The birth story... a day by day account, 1,000+ days later.

I've been meaning to document Lorelai's birth story for three years now... and I'm recently inspired by a friend who sent me a sweet note thanking me for sharing my "Lorelai stories" with the blog-o-sphere. So, better late than never, here it is...



Oct. 12, 2007: It was a Friday. Lorelai's due date. The doctor said the day before that there was no progress on the labor front, and I was feeling fine so they medical-ly okay'd it for me to travel to Nashville, two hours away, to watch Rusty graduate from the police academy.



Oct. 19, 2007: Also a Friday. Day 7 of the baby drought, and 41 weeks into the pregnancy. Still no progress, the doctors scheduled an induction for Monday, October 22. I worked a full day that day, Rusty did too. Went home. Had dinner with my parents at Viola's, and was dropped off back at my house around 8:00 PM. Around 10 PM started feeling what I would now describe as a 'contraction'. The doctors had been asking me for weeks if I had felt any contractions, but my answer was always 'no'. I have no idea how many minutes apart the contractions were, etc. And, I'm putting contractions in quotation marks because up until that point I couldn't have described a contraction if I had to. And, it wasn't so bad that I felt compelled to go running for the hospital or anything.


Oct. 20, 2007: The big day! I woke up intermittently throughout the night, with what I can now describe as labor pains. At the time, I wasn't sure I would have described it as that. The contractions weren't coming with any regularity. But, since I was at this point 8 days past my due date, and since I am a giant weenie with pain Rusty and I loaded up at around 6:00 AM for the hospital. I actually started feeling better after moving around a bit, and wanted to go home.... but at Rusty's insistence we went inside the hospital anyway just to get checked out. At around 8:00 AM the doctor came in and said they were going to keep me since I was already 8 days overdue, and I would have a baby by the day's end. Great, but um, have you ever seen me first thing in the morning? I'm usually a hot mess, and this day was no exception. I sent Rusty for the bags, and most importantly for my make-up and earrings. There was no way I was taking another step towards meeting the most important person in my life looking less than my best. They sent me for a walk around the hospital, because they said once I was hooked up to the meds and machines I'd be in it for the long haul. We called my parents to come up to the hospital,all our family, and every friend that we could think of. A baby was on her way, and we still didn't have a name! I got back to the room from my walk, and the epidural doctor popped in and said he was about to be out for a bit and wanted to know if I wanted my epidural now or if I wanted to wait. If you know me, you don't need me to type this next part... obviously I took the drugs immediately. A short while later my greatest birthing fear was alleviated, the doctor came in and broke my water, there was no dramatic "my water just broke moment" in the court room. We hung out, I was feeling great, epidural = a nice pain free birthing day. The doctor came in around 4:00 PM-ish and said it would be time to push soon. I threw up. Nerves kicked it. This was it. Push, push, push. 5:17 PM, 8 pounds, 8 ounces. The most beautiful baby girl in the entire world was delivered. I didn't see her come out, I put my head back for the final heave ho, and when I looked up my mom was crying. I couldn't get her in my arms fast enough. Love. At. First. Sight.

Perfection embodied in a baby's form. Perfect. So perfect, she wasn't crying. Wait, don't babies cry? A quick fury of medical ninja moves, and confusion. "They're taking her to the NICU? WHAT?!! Rusty follow that cart, and don't let her out of your sight!" "Please God, please go with that baby and keep her safe." My feet may have been in stir-ups but my heart hit my knees. I was put in a room to recover. Fat chance. Get me my shoes and my clothes, my baby is in the NICU, and that's where I need to be. I'm really not sure on all the details here, and as I'm typing this I realize I've never in three years bothered to fact check this part... but somehow my mom and Rusty were already at the NICU, and I think my dad waited for me and got me down there. She was hooked up to the scariest machines ever, but at two to three times the size of all the other babies in the NICU she would surely be okay. Irrational, but comforting.


Oct. 21, 2007: It was a pneumothorax. Basically, a small hole in her lung. And, all we were supposed to do was wait to see if it improved on it's own.

I'm sad to say, I don't remember what day it was but in front of the NICU cube, she was named. Lorelai. We had planned to wait until she was born to decide between Grace and Lorelai, but when she was taken so abruptly the name game changed a bit. One of the days the NICU nurse came by and asked what name to put on her cube, and we committed right then. Lorelai suited her.



Oct. 22, 2007: I was released from the hospital. Well, no thanks. I'll stay until my baby is ready to go home. A "rooming in mom" sign was hung on my door, nursing was cut off, and we were billed as if staying at a hotel. This is actually common. Moms of preemies, and others who are forced out of the hospital without their babies became high on my list of heroes.



Oct. 23, 2007: Lorelai can go home!! The pnemothorax had fixed itself. Praise God!! Most perfect beautiful baby in the entire world, and she was all mine. Love! The NICU released her, and I insisted that she be processed as 'well baby'.... I wanted her to be treated as all other babies going home from the hospital and had the nurses take her down for her hospital pictures, etc. And, then we were off, taking home baby.





Whew, but there was no rest for the weary. I was actually back in court handling cases on Nov. 6, 2007. Only two weeks and three days after my little miracle was born. Yes, I was insane, no I don't feel like Lorelai has ever missed out on anything because of me working (I may have missed out on some sleep, but she has never gone without someone to snuggle and love her even in my brief absences... thank you dearly to my parents for being the world's greatest baby sitters, and for Rusty who works odd hours to be home during many days). It's taken me three years to write this, but I'm glad I finally got it in print. Lorelai may enjoy reading it one day; there is no baby book. The truth is I was exhausted, and even though I'd like to paint myself as Super-Mom, I don't have it all together as often as I wish I did. The cool part (and this was my favorite advice I received while pregnant) is that I'm the only mom Lorelai will ever have, she is my baby... there's no way to tell if we got it 'wrong', only if we felt loved.