We have been home for a day and half now and it has been the start of a pretty funky adventure, although I am wishing she had a bit funkier diapers so I can tell if feeding is going well.

Well here is the continuation of the million hour labor story.

After my last post, I had dinner, ice cream and went to bed.  Who knew that ice cream would cause a stir, but sure enough at about 3am, my water broke!  So those contractions were actually something important!  How awesome!  Still, feeling more weird that uncomfortable, Michael and I showered, changed, and got ready to go to the hospital, arriving at around 4am.

I think the people in the ER waiting room thought I was crazy to show up this calm, but honestly… I can’t repeat it enough… I really felt FINE!

The nurse, Melissa, bless her heart, brought me to the unit, gave me a room, checked me out and told me that in fact, my water did NOT break but I was about 3.5 cm and they were going to let me walk around and try to get things moving and the doctor would see me in the morning.

At about 7:30 am, Dr. S showed up laughing at me, as I was smiling through my contractions (which she told me I could not do and that would be how I knew labor was happening).  It was here that I was officially admitted, my water had indeed had broken and I was now at a wopping 5 cm.  It was at this point that I remained calm and cool and collected for a good 4 hours or so…  I stalled, but still being in labor, we had no turning back.

Around 11 am I popped my butt in the labor tub and while I knew this was what I wanted to do, I was still feeling no pain or real discomfort during my contractions (yeah breathing), that I found the tub to just be gross more so than helpful during this time so I got out after an hour.  Thankfully this took my stalled dilation to about 6 cm.  For the next several hours we did all of the following: Dancing to some String Cheese Incident, Walking, Bouncing on the birth ball, squatting with the birthing bar, rocking in the chair, Walking, and Walking… I have toured that unit several times now 🙂

Around 5:30pm/6:00pm we finally hit 8.5 centimeters AND some much anticipated but too tired to deal with discomfort with that urge to push and all.  Once again, however, I stalled!  I was uncomfortable, starting to loose focus, and super tired!  This was really starting to bother me.  I had a bit of back labor which didnt help with that pushing urge… We jumped into the shower, which was a blessing in disguise!  It was so nice on all parts and made the last leg much easier.  I had the water scalding hot!  She turned around to face the right way AND I finally made it to the completion dilation!

They tossed me into bed, told me my parents had just arrived, sent them to the waiting room and told me to push… about 1.5 hours later, Farrah popped out!  Prior to that, she was a mound of hair for about an hour!

So after 18 hours (post water breaking… 42 hours of weird feelings), natural labor… she arrived… wow!  Seriously… 

Oh yeah, and remember that wonderful nurse Melissa?  She was there to see the delivery at her NEXT shift… and that whole smiling during labor?  I made sure to show Dr. S a big old smile during one of my pushes, just to prove a point.  I am such a stinker!

We are now home and enjoying our time together and are awake for most of it 🙂  She feeds, farts and sleeps… which I guess are good things!

So enjoy! Here is our baby girl: