One Year Ago

Avery is here! April 2009

Avery, April 2010

Avery with Dr. Hampton



As it was getting closer and closer to Avery's first birthday I started having "emotional spells" and getting all sentimental about the past year. It has been the most amazing journey Ryan and I have ever been on, and the most blessed year thus far.

We knew that a baby would change everything...but at the same time, we had NO idea how much changing would take place. Good change. I wanted to share the story of Avery's birth with you once more and I hope it touches your heart just like it does mine every day.

I was at my 38 week doctor's appointment and the doctor (Dr. Hampton) decided to induce me one week from that day due to how big I was getting and the fact that I had gestational diabetes...which can make for a BIG baby. I was a bit nervous but VERy excited! In one week Avery was going to be here! SO, April 8, 2009 at 5:00 I was checked in to Labor and Delivery and the pitocin began flowing. And flowing, and flowing...to the point I was making progress! Dr. Hampton came in to check me and broke my water at 8:30am. That's when the contractions really began hurting. When my water was broken I was at 5cm dilated, and uncomfortable due to the pitocin. Now, I was hurting. Avery's head was baring down and I was feeling a pain that I had never felt before. It was intense to say the least, and it was a lot of pressure all over my belly.

Not much time had passed and the anesthesiologist came in and I got my epidural (around 9:00am April 8)! PRAISE GOD!!! When it took effect (almost immediately) I felt relaxed and at more peace. However, with the relaxed feelings came a lull in my progression. I was barely dilating. All day I labored and the pitocin kept flowing and increasing. By 7pm I was a 7cm and my nurse was leaving (shift change). I was bumbed because I really liked her and still no Avery. All day in labor, not much progression, no baby...grrr. Long day. 8pm rolled around, I was 8cm, 10pm rolled around...10cm!!!!!!!!!! "Let's do this" I thought. I was dying to push since I was at 8cm...the two nurses asked are you ready to push? I thought "are you kidding"?! They began to prep the room and my cozy laboring room was transformed to spotlight central with the end of my bed being broken down for delivery. I was pumped! They brought in the cart for the baby to be cleaned up on, the scale, the "tools" for God only knows what...I didn't ask, and don't want to know what they were for. I was ready and there we began the delivery of Avery!!

The nurses were great! They called my Dr. Hampton and she was headed to the hospital! (remember its 10pm and Hampton was obviously at home...sorry Dr. Hampton)My own doctor was going to deliver Avery! Prayer answered. (I was a bit nervous to be delivered by another unfamiliar doctor, but honestly at 10cm and pushing I just wanted a doctor there to get Avery OUT, no matter WHO it was) Dr. Hampton arrived before 10:30 and i had already started pushing. I was doing the best breathing, or "blowing out the birthday candles on that cake" that I could, bearing my chin into my chest, and thinking of the moment I would hear Avery cry for the first time. My pure motivation was the imagined sound of Avery and seeing her little body in my arms...even more so in Ryan's arms. Push baby push!

There was a moment in the "pushing phase" of when time seemed to be in slow motion. I was not getting Avery's head past my bones and I was having to push on all fours with my hind end facing Dr. Hampton...what the heck?! I am not joking! I was willing to do anything and I was determined to push Avery out. I was terrified of surgery. Ryan was great! He fanned me with magazines, gave me ice chips during pushing, put chap stick on me, and even attempted a pony-tail! I remember looking at the clock and it said 12:35am! WHAT?! I had been pushing for over two hours?! I started crying. Dr. Hampton asked what was wrong, all I could say was "I don't want surgery". She asked me to give her 30 more minutes, I said ok and began to try to push some more. I couldn't. My body was contracting on its own every 1 1/2 minutes and I was beyond exhausted. Avery was stuck. We decided a c-section was the only option. I had been in labor 21 hours, pushing for over 2. When the decision was made, all of a sudden there were people EVERYWHERE in my room, unhooking, re hooking drugs, an anesthesiologist came in and said "I'm Dr. Cherry, and I'm gonna give you something to make you numb from the chest down". The only thing I cared about was getting the contractions to stop. I asked Dr. Cherry "will it make the contractions go away?" he said yes, but it took a few minutes (really about 5 min). I remember seeing Ryan getting dressed in his blue scrubs, and he ever so sweetly came over and said to me "I am SO proud of you! You did great! Now, we are gonna go have a baby!" I was scared, excited, and most of all relieved!

Within 5 minutes of the decision being made to go into surgery, I was being wheeled down the hall, still having contractions, and feeling the urge to push. As soon as the foot of my bed hit the OR doors the peace that only come from God came over me. The contractions stopped, the OR was cold, clean, and bright. I was in heaven! I was ringing wet from pushing, hot, and ready to relax and let God guide the doctors to bringing my Avery into the world.

The blue curtain went up, the neonatologist came in, Dr. Hampton next explaining what was going to happen. The next thing I know Dr. Cherry was wearing a baby blanket on his head while escorting Ryan into my head side. All I cold do was laugh! Everyone was freezing except me, I LOVED how cold the OR was! Ryan had no sooner sat down and said "we're about to have a baby" than we heard her cry out! Breath taking. Still to this day it brings tears to my eyes and I can barely see to type. She was here! Prefect, 8.8 lbs, 21 3/4" long, beautiful, at 1:04am April 9, 2009. Avery's head had been wedged to her shoulder causing her to be unable to straighten out her neck to be pushed out. She was crooked and stuck. Thank you God for modern medicine and being able to still bring healthy life into this world even if it cannot be pushed into the world by mama!

Ryan was a proud daddy! He got to carry Avery back to the room we had been laboring and pushing in while I was still in the OR being "put back together". A c-section may be common, but it is still major surgery! Wow. It took me about 30 more minutes to get back to my room, when I arrived my family was there and Miss Avery! I was in so much pain. I had this searing burning sensation in my belly. All I wanted to do was go to sleep. After I saw Avery of course. All in all, I got my morphine, a short visit from my family, to feed Avery, then sleep. A LONG day, but a perfect day. Happy Birthday Avery Katherine. We LOVE you more that you know.

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift" 2 Corinthians 9:15