Girls Birth Stories.

Stevie 

I was 16 when I got pregnant with Stevie, 17 when I had her.  A senior in high school.  

I was due September 9, 2008.  

I passed my due date and was scheduled to be induced September 17, 2008.

41 weeks 1 day.

We got to the hospital early that Wednesday morning around 5 am.  By the time they got me in the room, the iv in, pitocin going and all that jazz it was around 6 am. (I hate needles and despised the iv.  I was throwing up and crying while I got it-what a baby, I know)

With this being my first baby, I had no idea how just completely AWFUL pitocin was.  I went from 0 contractions to full blown I am gonna pass out contractions in like thirty minutes. and they were coming BACK-TO-BACK!!!!!

The doctor that delieverd Stevie I had NEVER met.

He came in and broke my water which was extremely painful and pretty much told me "YOU'RE GETTING AN EPIDURAL."

My entire pregnancy I had said I didn't want an epidural.  I didn't like anything about it, but after 5 hours of labor without it I decided to get it.  I wasn't dialating, and I had to keep getting oxygen and the pitocin turned off because it was causing Stevie breathing problems.

I was completely terrified to get the epidural.  I am a WORRIER. and I was so scared I was gonna move or something while they put it in.
After much worry, it was successful and I was pain free.

I started dialating rather fast after I got the epidural and boy was I feeling better.

A couple more hours passed and I was 10 cm.

My mom and Steven were in the room while I had Stevie.

I pushed for about 25 minutes (and while I was crowning Steven looked like he was going to pass out) 
Something weird but interesting:
The nurse let me feel Stevie's head while she was crowning.
It was amazing and something I will never forget.
at 5:04 pm our beautiful baby girl was born.

Steven got to cut her umbilical cord and then they handed her to me.

While I was holding her the nurse mentioned she was a weird color and took her from me.  She wasn't breathing, but praise God she started and was completely fine.  Other than a slight fever.
They gave her back to me and I was in love.

STEVIE LAYNE ROLAND

Wednesday

9/17/2008

6 LBS 13 OZ 19 1/2 IN. LONG

Lots of people came to visit our sweet girl.  Since I hadn't eaten all day I woofed down some McDonalds right after I had her and immediately threw it up. (thats my sisters favorite story). haha.

I did nurse Stevie at the hospital (and for about a week after) but it ultimately just didn't work for us.  Looking back now I truly wish I would have tried harder and stuck with it.

We had to stay at the hospital for two nights since Stevie had the fever when she was born.

The first night my mom stayed with us.  Stevie slept so peacefully and hardly woke.

The next night it was just Steven, Stevie and myself.  She cried and stayed awake all night.  We were bouncing, feeding, snuggling, and cuddling and she finally fell asleep with her mama and slept next to me for the rest of the night.

Even though I was young, I was SO happy and excited to be a mommy.  

Our first trip to Church as a family.

 my favorite pic of her :)

Journi

I was 21 when I got pregnant.

turned 22 16 days after I had her.

My first due date was 3/8/2013.

It was changed to 3/21/2013.

But since Steven was on the other side of the world on deployment, I was induced at 39 weeks to ensure he would be there. 3/14/2013.

Steven flew home on Wed. March 13, 2013.  I was 38 weeks 6 days.  Stevie and I went and got him from the airport, went out to eat, visited his family and headed to my parents house.  

After we went to sleep I woke up around 2 am with contractions.  They came regularly every 7-8 minutes and boy were they hurting.  I didn't really get any more sleep so around 4 am we got up, got ready and headed to the hospital.  (I was scheduled to be there at 5 am anyways.)

We checked in at the ER and walked up to the room.  I handled the iv a little better this time and they started the pitocin.  (oh boy)  

Thankfully this time I didn't need as much since I was already in labor naturally.

*side note*

I think it's so awesome she literally waited on her daddy to come home and immediately came on her own when he did.

