It's A Wonderful Life: The Big Day!!!!

Hope you read the previous post before you read this so you get the story in order. I wasn't planning on sharing the delivery story but changed my mind. I hope you don't mind the TMI moments and I hope you dont judge me.

Well I got up at 630am and called the hospital to see if they are able to take us at 730am. They told us to head on over. When we got there, we were the first to show up (first come first serve) to get induced. We got right in and started at 830am. When I got there the nurse checked me and said I was already at a great start and that I was 4 cm! I guess I was having real contractions and didn't know. I wanted to stay drug free as long as possible. I was open to use pain medications but I based it on what I felt was right. I prayed that I would know what to do and that I would know what was right and what would be best for me and my baby.

Here we are. I started feeling the contractions when I hit 5 cm. I forgot to mention that during this delivery, I felt nauseous with every contraction and had horrible heart burns! I was given nauseated medicine that helped but the medicine to help with heartburn didn't do a thing.
Stan took a few pictures when I was having a contraction so this is the best one. I look worse than what I felt.

When I hit 6 cm the pain started increasing and I became very uncomfortable. I had many options for pain meds that I wanted before an epidural but I thought that I better get the epidural. With how quick things went, I am glad that I thought that. The nurse helped me sit up on the edge of the bed so I would be ready to get my epidural. The nurse was told that it would be 5 mins or so. Once I got to the edge I felt a little pop and felt an uncontrollable gush of fluid. My water broke! The nurse paged the anesthesiologist to hurry up. By this time it was noon. A few mins later my doctor came in saying that he came to break my water but now he doesn't have to. He then went back to his office and would come back when the baby was crowning. I was given the epidural and it didn't take all the pain away. I had this knife stabbing pain that wrapped around my left groin area to my back when I had a contraction. This pain later helped me know when to push.
Well the nurse gave me a "peanut ball" to put between my legs. It suppose to help my body move along. With in 15 mins of using this I started to feel sick. All of a sudden I threw up! I threw up a few times and the nurse said that she had to check me again. She said surprisingly that I was already 9cm (15 mins). At this time my body started trembling and I couldn't control it. I was then told to start pushing a little after 2pm. This was the longest part. I was told to keep pushing and after 1hr or so I was completely tired! I had no energy because I haven't been eating and couldn't keep anything down as well that I didn't sleep. After pushing for so long I was told to rest until the doctor got there. The doctor showed up a little after 4 pm and I finally had my baby in my arms at 437pm. It was seriously one the best experience. I thought I would cry but I was filled with so much love and amazement that I was just silent.
The best moment that I will always remember is holding Claira and having Stan lean over Claira's head and started talking to her. She moved her back and looked upside down at Stan and smiled at him. Sweetest moment.

Claira Kimiko Avans
Born: July 21, 2011 @ 4:37pm
7lbs 6oz
21 inches