Ella Grace

We welcomed our newest little bundle of joy on June 29, 2015.  She was born on Grandpa Hettinger's 75th birthday so it was a pretty special birthday for him! He said it was the best one in 75 years!
She was born at 9:31 a.m. and weighed 6 lb 9 oz and was 21 inches long (although at the pediatrician a few days later she measured 19 inches long so I'm not sure which was right).
I woke up in the middle of the night around 3:30 on Sunday night/Monday morning with contractions.  Once again, I wasn't sure if it was contractions because I had been having Braxton Hicks for so long. I wasn't sure if it was the real thing or just more Braxton Hicks.  They were uncomfortable enough that I couldn't really go back to sleep so I started timing them.  They were irregular with some being 4 min apart and some being 7 minutes apart.  I had been timing them for about 20 minutes laying in bed and then Charlotte started crying. So I tapped Jared and said "Charlotte is awake but I am laying here timing contractions to see if I am in labor." He went and got Charlotte and I went and laid in the tub for comfort.  After a while he came in and said Charlotte was back asleep but that he couldn't go back to sleep and wanted to know what was going on and if I thought I really was in labor.  I told him I thought so but wasn't really sure yet.  He went in the extra bedroom (Savannah's room) for something and noticed there were a bunch of dead fish in the fish tank and decided he needed to clean out the fish tank in case my parents came to stay for a few days in that room.  I said "Seriously right now?!".  But yes he decided it was a good time for that:)  Meanwhile I went ahead and started getting dressed and ready and also packed a quick hospital bag.  I called my parents around 5:30 a.m.  (Jared sent a text about 15 minutes earlier but they didn't respond and I decided a text probably wasn't going to wake them up so I called).  Dad answered and I said "good morning we just wanted to call and be the first to wish you happy birthday:) He said "Is it time?" and I said "I think so". So about 30 minutes later mom showed up and we left for the hospital around 6:30.  When we got the hospital and they checked me to make sure I was in labor they said I was about a 6.  I said "so I get to stay?" and she said yes:)
I had been really going back and forth about whether or not to have the epidural.  I had Savannah naturally because she came so quickly and I didn't have a choice but then I opted to have one with Charlotte because I thought "Why not?" but afterwards I regretted it because by the time I got it it only was about 15 minutes until she was born and then my back was so sore afterwards and I hated having the catheter and also the risks of side effects. I thought that it was silly to save myself 15 minutes of pain.  So I really wanted to do this one natural but didn't know if I would be able to do it if I was given the choice of an epidural.  I decided I would just see if labor progressed quickly and if it did then I would go natural.  They wheeled me to a delivery room and I told them I was going to try to do natural. I asked for a room with a bathtub because I had heard that it helps during natural childbirth.  I was super annoyed when they told me that there is a rule that if a woman isn't 37 weeks along then she can't use the bathtub.  I was only one day shy of being 37 weeks!! Seriously? Not only that but I don't even understand how that rule makes any sense any way. So regardless I was disappointed I wasn't getting that option.  We got into the room and the nurse stayed for a few minutes getting us ready and then said I was free to walk around or down the halls if I wanted and she'd be back in about 45 minutes to check me.  I thought "45 minutes!!?" what in the world?  At this point it had already been about an hour since we got there and I thought I need to know how quickly I am progressing so I can mentally prepare for what's in store.  I asked her to check me so I knew how dilated I was.  She checked and said "Oh my you are an 8! I am impressed!"  She was impressed because I honestly don't make a sound when I am in labor.  They never know how far along I am because I am not complaining or giving any clue that I am in a ridiculous amount of pain.  Anyways once I knew I was already an 8 and this would hopefully go quickly I just prepared myself for getting through what was in store naturally and hoping it would be quick!  She left the room and for a while it was just Jared and I in there which was really nice. He was extremely helpful.  He put on some nice music (Jack Johnson) and squeezed my hips and back when I was having a contraction (advice we got from Heather).  It was actually really helpful.  I don't know if it helps ease the pain or if it is just a distraction but either way it was great.  Contractions definitely started coming quicker and pain became more intense.  I kind of felt the need to squat during the upcoming contractions and when I did I felt like at that point things went very quickly.  A few times later my water broke.  They came in and cleaned up and then left.  Things continued to go this way and probably about 20 minutes later I felt like she was crowning.  We called for the nurses/doctor and I got up on the bed.  The nurses came in and said yes she was coming right then and called for the doctor.  They told me to try to wait until the doctor could come in but at this point I couldn't really wait.  Baby was coming and I didn't have much control over that:) I remember holding onto Jared desperately (he was beside me) and looking up at him as the pain and feeling got out of this world intense and then almost instantly she was born.  Our sweet bundle of joy:)  The love that can be felt in that moment is unlike any other.  It is simply the best moment I think a woman/man can have in this life.  It is indescribably special and sacred.  Ella was born perfectly healthy and beautiful as could be.  They gave her to me to hold right away and so we just snuggled and pretty soon after she wanted to eat and was a great eater from the start.
I was so happy to have done it naturally.  I was so happy I didn't have to worry about an epidural at that point and I was good to go. No more pain and no side effects.  It was totally worth it for me.  Since my babies are small and labor is quick it is totally doable.  I was also proud to know that I could do it even when I had the option of having an epidural.  As always the next few days are a blur, but I felt so good and baby was doing so well that we were actually able to leave the hospital a day early.  We were ready to leave the busy hospital with all of the constant interruptions and hospital food and get back to the rest of our happy family:)  So incredibly blessed!