A Birth Story

Halle Mae Hadfield

6.29.15

7 lbs 11 oz

19.25 in. long

7:21 pm

Oh how we love and adore our sweet girl.  

She has brought so much joy into our home in the short 5 days she has been here.

Here is her birth story:

I woke up that Monday morning (3 days past my due date) with some light contractions and pressure.

I really didn't know what to think of it, or if it was anything at all.  

I had been having Braxton Hicks for a while so I just assumed it was more of those.

The contractions weren't consistent, but I had hope since it was SOMETHING.

(I also didn't know what to expect this time around because my water broke with Parker before I had any contractions)

My mother-in-law was in town to help us with Parker while we were in the hospital,

so she, Parker, and I went to the pool.

While swimming the contractions and pressure were pretty much non-existent so I figured it was, 

yet again, nothing.  

We finished up swimming, Parker went down for a nap, and I hopped in the shower and started getting ready for the day.

Branson called me from work while I was getting ready to see how I was feeling.

I told him I was still feeling some pressure and contractions, but they weren't getting any more painful or close together.

I told him it would probably be the next day.

I got off the phone with him, started to blow dry my hair, and I feel a pop.

I waited...nothing really happened. 

I thought it was weird but just kept drying my hair.

Then, another pop.

This time it was the real deal.

I ran to the toilet and immediately called Branson.

GO TIME!

I had to sit there forever while my water trickled out of me.

I texted my family to let them know our little girl would be coming that night.

My mom and dad immediately got on the road (two hour drive from where they live to the hospital.)

Branson was luckily working close by, so ten minutes later he gets home, pulls up the car and we head to the Panorama City Kaiser hospital.

It was about a 20 minute drive from where we live and my contractions were picking up fast.

My water continued to trickle out for the next hour or so.

[REALLY fun and comfortable (wink wink)]

We check in at the hospital, I change into my gown, and then we just kind of wait.

The nurses weren't in any sort of hurry to check me or see how far along I was.

This whole time my contractions were about 3 minutes apart and getting more and more painful.

Finally a midwife comes in to check me and tells me I'm at a 4.

I was at a 1.5 before my water broke, so those contractions were definitely doing something!

The nurse tells me I can walk around if I want to speed things up, so we did just that.

We walked one loop around the hospital until the pain got too intense.

I went into this labor with the same mindset that I had with Parker.

I would try to hold off on the epidural as long as I could and then get it when the 

pain was too much to bare. (sounds stupid I know, but I have my reasons ;)

Well, I got to that point REALLY fast this time.  

We told the nurse that I wanted to get it so she left to tell the anesthesiologist.

It felt like an eternity until we saw anyone again.

She informed us that the anesthesiologist was in the OR and couldn't leave.

They would try to find someone else, but they didn't know how long it would be.

HOLY CRAP I thought I was going to die.

That is NOT what you want to hear once you decide you want an epidural.

You want it THEN and you want it FAST!

Luckily a few minutes later the nurse comes back and says they can do it.

They check me, I'm at an 8.

I made it to a 5 last time with Parker when I asked for the epidural.

I was progressing SO fast.

They were all shocked! 

I get all prepped for the epidural and then they tell me B has to leave the room.

I almost started to cry.

My only comfort wasn't even aloud to hold my hand? DUMB!

Luckily the anesthesiologist was fast so I didn't have to hold still for that long during the contractions.

I laid down and she started the drugs.

I could still feel everything although my legs were going numb.

She told me the next contraction would be less painful.

It wasn't...

I waited for the next one...still pain.

Lots of pain!
The epidural was not doing it's job.
With Parker I couldn't feel a THING!

Then came the urge to push and I let everyone know it! haha

They checked me again and I was fully dilated and man did she want OUT!

They got everything set up for delivery and I started pushing.

The epidural seemed to numb my stomach cramps but I could feel everything else.

Intense pressure that made my lady parts feel as though they were ripping apart.

Everything on my left side was more intense.

The anesthesiologist just kept apologizing... (she was super nice)

I guess I must have made it clear how much it hurt? Ha. Whoops.

Anyways, about four pushes later our little girl was out!

Her hand was right next to her face when she came out.

Her cord was also around her neck, but luckily not too tight.

They put her on my chest and my first thought was,

she looks just like Parker with dark hair!

Must have been the matching swollen faces because now they look nothing alike.

She also would not stop crying and her cry was loud!

Parker had the loudest cry ever so we all just looked at each other and laughed...

We thought we had another louuud crier.

Turns out she is the quietest, sweetest little thing on the planet.

She hardly ever cries & sleeps and eats like a champ!

Ive gotten at least a 4 hour stretch every night since being home.

I'll take it!

We love our little Halle Mae to pieces and can't remember life without her.

Ready to head to the hospital! 

 While I was still smiling...^

Tears of joy.

Our first photo as a family of FOUR!

Parker is the BEST big brother.