Jessica

In May of 2009, I felt the urge to have another baby and when I talked to Jeff about it he agreed. One night about a month or so later we were putting the girls to bed there was a lot of drama and crying, which seems to be common with little girls. Jeff and I looked at each other and said, "Maybe we shouldn't have another baby right now." Too late! I was barely pregnant and just hadn't confirmed it yet. This time I was a little nervous as to how I would handle 3 children.

My sickness/nausea/yuckies felt different this time around and I was convinced that since it was a different feeling that we were having a boy this time. I had mixed feelings about what I wanted to have this go around. I thought it would be kind of fun to have a boy since I didn't have one. I also know that Jeff would really like to have a boy, so I was sort of hoping for a boy for his sake. BUT, I already have 2 little girls and another girl would be easy since I know girls and we have all girlie stuff in our home. The first week of November we found out it was another girl! Poor Jeff. No chance he'd see any blue since we decided this would be our final addition. Of course, he was ok with another girl, but I do wonder if he was remotely dissappointed that day in the ultrasound room.

I had decided this time around that since my labor and delivery with Samantha was so easy that I would try to go without any intervention. I spent hours of seeking advice from my sister and cousin, planning and finding just the right person to coach me through my labor. And I had it all worked out. Found a great friend from my church, who I've known for a while and trust and felt like I had everything set to go. At my 39 week check up I had my doctor cancel the induction date their office had set up for me, without my consent. Of course, it would have been easy for me to go through with the induction only because that meant I would be having baby sooner rather than later, but I was sticking to my plan. At my 40 week appointment the doctor checked to see how far dilated I was and said he wasn't able to feel the head...something wasn't right. He immediately took me to the ultrasound room to see what position the baby was in. Sure enough, her head was up in my ribs! This took me by surprise because just the week before, her head was down and she was in position. This also scared me! He began talking about turning her externally and if he wasn't able to then he said they'd have to do an emergency c-section. C-section?!?! I was scheduled to go to the hospital the next morning so the doctor could turn her around (not sure of the technical term) and if he wasn't able to, then I'd go immediately for a c-section. My birthing plan just flew right out the window!

I prayed all night long that this baby would turn. I was so scared of having a c-section. I know it would have been alright, but it really scared me. I had already had 2 successful vaginal deliveries and knew what to expect the 3rd time around.

We arrived at the hospital bright and early that Tuesday morning and spoke to the doctor before we got checked it. He asked me if I thought she had moved and I told him no. I could still feel her head in my ribs...he felt it too. She was still in the same position when we arrived at the hospital. I was so nervous but still hopeful that she would turn or that he would be able to do it. I was also nervous that it would hurt by him having to do it. One of the nurses told me that he had the highest percent rate of success...so I was hopeful it would work. The nurse set me up on fluids right away and we hung out for about an hour before the doctor came in with the emergency staff. Talk about a case of the nerves! I didn't know what to expect. He did a quick peak with the ultrasound and as soon as he put the instrument on my stomach he said, "Never mind!" I was confused?!? What? Never mind? He said she turned. I could NOT believe it! It had only been about an hour since we both felt her head in my ribs and now she's in the right position?!? PRAISE GOD! I told the doctor that was a lot of prayer...to which he sort of blew off! But I know better because I had a lot of prayers going up for both baby and me. Doctor immediately broke my water because he didn't want to take the chance of her turning again and said I was bed ridden. Didn't want me to move about for fear of the cord 'falling out'. (Yes, same doctor as with Madelyn.) I called my birthing coach and told her what happened and she offered to still come and help.

We were hoping my labor would start once my water had been broken, but nothing was really happening. We asked several times if I could get up and walk around and was told no. I tried the birthing ball, but that stopped what contractions I was having...so that wasn't helping. I kept refusing the pitocin because I still wanted to try to continue with my plan. Hours went by and nothing. Finally, at 4:30ish the doctor came in to check on me and basically said that they couldn't let me keep waiting due to risk of infection since my water had been broken. I finally agreed to the pitocin and was going to try to go without an epidural. The pitocin got started on the lowest setting and that's all it took. My labor took off and boy was I feeling it now! I tried relaxing through each contraction, but wasn't able to. My body tensed up and I just could not relax. My birthing coach told me I would be ok for me to get the epidural if I needed it. Everything would be fine and she would stick with me no matter what I decided. I got the epidural around 7:30 that night and was finally able to relax my entire body. Staying true to my previous labors, I started vomitting and not long after that I felt the pressure to push. Once they started the pitocin and the epidural, everything happened so fast! I feel like was minutes from the time the pitocin was started to the time she was born.

After about 10-15 minutes of me pushing and saying I couldn't do it anymore, Jessica Lynn was born at 9:57 on March 23, 2010! She weighed in at 7 pounds 10 ounces! 2 whole pounds less than Madelyn and 1 pound less than Samantha...my little peanut. She actually had a little bit of hair and it was dark, not like her sisters' light colored hair.

So had I given in to the doctor at 9:00 that morning and gotten the pitocin and epidural, then Jessica may have been born a little after lunch time. My true labor only lasted about 4-5 hours...but I was holding out all day hoping to go into labor on my own.

I love Jessica so much and am so thankful God has blessed us with her. She is such a joy to all of us. She loves her big sisters and they love her so much! (They've even talked about having number 4!)