10 days old...

It's so hard to believe that Brayden is already 10 days old! I guess now would be a good time to tell about the day of her birth...

I went to the doctor on August 1st and the midwife said I was dilated to a 3. She said that something could happen within the next 24 hours. I didn't want to get my hopes up, but went home and got someone to watch Kennan so that Kenny and I could get some errands done and the house cleaned up. We went to sleep that night and I woke up at about 4am (August 2nd) and started timing contractions. They weren't too consistent or too painful, so I tried to go back to sleep. I called the midwife at 6:15am because they were 4-6 minutes apart. Because I tested positive for GBS I would need to get 2 doses of antibiotics before she was born, so we needed to make sure I got to the hospital in plenty of time. She said to stay home and call back when they were worse (meaning: I couldn't talk through them). I called back at 7:00 and talked a different midwife because they had had a shift change. She said to take a shower, eat something light, and head up to the hospital. It was a Thursday, so we took Kennan to school and arranged for a friend to pick him up at noon. We got to the hospital at about 8:30 and by 9:30 were on our way home again. She said that my labor wasn't active enough and that I would be more comfortable at home. Somehow Kenny and I both managed to fall asleep and woke up around 11:00 with really painful contractions. I got up and walked around and they continued to get worse. I called the midwife at 11:30 (unable to talk to her while having contractions) and she said to head back to the hospital. We got there and were all hooked up to the monitors around 12:15. The nurse checked me and I was at 4cm. They ordered the antibiotic and the midwife came and broke my water around 1:15 after the antibiotic was started. I got in the jacuzzi tub around 2pm and when I got out was at 8cm. I remember looking at the clock at 3:00 and thinking it felt like we had been there for an eternity (and it had only been 3 hours!!). I started pushing at about 3:15 and she was born at 3:39pm!!! That last part flew by quickly, but painfully. I ended up having her without any medicine or epidural and don't regret the choice. I feel like I recovered a lot more quickly than I did with Kennan (I had an epidural with him). I ended up hemorraging a little after she was born, but not near as much as I did with Kennan. All in all, it was a good experience but I don't want to do it again for a looong time!

Right now my parents and brother are visiting and helping out A LOT!! Kenny is still working at the hospital and finishes up on Friday (I think we are going to have a party!!). Brayden is doing well...we are still working on the nursing and I am hoping it will continue to get easier and easier. (Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!!!) Kennan is being a wonderful big brother. He likes to hold her and gives her a pacifier whenever she is fussy. Here a few pictures...
I think there is a baby picture of me somewhere that looks a lot like this...
Kennan got to go to the Jersey Shore with Grammy, Pops, and Uncle Kyle


Sleepy girl!