Welcome, Lucy Elizabeth!

Lucy Elizabeth, named so because we liked the name Lucy, especially because of C.S. Lewis' Lucy Pevinsie, and Elizabeth because that was my given middle name, came into the world at 4:19 p.m. on Friday, January 27th. I went in on the 26th for a routine NST (non-stess test) to make sure she had enough amniotic fluid. For the first time, my fluid levels were not within the normal level. Either I had broken my water and didn't notice because of all the extra fluid intake I'd had lately, or it was just low. My water had most certainly broken on its own after they checked my progress, which was 2.5 cm dialated and 80% effaced. I was admitted, completely freaked out of course, at about 4:00 that day, and was started on pitocin by 5:00. Contractions began but were pretty do-able. I was able to doze a tiny bit through them, but they got to a more active pitch in the middle of the night. By 5:00 I still had only gained half a centimeter (so 12 hours later), so I opted for the epidural. Best decision ever! I was able to doze through about another hour.

Both of my parents had arrived the night before. We had sent them home to our house to sleep and told them we'd call them when there was more active labor. They came back in the morning, and sat with us during the greater part of the morning. Later in the morning I started really feeling contractions very low down which couldn't be blocked by the epidural (this is normal). The three of them helped me breathe through them. I don't know what I would have done without them! By about 3:30 we had made some good progress, and it was about time to start pushing. They all seemed to have their roles in helping me, and it was a really great experience, strangely enough. I pushed for about 45 minutes, and then the head came out. The nurse midwife worked the head out, and then my dad got to deliver the baby. It was an incredible, definitely indescribable moment!

I was completely amazed by the labor and delivery staff. They were just wonderful. The nurse that started out with me the night before came up to my room later and told me that she'd gotten the scoop from one of my delivery nurses. Apparently they were all so amazed at how the four of us worked together so well, and how this was one of the best deliveries she'd ever been a part of. She was teary when she said this. Wow, what an awesome compliment!

So that's the labor story. New motherhood is a completely other story, and still one being learned. I'm generally doing well, though could use your prayers. For example, the baby is sleeping and I should be sleeping, but I can't fall asleep, I think for hormonal reasons. But really, she is a beatiful little girl, and I am so blessed that she is here.