September 23, 2010: I had a doctor's appointment and Doctor McMillian checked my cervix and I am still dilated to 1 cm, but my cervix has softened a little. All evening and through the night, I had contractions. It was painful and uncomfortable. I kept Ryan up and I felt bad. He has a busy schedule the next couple of days. He starts a seminar with Jeff Benedict Friday and Saturday, and if he misses it, he'll have to withdraw from the class, or he'll fail, because there are only four seminars throughout the semester.
September 24, 2010: I was still having contractions all morning and afternoon. I had a wonderful friend, Becky, come over to be with me while Ryan was in class. My contractions were 10 minutes apart all morning and around 2pm the started to be every 5 minutes apart. So Becky took me into the doctor and her husband, went to got an pick Ryan up from his seminar. We got to the doctor and he checked my cervix and still no more than a 1 1/2 cm dilated. It's driving me crazy. I am in so much pain and nothing is happening.
The four of us hung around the area for a while. Ryan and I bought a rocking chair, then we all walked around Target and then went out to eat at Applebees. While we were eating, my contractions went from every 5 minutes to every 3 minutes, lasting about 45 seconds to a minute. Funny thing, our waitress, was rushing back and forth with us and all her tables and she kept looking a us with our timer on our phones and she thought we were timing her. We told her we weren't we were timing contractions and were about to go have a baby and she gave us free desserts to go. It was great.
So we went to the hospital and they hooked me up to a machine for about 3-4 hours to monitor my progress. Everything was good except my cervix still wasn't dilating. So, once again, they sent Ryan and I home.
It was a long, horrible drive home. I was in so much pain, I was crying. When we got home, Ryan gave me a priesthood blessing and we went to bed. Ryan is a GREAT husband.
September 25, 2010: We woke up and I was still having contractions, 10 minutes apart. I had contractions all day, very irregular, between 4-15 minutes apart and some lasting 1-3 minutes. Ryan and I pretty much hung out at home all day.
Ryan did some homework, I tried to sleep and relax ,but couldn't. The General Relief Society Broadcast was on tonight and I stayed home and watched it online. The opening hymn that we sang was Count Your Blessings and during the second verse; "Are you ever burdened with a load of care, does the cross seem heavy you're called to bear." (Something along the lines of that) I had a contraction and told Ryan this is a horrible song. :) It was pretty funny. Kind of a great beginning labor story. :) I wasn't able to finish the broadcast, because it was to painful to sit during a contraction.
Ryan and I tried to watch a movie, The Lake house, then went to bed. Ryan helped me time my contractions all night and around 10:30pm he said they were 2-3 minutes apart, lasting 1-3 minutes. With that, we decided to go the hospital, again. We got there and they hooked me up to the fetal machine again to check the baby and my contractions. I was dilated to 3cm. It was going to be a very long night. I tried to relax and breath through my contractions. I slept a little and that's only because they gave me pitocin. Poor Ryan, he hasn't had much sleep this past week.
September 26, 2010: Around 6am, they officially declared me into labor (that just sounds weird). Then, my cervix all of a sudden decided to relax and dilated from 3cm right to 8cm. Doctor Merksi came in and asked if I wanted an epidural and that this will be the only time they could give it to me, I told him No. It was so hard, I probably wouldn't of been able to giver birth if Ryan wasn't there with me. Even though I got upset and annoyed with him a bit, (he told Brian Regan jokes the whole time), I am very glad he was there with me.
The hardest part for me was when I was asked not to push, but that's all my body wanted to do. It was difficult and painful. I kept asking how much long and kept looking at Ryan for encouragement and support.
Around noon or so, Doctor Merski checked my cervix and I dilated all the way 10 cm. A little before he came in, I told the nurses that I think I just went to the bathroom because it was all wet down there, and they checked and said my water just broke. Once I was fully dilated, it was time to start pushing. So exhausting I tell you! I pushed for about 10-15 minutes and at 12:19 pm, I became a mother to a beautiful 6lb 6 oz little girl. Zoie Jane Congdon. You were 19 1/4 inches long and had a head circumference of 15 3/4inches. Your so beautiful!
Zoie - one day old
It was the best and relieving feeling I have ever experienced. I did it, I gave birth!!! In the end, Dr. Merksi told me 6 hours of labor. Not bad. Holding you for the first time was a moment I will never forget. I just couldn't believe that we created a human being and brought forth a daughter of God to live in the life. What a blessing.
The rest of the day Ryan and I rested. We couldn't spend a lot of time with you because you weren't keeping your body temperature up and had to stay under the ultraviolet lights. I only held you for maybe 5 minutes your first day. Your dad held you for about 15 minutes. It was hard not spending a lot of time with you the first day.
We are so thrilled to welcome a daughter to our family and are excited to start this journey of parenthood. Your a great blessing in our life and we couldn't be more happier.
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