At 10pm on Tuesday 9/27/11 I was induced to give birth to our first baby. My labor didn't really start until the next morning. I was off to a very slow start. Later in the afternoon the next day I was in hard labor and my epidural had worn off...I think the nurses that added my second iv drip did something wrong and the medication wasn't working properly. I was good until they changed out the bags. I was stuck at 4cm for 6 hours. My doctor suggested that we schedule a c-section because I had stopped progressing. Our nurse talked him into giving us an hour to try to progress - and we did! All the way to 9cm. I remember that it was painful (More pain than I had ever felt before) but I can't remember the pain. At 9cm Ava still hadn't moved. So even though I had progressed, Ava hadn't. I had no choice but to have a c-section. There was an emergency c-section ahead of me, and mom with twins in the other operating room... so we had to wait. And, while we waited I continued to have contractions even though there was nothing happening with Ava. It was very painful...
They came in at 7:00 to get us ready, and at 7:30 I was on my way to the operating room. I was very drugged up. I think I remember seeing my mom in the hallway as the wheeled me out of our room. I don't remember Andy walking with me, even though he was there... The operating room had an odd smell and weird lighting. I remember hearing the doctors saying the suction wasn't working. After 22 1/2 hours of labor 17 minutes later our baby girl was here!! Born at 7:47PM on September 28, 2011.
They took Ava away immediately to clean her up, Andy went with her. I was alone for the rest of my surgery. The guys that were in there with me were amazing, as well as my doctors. Every person in there continued to talk to me to keep me awake, and make sure I was doing alright. I remember feeling the pressure of the staple gun, and hearing it at the same time and my mind associated the two and I felt it, even though I really couldn't.
While they were finishing up with me they brought Ava in so that I could see her, and touch her.
Meeting Our baby Girl for the first time!
Back to the Nursery for cleaning and tests
Ava James Parke
September 28, 2011 - 7:47 PM
9lb 3oz - 22 1/2 Inches
