Baby is here!

Ella Xayavong was born exactly on her due date April 17, 2011 at 6lbs and 15oz, and measuring at 19". As of last Thursday, she weighed at 7lbs and 13oz, measuring at 20".

I began to feel my labor pains at 10:00am on April 16 and began counting them closer and closer. And finally I told Thou that we should just go just in case it was time. It wasn't how I pictured the trip to be at all. I pictured us frantically rushing to get things ready to go and me screaming at the top of lungs on the way to the hospital. But that didn't happen. Everything was so calm, we were even thinking of stopping at IHOP to grab breakfast but opted for McDonald's instead.

When I arrived at the hospital, it was confirmed that I was indeed in labor. I was then placed in a labor room and they began monitoring my contractions and heart rate. I was immediately put on an IV and later on, antibiotics for my Strep B. As time progressed my labor pains got worse and worse. I tried laying in bed at first when the pain wasn't too bad but that soon got uncomfortable. I then tried a rocking chair, but the wood I was sitting on was sooo unbearably uncomfortable. Finally the nurse brought in a ball and that was so much better. I must have sat on that ball for about 3 hours before they put on the bed on again.

When the doctor finally came into see me, she confirmed that I was almost already 100% effaced but only about 4 inches dilated and if I wanted to, in the next two, she'd pop my water to keep the labor moving faster. I couldn't agree more with it.

After the two hours, the doctor came in and popped my water. It was painless but omg, the labor pains got worse and worse!! I was cringing at each contractions. I tried to hold on as long as I could..3 hours to be exact. I asked for medicine finally and they came in with some medicine to inject into the IV but it did absolutely nothing! They came in with a second dose and tried that again, but again, it only sedated me for a quick second and the pains came back in full force. Finally at about 9:30ish, I couldn't take it anymore, I finally gave in and asked for Epidural. It was the best decision I ever made.

After that, I could still feel the pressure of the contractions but no more pain. I even got to rest a little. At around 11pm, the nurse came into check my cervix and confirmed that I was about 10cm dilated and that we could get going with labor. Upon hearing this, my body began to shake and I felt like I was shivering the whole time.. (adrenaline?)

Giving birth was the easiest thing in the whole process. I started pushing right around midnight and 8 minutes later, she was born! I tore a lot of stuff in the process but I was so happy to have her that I didn't even care.. I cried tears of joy of finally having her, my beautiful Ella. <3