Well, what can I say? Cora would not come on her own. I could have had her induced a week before the due date, then on the due date, but I said no both times. Why?-- I really thought she would come! So one week late, and we had a scheduled induction 7/7/14 in the morning. First I had my doctor break my water, hoping that it would start contractions naturally, but NOTHING. At 11:30am, I was started on pitocin, and my 'labor' began at 1pm. Here is a video of me laboring. A part of me thought I could do this without an epidural, but I quickly gave up. The nurses kept saying, "She's still laughing, not too bad yet!" But sometimes I laugh to deal with pain. Confusing, I know.
I returned to my room and asked for an epidural. It was fantastic. I love them so much. However, my blood pressure dropped and I was given ephedrine to constrict my blood vessels, thus bringing my blood pressure back up. Fortunately, I didn't notice anything was wrong. I've heard of people throwing up, or shivering, and that didn't happen to me! I was comfy.
The next dilemna was that stinker Cora. First, she wouldn't get into position, so the Dr had to reach in and turn her head a little bit. When she finally dropped in position, the umbilical cord tightened around her neck and her heart rate dropped. Dr Martin and the nurses told me "Time to push!" "Time to get her out". Dr Martin also kept saying that I was lucky it wasn't my first pregnancy. Why? I'm not sure. We think that I wouldn't have been able to push her out in time, and would have had to have a c-section. BUT I PUSHED WITH ALL MY MIGHT! So mightily, that I popped blood capillaries all over my neck. I think I pushed Cora out in 3 contractions. Took longer than Michael's one push. Why? NINE POUNDS FIVE OUNCES--THAT'S WHY!
Cora Jade Phillips, born 7/7/14, 3:28pm. 9lbs 5oz, 20 inches long.
Out of all my children, Cora was the EASIEST baby in the hospital. All she did was eat and sleep. NO CRYING. She even slept through the night. I thought, this is the best baby EVER!
Then we got home.
And she cried for 2 days. All day and all night. If she wasn't feeding, she was crying. So she sucked and sucked, and when she wasn't sucking, she was crying. It was HORRIBLE. I was so tired that 2nd night, I just laid in bed with her crying by my side. I felt so bad for her. She must have been so tired! I plead with God that I would do any calling in the church, ANYTHING!, just please calm down my baby!
We then had our first check up with the pediatrician, who assured us that her crying was due to being hungry, and when my milk comes in, she would turn into an angel.
HE WAS RIGHT. Milk came in ABUNDANTLY, and Cora hasn't cried since. Eats, poops, and sleeps. OH HAPPY DAY!
Meanwhile, Elena and Michael are enjoying summer:
