Camille is here!
Well, it's been a while since I've written and there is LOTS to talk about. Camille made her entrance to this world 10 days before her expected due date. She was born on December 6, 2012 @ 8:35 am. She was 6 lbs/ 7 oz and 19 inches long. I'll recount my labor story or try to remember it as best as I can from my "foggy" memory!
Tuesday, December 4 was my last day at work. Boy was I uncomfortable on that day!!!! I had no idea that labor was on the horizon. I had gone to the doctor the previous week and had not dilated any, so if anything I expected that Camille would be late (not early). On the night of 12/4 around 1 am, I started having contractions. At first I thought they were Braxton Hicks, so I didn't bother waking Alvin. I looked on line and through my materials from our childbirth class to read up on Braxton Hicks vs. Real Contractions. The contractions continued occurring and had started getting stronger and stronger and occurring every 4 -6 minutes. After about an hour of timing contractions, I figured it was time to wake up hubby. We grabbed my hospital bag and headed to the hospital. The contractions continued on the way to the hospital - so we were both very optimistic that Camille would be making her entrance soon. We got checked in to the hospital and the nurse checked my cervix - I was VERY disappointed to learn that I had only dilated 1 CM!!! I was still in a LOT of pain, so she gave me a shot of Demerol and they monitored me for an hour and released me to go home. We got home around 6 am. I slept until around 11. When I woke up, the contractions were still coming but they were more sporadic. I laid in bed all day (in labor) counting contractions. Around 10:30 pm that night, the contractions starting coming on stronger and stronger.....at this point I was pretty sure that it was time to go back to the hospital. I woke up Alvin and we made the trek back to the hospital. The nurse (from the prior night) checked my cervix and I was excited to learn that I was now 4 cm dilated!!! HOWEVER, the contractions were very sporadic and they needed them to be closer together. They had me walk around the hospital for an hour. When the nurse checked me again, the contractions were 5 minutes apart and I was now dilated 5 cm. She called my doctor and the decision was made to admit me, because labor was on the way!
The nurse asked if I wanted an epidural, and of course I said YES so it was ordered. I was probably right at 6 cm dilated when I received the epidural. The contractions were coming on very hard and strong. They gave me some pain medicine which made me sleep. I woke up around 5 am in a tremendous amount of pain....turns out my water broke in my sleep. The nurse checked me again and I was 9 cm dilated!!! It was now time to begin pushing. Boy, was it hard. I have read tons of books on childbirth, gone to early childbirth classes, and talked to other mothers - but nothing could have prepared me. I forgot about all of the relaxation techniques that I learned.....Alvin was a really good coach. He actually held my leg during delivery an was side by side with the doctor. After almost a couple of hours of pushing, her head was coming out. Then I had to push harder. After a couple of really hard and strong pushes, I heard my baby cry. My hubby remembers more of the delivery than I do. He actually got to cut the cord. I tore a little, so my doctor was stitching me up. They immediately gave me Camille so we were skin so skin - which is critical to the bonding experience. I also began breastfeeding immediately, Camille latched on just perfectly. I delivered the placenta while Camille was on top of me. She was a distractions from the pain. Gosh, the whole process was probably the most painful thing I've ever endured in my life, but it was certainly the most rewarding. I absolutely LOVED her when I first learned I was pregnant and after months and months of singing, talking to her, and anticipating her arrival - I was even more in love. She's just perfect.
12/6/12 8:35 am - me & my hubby's life was changed forever by the birth of Camille Reese Jones.
Tuesday, December 4 was my last day at work. Boy was I uncomfortable on that day!!!! I had no idea that labor was on the horizon. I had gone to the doctor the previous week and had not dilated any, so if anything I expected that Camille would be late (not early). On the night of 12/4 around 1 am, I started having contractions. At first I thought they were Braxton Hicks, so I didn't bother waking Alvin. I looked on line and through my materials from our childbirth class to read up on Braxton Hicks vs. Real Contractions. The contractions continued occurring and had started getting stronger and stronger and occurring every 4 -6 minutes. After about an hour of timing contractions, I figured it was time to wake up hubby. We grabbed my hospital bag and headed to the hospital. The contractions continued on the way to the hospital - so we were both very optimistic that Camille would be making her entrance soon. We got checked in to the hospital and the nurse checked my cervix - I was VERY disappointed to learn that I had only dilated 1 CM!!! I was still in a LOT of pain, so she gave me a shot of Demerol and they monitored me for an hour and released me to go home. We got home around 6 am. I slept until around 11. When I woke up, the contractions were still coming but they were more sporadic. I laid in bed all day (in labor) counting contractions. Around 10:30 pm that night, the contractions starting coming on stronger and stronger.....at this point I was pretty sure that it was time to go back to the hospital. I woke up Alvin and we made the trek back to the hospital. The nurse (from the prior night) checked my cervix and I was excited to learn that I was now 4 cm dilated!!! HOWEVER, the contractions were very sporadic and they needed them to be closer together. They had me walk around the hospital for an hour. When the nurse checked me again, the contractions were 5 minutes apart and I was now dilated 5 cm. She called my doctor and the decision was made to admit me, because labor was on the way!
The nurse asked if I wanted an epidural, and of course I said YES so it was ordered. I was probably right at 6 cm dilated when I received the epidural. The contractions were coming on very hard and strong. They gave me some pain medicine which made me sleep. I woke up around 5 am in a tremendous amount of pain....turns out my water broke in my sleep. The nurse checked me again and I was 9 cm dilated!!! It was now time to begin pushing. Boy, was it hard. I have read tons of books on childbirth, gone to early childbirth classes, and talked to other mothers - but nothing could have prepared me. I forgot about all of the relaxation techniques that I learned.....Alvin was a really good coach. He actually held my leg during delivery an was side by side with the doctor. After almost a couple of hours of pushing, her head was coming out. Then I had to push harder. After a couple of really hard and strong pushes, I heard my baby cry. My hubby remembers more of the delivery than I do. He actually got to cut the cord. I tore a little, so my doctor was stitching me up. They immediately gave me Camille so we were skin so skin - which is critical to the bonding experience. I also began breastfeeding immediately, Camille latched on just perfectly. I delivered the placenta while Camille was on top of me. She was a distractions from the pain. Gosh, the whole process was probably the most painful thing I've ever endured in my life, but it was certainly the most rewarding. I absolutely LOVED her when I first learned I was pregnant and after months and months of singing, talking to her, and anticipating her arrival - I was even more in love. She's just perfect.
12/6/12 8:35 am - me & my hubby's life was changed forever by the birth of Camille Reese Jones.
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| Oooooh Lord, it's been a long day. |
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| Awwww what's wrong with my baby? |
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| The Jones Family |
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