Happy Birthday Quinn!

August 22, 2015 we left for vacation to ocean city. We chose this destination because it was within driving distance with me being 35/36 weeks pregnant. Flying wasn't an option and this was close enough "should" something happen. Within a few days of arriving my feet started swelling like balloons and I started experiencing some "leaking", I'll spare you the gory details. I assumed both of these were from my increased activity due to walking the boardwalk, etc. I did call my doctors office and spoke with a nurse who scolded me for going on vacation, of which I thought was ridiculous. What's the big deal about going 3 hours from home at 35 weeks?

As the days went on I continued to experience leaking which the nurse assured me can be normal and didn't indicate labor. We enjoyed our whole vacation, walking, kayaking, dining out and even a few glasses of wine for me! Friday night we started packing up for our departure Saturday morning, we had planned to leave around 8-9am. Thankfully I pestered Jeff into loading the car with as much stuff as possible just to save time.

That night we celebrated Jacqueline's birthday and I went to bed. At 1:00am I woke up and felt the same small trickle I had been feeling, but I felt my pants and they were damp, like a small continuous leak or something. I went to the restroom, changed pants and went to lay on the couch, where I met my husband, snoozing away! I watched a few episodes of the Real Housewives while trying to gauge what was really going on. Over the course of 2 hours I realized I was having real contractions. I downloaded a timer and they were 1 minute long, 5 minutes apart. At 3:00am I woke up Jeff and told him I thought it was best that we leave. He was so confused, and kept asking if I was sure. I think we both expected my water to break like flood gates like it did with Emersyn. Jeff then woke up the whole house and I think we all were confused as to what was going on and if I was really in labor.

Jeff had enjoyed a few adult cocktails late into the evening, so off we went towards home, me driving, Emersyn sleeping and Jeff snoozing, haha! Me driving actually worked out though because I was able to focus on my contractions and nothing else. Once Emersyn woke up, for the day at her normal time, I called the doctor who again scolded me for being on vacation and insisted I go to the nearest Kaiser hospital. At this point I had driven over 2 hours and knew our hospital was only another 45 mins and I was headed there. I wanted to be where Emersyn was born and I didn't want her to be stranded at a hospital. I knew if we were close to home someone could come get her and take her to our home.

We arrived at Stafford hospital at 7 something in the morning and I kid you not as soon as the put me in the wheelchair my contractions stopped completely after getting progressively stronger the whole drive. Deep breaths and unable to talk. The took me to labor and delivery to see what was going on. At this point I still didn't think I was in true labor and they would send me home. The Dr. Came in and swabbed the fluid and very quickly came back in and said "yep, that's amniotic fluid, your water has broken and your having a baby". As soon as she shut the door, I burst into tears. I wasn't ready, we didn't even get to go home first! But the main reason I was so upset was I just wanted more time with Emersyn. I was really looking forward to coming back from vacation and having a whole month to spend with just her.

We got moved to our room to start was ended up being a very long journey to his arrival! They immediately started pitocin since it was unclear how much fluid I had actually lost and how long it had been lost. At shift change I was thrilled that my actual Ob was on shift for the next 24 hours, who delivered Emersyn as well. Surely id have him within 24 hours, right? Wrong.

She advised to stop pitocin and for me to walk, so I did. I walked, I rocked, I waited, they checked me over and over and I wasn't progressing. Back on pitocin, no progress. Hours went past and I was tired and frustrated. 12+ hours after we had checked in, I was having painful contractions for 2 hours and I lost it when she checked me and I still hadn't dilated any further. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME"?? Followed by tears, was my reaction. Very late into the evening I finally got an epidural after waiting 2 hours after I called for it. I just wanted to sleep.

I finally was able to rest, then two nurses came running and and flipped me on my side, and of course I asked what was going on and Quinn's heart rate was dropping. This happened three times and when my dr. Came in she said three times was her limit before she started discussing C-section. My response was "I don't care what you do just get this baby out of me!" And of course I wanted what was best for him. She asked me to rest for a bit, with an oxygen mask on.... How exactly does one sleep with an oxygen mask on?

Quinn was stable and several more hours past, and the sun was coming up. They say your second labor is faster than your first, and Emersyn was 22.5 hours so clearly that just isn't true! My dr. Came to check me again around 9am and said she felt a small bag of water that she hadn't felt before. She broke it and that was the ticket. I immediately starting having much stronger contractions. Within 2 hours it was time to push. They had me in so many positions trying to get him to drop down further. After about 30 mins of "practice pushing" and me worrying and getting over my fear of poo-ing (haha!!) with Jeff and the nurse they said ok stop. The new OB came in and 2 pushes and our sweet boy was here! 34 hours of labor, a 3.5 hour drive, one starving and tired momma, and two proud parents, 4 weeks early, 7lbs 3oz, Quinn Edward completed our family.

We are very grateful that Jeff's sister delivered his parents to us at the hospital on their drive back from vacation! Emersyn had so much fun with her little grandma and little papa! They made us stay an extra day since he was so "early". I did tell my OB several times I thought my due date was off and I still believe it was. I couldn't wait to get home to my girl!

We feel so blessed to have two wonderful, beautiful children. Happy 4th birthday to my baby bubby Quinn!