Norah's Arrival

On March 17, 2016 we welcomed a sweet new addition to our family: 

Norah Fay Gardner

We were due with baby #4 (!) on March 13th but since I'm always overdue, I was pretty sure she wasn't making an unexpected arrival and scheduled my induction for March 14th. However, our whole family ended up getting the worst cold ever a week before my due date, so we ended up pushing back the induction to Thursday, the 17th. We still weren't feeling 100% (mostly Ryan, I was at the tail end of the sickness) but decided to go ahead and induce anyway instead of waiting till the following Sunday. 

So, we arrived at the hospital on Thursday, March 17th at 7:45 am to start my induction. I was a 4+ and about 70% effaced when we got there. When trying to decide when to induce this baby, I thought a lot about my nurse when we had Wesley. I thought she was amazing and I really wanted to have her again. I even considered calling and asking L&D when she was working so I could come in that day. However, I didn't, but then we arrived that morning and who was my nurse? Gale from Wesley's delivery. That just made me feel so calm and at peace because I just felt like we made the right choice in coming in on the day we did. Gale helped me until her shift was over which was right before I was complete. So although she didn't get to see Norah born, she was still a huge part of my delivery. (I told her I was going to come to her for all the rest of my kids. Haha!)

Anyway, you'd think that by baby #4 I should be more prepared for the very uneventful inductions. Since I'm strep B + I have to have antibiotics before delivery. I tried telling the doctor that he doesn't need to worry about the baby coming too fast because my babies still take a while even after pitocin is started. However, he didn't listen so we spent the first 4 or 5 hours just sitting around with nothing happening (on the antibiotic and on a small amount of pitocin that was making me contract but not very hard or often). After a very slow morning, the doctor came in around 12:30 PM and broke my water. That seemed to get things going and by about 1:30 pm I was ready for my epidural. However, the anesthesiologist was in a C-section and then had one other lady in front of me so I had to wait until closer to 2 PM. We got by with Ryan pushing on my back and turning down the pitocin a bit to make the contractions a little farther apart. Another random note: it was the same anesthesiologist that did my epidural with Wesley too. Good thing we really liked him too and my epidural was just perfect. I could feel no pain but as the baby started to drop, I was able to feel pressure and by about 4 PM, my new nurse checked me and I was complete and ready to push. She called the doctor who came in about 15 minutes and we were ready to go. I pushed once and the doctor said, "her head is almost out" and I was like, WHAT!?! After one more push, our little girl was born! I couldn't believe how fast that was and how smooth everything went. I am so grateful for a safe and uneventful delivery. I really couldn't have asked for everything to go more perfectly. Baby girl's heart rate was great the whole time, I was comfortable and able to relax before she came. I mean, it was just perfect. I have always been so disappointed that I have never gone into labor on my own but now, I think I have just accepted that inductions are wonderful in their own way. The environment is controlled and the baby is safe. I see more inductions in our future :)

When they first put her on me, I just thought, "Oh, my little Norah." We hadn't officially decided on a name yet but that name just felt right as I saw her sweet face. We got to hold her and she breastfed for like 20 minutes per side. She was a pro! She has never had a problem eating and she really is the sweetest, cutest little baby! 

After holding her and cuddling her for an hour or more, the nurses came and cleaned her up, weighed her and then Ryan got to hold her. I was so amazed at how awake she was for those first few hours after birth. She was so alert and looked around. She really wanted to eat though because after a little while of Ryan holding her she was rooting around and so I fed her again. 

We got taken to the Mother Baby room where we stayed for 2 days and as we were about to go home, I told Ryan, okay, we need to name her. To which he replied, "Well, I feel like it's too much pressure!" So we brought our baby home with no official name. The next day we decided on Norah Fay Gardner and it seems to fit our sweet girl so well. 

We are so grateful for our new addition and can't wait to see how she grows up! We love you sweet Norah Fay!