So I went to work...

Lexie's birth story: Part 1

Thursday, May 19 I started having inconsistent contractions. They would come and go, but nothing painful. Just like a bad period. Thursday night I started having more consistent contractions that were about 10 minutes apart. We went to bed and I woke up Friday morning at 1 am with contractions that were fairly uncomfortable. They started out about 7 minutes apart then jumped around from 8 to 6 to 10 minutes apart from 1 am to about 5:30 am. At that point I called my OB's hotline to see what they thought. They told me it definitely sounded like early labor and to call back once the office opened at 8:30 as they didn't think I would have a baby in 3 hours.

The contractions continued and I debated calling into work. I wasn't sure if it could be false labor or what, but I knew there were a few things I needed to do at work should I decide to go home at lunch. I wasn't feeling well at all, but decided to go ahead and head to work. My contractions continued staying anywhere between 7 to 10 minutes apart. It is not incredibly easy to drive while contracting, I might add.

I get to work and have a decent contraction right in my work lobby, which freaked out all my co-workers. I called my doctor's office when they opened at 8:30 am explaining what was going on. They told me to come in at 9:30 am. By this time the office was buzzing about my potential labor and everyone was in and out of my cubicle. I needed to leave at 9:10 to get to the doctor and with everyone talking to me, I didn't get anything done I needed to - making going into work pretty much pointless.

I drove to my OB's office with my contractions starting to die off. I started to get my hopes up that this was false labor and they'd just send me back to work. As I sat in the waiting room, my contractions became very inconsistent. I was so bummed. They called me back and as I sat on the exam table, I realized how dead tired and uncomfortable I was. I had been up since 1 am and was dead on my feet.

My doctor came in, checked me and said I was 2-3 centimeters. She said I was in pre-dromal labor, which could go on for days. I wanted to cry lol. She told me she thought I'd go on my own sometime before Monday, but that she wasn't here over the weekend if I did advance to active labor. So her advice...

"Let's have this baby today!"

At that point she got on her phone, called over to Labor & Delivery, and set me up. She got off the phone and said "Ok head over to L&D, get checked in and I'll be over there shortly." I'm pretty sure I sat there and stared at her thinking "I'm really having this baby today?"

I walked out of the OB's office and started on my way across the street to the hospital. Alone, mind you. It was all very surreal. So there I walked alone, over to the hospital, to admit myself all the while still thinking "Shit, I'm really having a baby today."

I got to the hospital and sat in the lobby while talking my husband through grabbing everything we needed at the house. The hospital bags were packed outside of his clothes, the camera, charger and lap top. It was so strange knowing that I would be having a baby in a few short hours. I called work and said "So I won't be back in today as I'm going to have a baby." lol

After getting off the phone, I went up to L&D and stood at the nurse's station. "Hi, umm I'm checking in..." It was such a strange moment. I pictured my arriving to the hospital something like the movies portray. My contractions would be 5 minutes apart and I would be in painful labor as hubby and I checked into L&D. Not so much.

They walk me into my room where they give me a laundry bag for my clothes, a cup for a pee sample, and a gown. I change with trembling hands and return to the room where I get into the hospital bed. I remember sitting there in a bit of a daze that I was really about to have a baby. The wait was over. I was going to meet my baby girl....today. I answer umpteen questions and then my husband gets there. They get my IV set up and start the pitocin to speed up my labor. They offer me ice chips or a popscicle. My husband gets a popscicle and I get ice chips.

We turn on E! Network as I begin to breathe through manageable contractions...