Eliza Grace

 

Eliza Grace Hibbert arrived Tuesday April 2nd at 1:49 am and weighing in at 8lbs 12oz.  Here's her birth story.  I have to preface it by saying even after having four kids I had never experienced labor and did not know what to expect.  Conner came 4 weeks early via a c-section because he was breech. Sam came 2 weeks early and Mikey came 8 days early because they both showed fetal distress during the NSTs so I was induced by having my water broke.  With Lucy, I was dilated to a 4 a week and half before she was due so my doctor told me I was ready and he'd break my water and see if that started labor if I wanted.  Neil and I slept on it for a night and then decided to go ahead and do it on Friday so getting a babysitter would be easy.  Needless to say I always got an epidural early on and never really felt labor pains and was not sure what to expect.

 

With our fifth baby I wanted to finally experience what labor contractions were like but I still planned on getting an epidural.  At 2 weeks before my due date I was dilated to a 4 again and knew that my labor would most likely go pretty fast.  Little did I know how fast it really would go.  I had told my mom by biggest fear was not being able to get the epidural in time.  I have never taken any birthing classes and was not mentally prepared to deal with the worst pain of my life.  I had prayed that the baby wouldn't arrive until Neil finished his class on March 31st and my mom was praying I wouldn't have an April Fool's baby so I should have known it would come on April 2nd.

 

Neil and I went to bed at 10:45 on April 1st.  I woke up at 11:30 with indigestion.  I took some tums and laid back down.  Exactly at midnight I felt my first contraction.  I wasn't sure if it was a real contraction but it definitely felt different than the Braxton Hicks I'd been having.  It was just in my lower abdomen.  I got out my pregnancy book and started timing.  The contractions were about 6-7 minutes apart.  The book said the contractions should start in the lower back and move to the front and radiate down your legs and that they should become regular.  Well after about 30 minutes they were still just in my lower abdomen and becoming erratic, some 6 minutes apart and then 2, then 4, then 1.  The book said (remember I'd never experienced any of this before) if it was in the middle of the night to try to rest or get things ready so that's what I did.  At 1am I laid on the couch and tried to read but the pains were getting worse, nothing that I couldn't take but they did make me moan.  My mom heard me and came up to check on me and she knew I was in labor.  She went to wake up Neil, which I did not want to do.  He had been sick and needed all the sleep he could get so I was a little irritated.  The contractions kept coming but I was in denial.  I did not want to go to the hospital and be sent home so I refused to go.  I told Neil to go wash his hair and I brushed my teeth.  Finally at 1:30 my mom realizing my contractions were 2-3 minutes apart or less insisted I go to the hospital and practically pushed me out the door.  She gave Neil a clean towel in case we needed it.  We made it to the hospital at 1:45.  Luckily all 10 of the stoplights were green or we would have been in trouble.  I was doing okay and insisted on walking into the ER and up to labor and delivery but as soon as I walked into the ER a contraction hit that immobilized me and the nurse pushed me into a wheel chair and up to labor and delivery, not having time to fill out any paper work.  I guess they know when a baby is about to be born even though I didn't.  I still thought they were going to admit me and check to see how dilated I was and what not.  I kept waiting for the worst pain of my life to hit.  Up until this point everything was bearable but not fun.  By this time the contractions were almost constant.  We got to labor delivery at 1:47 and I began to yell that I had to go poop.  Well that wasn't poop I was feeling.  Labor and delivery was so quiet and the nurses were just chatting but as soon as the elevator opened and they heard me they sprang to action and got me in a room and as they tried to get my pants down my water broke and I freaked out realizing I was about to give birth.  I was terrified and remember saying I don't want to do this.  I can't do this.  As soon as my pants were off they got me on the bed and out Ms. Eliza came.  I didn't even push.  There was no doctor present, just 6 nurses but everything was great.  They put her on my chest and I was in complete shock.  I just kept saying what in the world just happened.  I couldn't touch the baby I was so shocked.  I remember looking for Neil because he had been pushed out of the way in the commotion and was by the door.  I could see him saying, it's a girl.  It didn't even register at the time that we didn't know what the baby was going to be.  It all happened so fast.  The worst pain was only for 4 minutes and I guess it was pretty bad because I was screaming but I don't really remember which is a huge blessing.  I can now say I know what natural childbirth is like and what contractions are like and I'll be able to help my daughters (can't get over that we now have two) when their turn comes.

 

Eliza is my biggest baby but her head was the smallest measuring in the 50th percentile (the other 4 were all in the 90th+)   which meant I had no tearing.  Hallelujah.  My doctor made it in time to deliver the placenta.  So I broke a lot of rules with this birth.  Since it was a vbac the doctor is supposed to be present during the whole labor, didn't happen.  Also it's protocol to give an epidural in case an emergency c-section is needed.  I feel so blessed that my mom was here and made me go to the hospital when she did or we would have been having a baby at home which would have been traumatic.  I am also thankful that everything happened so fast and we are all good.  It was so nice not having to get an IV and being able to get up and walk around right afterwards.  The nurses were so great and amazed too that I walked on the floor and within two minutes gave birth.  Wow what an experience but look what we have to show for it.  This sweet little angel.  She's two weeks old now and doing so good.  She still looks a little jaundiced but she didn't have to go under the lights.  Nursing got off to a terrible start but now that's going well too.  Eliza was tongue tied and so was not able to latch on correctly.  No one figured that out for 3 days so nursing was complete torture but she got her tongue cut and it's all better.

 

So here are a slew of pictures of our little bundle of joy,

Every morning the kids come in and come look at Eliza.



 



The kids love to snuggle her and often fight over who gets to lay by her.



 

 

We're not sure who she looks like but the most like Mikey.  I always say you have to wait until about 3 months when they finally get their "look".  I do think she's my cutest baby to date yet.

 

So why did we choose to name her Eliza?  I would never in a million years have picked that name but we feel her birth was directly connected to going on trek and on trek we came to love Neil's ancestor Eliza Cusworth and thus the name.  Hopefully our Eliza will have the faith and testimony of her name sake.  She was an amazing woman. 

 

I usually don't enjoy the newborn stage because of being so tired and what not but I m loving Eliza. I think the other kids' obsession with her is rubbing off on me.  They just love her so much and want to be with her and help with whatever I need.  They are finally old enough to enjoy a baby.  Mikey and Lucy are the best and so sweet with her.  One thing I don't get is they all want to carry her and beg me to let them carry her downstairs or to the couch or wherever.  She's been sleeping about 5-6 hours the last 4 nights so I'm feeling pretty good.

My mom is at Allison's this week and so things will be getting back to normal.  So far Lucy shoved a lego stud up her nose and was freaking out about it.  I tried to get her to blow it out but that didn't work.  As Neil went to get tweezers she snorted it farther up her nose and it came out her mouth.  Gross I know.  Today I got all the kids ready and to school on time but on the way home I needed to stop by the post office.  I had the 3 youngest with me.  Of course Mikey refused to get dressed and didn't have shoes on so I had to give him a piggy back ride in since everything was wet while carrying Eliza in the front and Lucy running around like a lunatic.  Yep I think things are getting back to normal.