenly I was feeling a little pressure. I then wasn't sure if I wanted anything for pain if the baby was coming soon. Then the Dr. was on the phone and she was insistent that the nurse check me before anything else happened. So quickly my nurse checked me and she told me I was at 8cm. Then I started feeling even more pressure, so I was even more confused. Then the anesthesiologist started getting really pushy with me, and kept asking if she could just get the epidural started. I kept telling her I wasn't sure if I wanted it, so finally my nurse told her to just leave my room and we would call again if we needed it. I was so glad my nurse did that because between the pain, and not being able to breathe between contractions, I just couldn't think of what I wanted to do. Suddenly, within 2 contractions from when I was checked being at 8cm, I felt like I needed to push. So quickly they checked me again and I was ready to go! The problem was, the Dr. wasn't there! One of the nurses called her and she was 15 min. away. I was so frustrated because this happens every time I have a baby and then everyone tells me I can't push when I need to push! This time I even warned the Dr., and yet I still was in the same situation. I literally screamed every contraction saying I need to push!!!!!! And everyone kept saying NO!!!!!!!
9:30-9:41 Finally the Dr. arrived in my room, and instantly I told her I was pushing. Within 3 pushes my beautiful daughter was born at 9:42pm on December 25th, 2011! I still get chills thinking of that moment. It was the most emotional thing I have ever experienced, and I was so happy to be able to experience it with my husband and my two other girls! When they placed Alexandra Faith on my stomach, I was crying so hard I couldn't even open my eyes to look at her. I just held her tight and kept thanking God for her!!!!! She was truly a miracle sent from above, and I couldn't imagine a better day for her to come into this world. I truly have never felt as close to God as I did at this moment. I think I seriously had a flash back of my whole life and every journey I have been on to be at that point! All four of us just kept crying, of course tears of happiness!
Welcome to the world Alexandra Faith Stahnke!
Daddy holding Alexa for the first time!
Alexa weighed in at 7lb 13oz
My beautiful girl looking around!
Poor thing, was in some shock of her new world!
I just couldn't hug her enough!
Megan holds her sister for the first time!
Alisha holds her sister for the first time!
Andrew sees his sister for the first time! We promised him he would be the first one in the room to see his new sister!
Andrew holds his sister for the first time!
Family Picture! I love how Cain can't get his eyes off his new daughter!
Grandma and Grandpa Johnson enjoying their newest granddaughter!
Grandma and Grandpa Stahnke also enjoying their newest granddaughter!
Me trying to take it all in!
Andrew telling Alexa that he is 4 years old!
Alisha's boyfriend holding Alexa!
My beautiful girl! I think she could quite possible be the most beautiful girl in the world or at least newborn!
So after every one left the nurse gave Alexa a bath and she placed her beside me on the bed. It was such a nice quiet moment! I seriously didn't get but an hour of sleep that first night, but I didn't care because my daughter was here!!!!!
December 26th
So Andrew got to spend the night at Grandma and Grandpa Johnson's the night before, and he was so excited to come back and see his sister! He got some great quality time with her that morning!
Uncle Ryan and Aunt Sarah came for a visit!
Megan seriously held Alexa every moment she had. Megan also never left the hospital once while I was there. She is already extremely attached to this girl! In fact, I think she was attached before Alexa was even here!
Cain can't get enough of his girl!!!
I can't get enough of this girl either!
Aunt Chrissy and Uncle Jeremy come for a visit along with their girls!
Jeremy holding his new niece for the first time!
Megan entertaining the girls!
Alisha comes to visit!
Aunt Hollie with her Alexa!
We suddenly had a party going on in my room. Everyone called within 15 min. of each other asking if they could stop by. Since Christmas landed on a Sunday this year, most business were closed on Dec. 26th, so everyone had work off! At one point we had 12 visitors in our room! It was a blast!!!!
Aunt Cathy holding Alexa!
Uncle Dan holding Alexa!
Tyson holding his big baby!
Got to love my brothers faces!
Everyone checking out Alexadra's little feet!
Cathy holding both her girls so Tyson could have a moment with Alexa!
Tyson holding Alexa!
My great friend Mary also came by for a visit with her girls!
December 27th
Alisha comes for another visit!
Look at Alexa grinning at her sister. Not sure if it was gas?
Our first picture of our family of 6! I can't believe I have 4 kids now. I never dreamed I would have more then 3 kids, but I'm loving it!!!!
Grandma and Grandpa Johnson came for another visit!
Andrew gets some sister time with Alisha!
Grandma and Grandpa Stahnke come for another visit!
Look at how comfortable Alexa is in her sister's arms!
Finally we were able to go home. I had what is called Group B Strep, and when you have that you have to have 2 rounds of antibiotics through your IV right before the baby is born. Unfortunately since they didn't get the IV going until 7:30, there was only time for 1 round of antibiotics. Because of that, we had to wait 48 hours from when she was born to leave the hospital. Luckily they let us leave a few hours earlier, and we left around 7pm. I was so happy to get home, and start our new life with our daughter!
So my neighbor who was my labor and delivery nurse with Alexa came back in for a shift when we were leaving the hospital. She wanted to make sure she was the nurse to walk us to our car. So she took this picture of us right before we left! What an amazing experience I have had bringing Alexandra Faith into the world! I can't wait to see what is to come!
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