Paisley's Birth Story

It was a quiet and peaceful Wednesday night. The boys were tucked in bed and sound asleep. I had just gotten my floors all mopped and ready for the baby's arrival. I was going in the following day at noon to be induced to welcome our baby into the world. Dusty and I went to bed around midnight after making sure we had everything prepared for the following day and had plans for babysitters for the twins. After falling asleep for a while, I woke up to go pee. It was 1:50 in the morning and when I stood up out of bed, a gush of fluid went down both legs. I went into the bathroom and realized that my water did in fact break (as we had had a false alarm water break the day before). I went and woke up Dusty to break the news to him, and as he sleepily rolled over he said "that's good baby, high five (while putting up his hand)". I said "Dusty it's the middle of the night. I will go to the hospital to make sure it's not another false alarm." He was not about to let me drive myself. I decided to take a quick shower when labor contractions started full force and I could barely keep from screaming at the top of my lungs with each contraction. They were 3 minutes apart and VERY strong. I was still set on driving myself, but after about 20 minutes of those contractions I told Dusty to call my cousin, Amanda, to see if she would come and sleep at our house so we didn't have to wake the boys, and he could drive me. She immediately got in her car and drove to our house. I still don't know how we will ever repay her, but we are so thankful for her helping us at 2:00 in the morning.

Dusty and I rushed to the hospital, me having severe and close contractions the whole way there. We got to the hospital and Dusty informed them on the phone to let us in the doors and that I was in labor. Walking down the hall, in the middle of a contraction, 2 nurses came running to meet us with a wheelchair. They were getting ready to put me in a monitoring room, when they decided otherwise, and took me straight to a delivery room. I didn't even have time to get gowned up before the nurses were helping to remove my bottoms and were checking me. The nurse who checked me said I was at a 10...+1. The room immediately filled with nurses, one of which shouted out a command to call my doctor. Some nurses were gowning up, some were giving me an IV, and some were preparing the baby's bed. As all of this was happening, Dusty overheard 2 nurses saying that the doctor probably wouldn't make it in time and that they would need to be ready to deliver. About that time, the doctor who was working L&D that night came in to see how things were going and to watch my contractions on the monitor when I asked if I could still get an epidural. I was dying! (Any of you mothers who go all natural, I have a high respect for you, but that is not for me!) They told me there was no time for an epidural ...I wanted to burst into tears. We were thinking "ready or not, here the baby comes"! 

It was about that time that the L&D doctor decided to check me again. She said I was only dilated to a 5! (I KNOW, there is a BIG difference between 5 and "10+1" ...not sure how that confusion happened, but I was grateful for it) That meant that I could get an epidural and my doctor would make it in time. They immediately called for the epidural anesthesiologist. He came in and was preparing to give me an epidural when the nurses were trying to gown me up (again...I was still dressed from the waste up as they thought our baby was coming immediately). Since I still had a t-shirt on, as they were pulling my shirt over my head they ripped my IV out and blood started going everywhere. Not only was blood shooting out of my hand but the rest of my water decided to puddle all over the floor. During severe contractions and the nurses trying to keep me breathing so I didn't pass out, they were trying to put in another IV. They poked me what seemed like a bazillion times before the doctor waiting to do the epidural grew impatient and put the IV in himself. Then he got the epidural administered and about 10 minutes later, life was good! I was finally relaxing and the extreme pain was going numb!!

It was about 4:55am when my OB/GYN, Dr. Chalmers, came into the room. He got gowned up and sat down right as I was having a contraction, so they immediately had me start pushing. With just one push, the baby's head crowned. Right before the baby's bottom half was revealed, Dr. Chalmers told Dusty to get ready to reveal the gender. Right as the baby was born, Dusty announced "It's a girl!" as I burst into tears. I was so excited to meet my baby GIRL! Paisley Anne Mackelprang was born at 5:02 AM, after only 2 pushes and a night full of excitement. She entered the world crying, with perfect color, and I absolutely loved when they laid her on my chest so I could snuggle her as they sucked her out. They weighed her and she weighed a whooping 6 lbs 14 oz and was 20 inches long. It was love at first sight. They cleaned her up and her and I did skin to skin. It was the perfect way to welcome our perfect baby girl into this crazy, fun-filled, loving and blessed world! 

My heart is so full and our family is complete!!