I was still having regular contractions and I was 4 cm.

I didn't want an epidural with this labor and delivery either, but figured I would be in labor all day since it took about 11 hours with Stevie.

Since I was in pain I opted for a small pain reliever.  

I was sticking strong to my no epidural this go around.

The second I got that medicine I felt like I had a fifth of tequila. 

I was talking crazy, giggling, acting like a complete drunk.  I even asked the nurse if she put vodka in there.  

I'm not sure why but while that medicine was in my system my contractions like completely stopped.  The medicine didn't last long anyways, it completely wore off  and at 8:15 am the doctor came to check me and break my water.  I was 5 cm.

He told me if I wanted an epidural I needed to let him know in the next 10-15 min.

By 8:20 I was in the WORST pain I have EVER felt in my life.  I wanted to scream and cry.  At 8:25 I told the nurse I wanted the epidural (I know I know-I'm caving again.)

She checked me and I was 8 cm-it was too late for an epidural.

I think my heart dropped to my stomach.  I had to do this.  All natural.  Feeling EVERY.SINGLE.THING.

I went to the bathroom and while I was sitting on the toilet it helped relieve some of the pain, but the nurse was adament that I get up.
I specifically remember her telling me "we can't have this baby in the toilet."

So I hobbled back to the bed and sat on the side.  Something about sitting with my legs down made it feel SOME better.

I literally can't even begin to describe the pain that I was in.  It can't be put into words.  

She checked me around 8:45 and i was 10 cm but I had a TINY bit of cervix left so she had me lay completely flat on my left side.

OH.EM.GEE.

I don't know what in the WORLD laying on my left side did but it was the WORST pain you could possibly imagine.  I literally tried to get out of the bed and leave.  I'm not sure where in the heck I was going, but HONEY I was getting the HECK up outta there.

She made me lay back down and it was time to push.

(only Steven was in the room during this delivery.  We wanted that moment together since we hadn't seen each other in 8 1/2 months.)

Lawd have mercy y'all pushing a baby out with no pain meds...I literally thought I was going to die.  I kept telling myself there is no way I can do this.  It just can't happen.  And it absolutely terrified me that it HAD to happen.  My body HAD to go through this.  It felt like everything inside of me was going to break and fall out.  I was screaming to high heavens too.  I just know everyone on the hall heard me. (I even had a nurse tell me after I had her, "Well I think everyone on the hall is awake now.)

The doctor told me to quit screaming.  That I couldn't push as good and hard while screaming.

um...excuse me sir.  That's impossible.  

I'm not even a loud kind of person...but I seriously could NOT stop yelling.  

That was the only release I had for all the pain I was going through.

Thankfully I pushed for less than 5 minutes and she was here.

9:00 am

They immediately put her on my stomach and I just remember looking at her and saying "hey baby!!!!!"

JOURNI GRACE ROLAND

Thursday

3/14/2013

7 LBS 8 OZ. 22 1/4 IN. LONG

Journi wouldn't stop crying when she was first born but finally settled down.  While she was coming out the cord was wrapped around her neck.  Thankfully the doctor was able to just slip it over and there were no problems.  He had to cut the umbilical cord but Steven got to cut the rest while she was on the table. 

I nursed her, and though she didn't quite know how to latch at first, she got it down pat and we have been going strong ever since.

We only had to stay one night with Journi.  She was awake a lot throughout the night but not crying at all.  Just starring around.  Taking in this great big world.

By the next day we were headed home.

All ready to go home.

                             

her first stroller ride.

After just six days Steven had to go back on deployment.  It was such a hard time for me.  I missed him so much.  I hated him missing so much with the girls.  I wanted him there and I literally felt like a piece of me was missing.  For like the next week you could just look at me, or say his name and I would burst into tears. 

Thankfully he's home now and our family is complete.  

They are my world.

*necessary to mention, I delivered both of our girls in the same exact room at the hospital.