Here's the story: was suposed to go get gel on Monday evening. They got too busy and told me to hold off on coming in for the induction and wait for a call. Those were the LONGEST hours of my life! Finally was called in at around 1:30pm. Got checked in, got room, was checked and had progressed to 2cm and still "thick" (my childbirth class teacher would be so dissapointed that I didn't use my big words, station and efaced). She said I was progressed enough to skip the gel though and proceeded to break my waters. I was shocked and paniced a BIT. Walked for an hour before they started the Oxytocin. They started it at 4:30pm on the 11th. From then until midnight I had mild regular contractions, played cards, danced around breathing through the contractions and tapped into someone's free wireless internet, life was great! At midnight the doctor came back for another check and I hadn't progressed!!!! Then she goes "didn't I break your waters?" and grabs her needles again. This time it was Niagara Falls and soooo different. Things really started happening then including a trip to the bathroom where I almost whiped out because I leaked all over the floor (the nurse had to get a MOP). I asked Corey to get some rest and breathed through HORRIBLE contractions. At 3:30am I asked for the epidural. I was good to go by 4am! Thing was, I still felt a lot of pressure and pain, I couldn't sleep at all. The hard edge was taken off though and even with an uppage in dosage I still felt every contraction with back pain and tons of pressure. At around 6am they checked again and I was 9cm! Things happened quickly from there and at 7:43am I started pushing. With the pushing too I felt EVERYTHING but without the hard edge. I really liked that because I felt like I had control over what I was doing and really worked hard. I used a lot of the techniques I read about in Ina May's Guide To Childbirth.

Samantha Catherine Belle was born at 8:43am on Wednesday July 12, 8lbs 4oz, 20inches. Daddy says she came out looking around and I even overheard a resident say she had never seen a baby come out like that. She's so alert and I instantly fell in love. I asked for skin to skin contact and she latched all on her own. It was incredible. One second I'm asking the nurse what I'm going to do now and she said she'd show me how to latch in a bit. She turned her back and Samantha found her nipple all on her own! It was so amazing.

Breastfeeding since has been a bit of a challenge. She had a bit of borderline jaundice as well so we had to be super careful and ended up having to supplement with a bit of formula. We're using this tube thing though so my boobs are still getting stimulated and the milk will come. Friday we go to the clinic again and will find out if she needs to be supplemented any more.

I've got a pretty good sleeper on my hands I must say. The last two nights she's slept for 6 hours in a row! Then she'll wake up for an hour to feed and go back to sleep for another 2 hours. I'm still tired throughout the day though, don't know why. Maybe my body got used to 11+ hours sleep every night lol.

Here are pictures of my "Pretty Princess".

Her First Picture

My Little Cherub

Mom and Samantha

Dad and Samantha

My Little Diva

For My Darling Baby Girl: You're finally here! I can't explain how happy we are, and how in love we feel with you! Even when you spit up or throw up on us, it's "amazing". I hope you don't go blind with all the camera flashes :) We're going a BIT nuts. Can't help it, you're TOO CUTE!