Stella Mae

As I sit down to write this, I have a beautiful 5 day old baby girl snuggled against my chest in her Moby wrap (why didn't I know about this with Silas??). She is so content being close to me and I have the best view of her sweet little face...and she's within kissing distance so I can love all over her big cheeks as often as I want.

Miss Stella Mae Soll arrived 4 days early on Thursday, September 26th, 2013 at 3:08am weighing 8 pounds, 8.9 ounces (0.1 ounces bigger than Silas!) and 20.5 inches long.

39 weeks, about 14 hours before Stella was born

I had my 39 week OB appt on Wednesday at 3pm where Dr. Belsheim stripped my membranes and told me she'd be surprised if I last until the following weekend. Yeah, yeah, I'd heard all that with Silas so I wasn't getting my hopes up. I was dilated 3-4 but just felt too good that day to be having a baby. Two days before hand, I had woken up with pretty regular contractions and was sure I was in labor, but they subsided. Anyway, I went home and around 5:30pm noticed bloody show and had cramping, nausea and diarrhea. I just felt awful. I called Dr. Belsheim and she told me to come on in and stated "we'll probably have a baby tonight!"  Of course Jake and I were in mid-cleaning/mid-dinner preparations so everything was put on hold and we packed up, and arranged for Silas to go to Jake and Katie Bonner's for the night (he was thrilled!).

We arrived at the hospital around 7:30pm and met my nurse, Tami who said I was already dilated 5-6cm!! Kellee arrived shortly after. Around 10pm, Dr. Belsheim broke my water and we waited...and waited...and waited...my contractions weren't much stronger and I was feeling pretty good despite being tired from getting up at 6:30 that morning. Somewhere between 11-midnight Tami brought up starting Pitocin after I'd made the statement "this is going to be a loooong night". I declined but she brought it up again later, stating we could start on the lowest dose and see how it went. I told her at that point I didn't care, she knew what she was doing more than I did so she went ahead and started it. My contractions still didn't get too bad and I was able to get up to the bathroom and move around easily without being in a lot of pain. Finally around 2:30-2:45am my contractions were 2-3 minutes apart and I was a hurtin' woman. I was dilated 7-8cm then and finally asked for my epidural. The anesthesiologist arrived within 5-10 minutes and with the epidural in place, it took a few minutes for it to work but I was on my way to relaxing...or so I thought. Within 10-15 minutes, I was dilated to 9cm and feeling lots of pressure. I kept telling Tami, "something is going on, I think you need to check me". And just like that, I was dilated to 10 and feeling like I had to push NOW. I gave two good pushes before Tami was telling me I had to wait for Dr. Belsheim. I remember thinking, "wait!?! No, she's coming NOW!" and telling Tami (and the room full of everyone except the doctor) that I felt like I was being torn in half (to which Kellee lost her cool and started bawling). Tami kept encouraging me to wait and finally said, "Christy, I don't have the degree to deliver a baby" to which I immediately (and maybe not so nicely) yelled, "I don't either, Tami, but I've delivered babies! Now catch her! You can do it!" I remember her laughing as I was screaming. Not long after I remember seeing her put on sterile gloves and thinking "Oh thank you, God she's gonna do it!" And with one more burning, excruciating push, Miss Stella Mae entered the world.  Dr. Belsheim did arrive after Stella, in time to deliver the placenta and tell me no sutures were needed, but kudos to Tami for an AMAZING job!



What I didn't realize at the time:
-I only pushed for 7 minutes
-My labor with Miss Stella was only and hour and half
-I got my epidural so close to push time, that it didn't get to take full effect
-Stella was Tami's first time delivering a baby (heck, even I had more under my belt than an OB RN!?)
-I would so much rather have a quick delivery like I did with Stella than pushing off and on for an hour with Silas and being in labor for 6 hours as I did with him.

My Mom and Kellee were able to be in the delivery room with Jake and I which made it extra special. Mom took some great pictures and Kellee got the best birth control of her life! ;)

Silas is an amazing big brother, as I knew he would be. He is so sweet to her, so quick to comfort her when she cries. A couple days ago she was crying and he said to her, "you're here and I'm here. I know, I know, it's okay." He's very interested in breast feeding and pumping. He told me the other night, "your armpits are really big" (he calls breasts armpits since we don't allow him to say nipple and I haven't even introduced the words "breast" or "boobs" to him....you can thank Jake for naming nipples on boys). Silas has been more tearful lately...heck, so have I! and been more argumentative and difficult to listen to instruction. It's been frustrating, but I have to keep reminding myself that his little world is completely upside down right now.

I think that's all for now...I'm going to try and edit some pictures while I still have a sweet, sleeping baby on my chest. :)

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from Stella's delivery: