Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Avery James Magee made her debut on Monday, September 11, 2006 at 10:51 p.m. She weighed in at 6 lbs 14 ounces, 18 and 1/2 inches long and came with a massive head of thick dark hair!
This all happened too early for my liking, we were not prepared for what we were about to experience, but Jimmy and I couldn't be happier and more proud of our new addition. If you'd like to hear my birth story, keep reading WAY down below, otherwise, enjoy the photos we're so proud to share!
This all happened too early for my liking, we were not prepared for what we were about to experience, but Jimmy and I couldn't be happier and more proud of our new addition. If you'd like to hear my birth story, keep reading WAY down below, otherwise, enjoy the photos we're so proud to share!
Between contractions and before I wussed out and got the epidural.
I'm here!
Someone DOES NOT like her hair washed!
Our burrito-wrapped bambina
Mommy and me
Who gave birth?
Proud papa
Going home
Magee ThreesomeMy birth store
Around 3:30 a.m., Monday morning (9/11), I started experiencing contractions. Nothing major, or so I thought. They kept coming pretty regularly and they'd rouse me a little bit, but they were very short and I fell right back asleep. When my alarm for work went off at 7:00 a.m., I was still having contractions and figured I might as well start keeping track. Well, my next contraction came at 7:09 a.m.
Since I was still eight days away, I figured that I was probably experiencing false labor. I rang the on-call nurse at my doctor's office and she said that if my contractions were five minutes apart and 60 seconds in length, then there was reason for concern. This was around 8 o'clock, and my contractions were 9-11 minutes apart, but only about 10 seconds in length. Well, obviously, that started to progress.
I opted to stay in the city and work from home that day, just because my contractions weren't letting up. They were uncomfortable, but not unbearable and if this was the real deal, I didn't want to have to think about being on the freeway or city driving at any point in the day. Throughout the day, my contractions varied from 9-22 minutes apart and 30-45 seconds in length. Again, nothing I couldn't handle because they didn't hurt.
Well, around 3:30 p.m., things started to change. My contractions weren't really getting much closer together, but they were definitely getting stronger. Enough to make me stop what I was doing and wince a little. And this was around the time I started losing my mucus plug.
This all being said, let me interject a small tidbit of interesting information. Jimmy was out of town, in Colorado for work. He left Sunday evening and told me to call him immediately if anything changed. He was extremely concerned about his travelling so late in my pregnancy and didn't want to miss anything if something transpired. And did I call? Of course not. I thought I was only experiencing false labor and didn't want to pull Jimmy away if it was nothing.
Anyhoo, Jimmy called me, I told him what had transpired, he freaked and was on the first plane out of Denver. I had considered going to pick Jimmy up from the airport, but thought better of it. I called my girlfriend Nicole around 6:00 p.m. and asked her to sit with me and potentially take me to the hospital if Jimmy didn't make it to the apartment in time.
Well, we ended up leaving for the hospital without Jimmy around 6:45 p.m. We parked the car, I walk in and announced to the Labor and Delivery reception area that I was, well, in labor (why else would I be there, I'm obviously pregnant). "Did you call your doctor?" asked the nurse. "Crap!" I hadn't even thought to do that. I had so diligently been timing my contractions, that by the time I thought we'd better go to the hospital, I'd overlooked this key step in the protocol. Oh well.
The nurse asked me to change into a gown, checked my cervix, then flipped out. "OHMIGOD, you're complete! How is it you walked in here by yourself? You don't even look like you're that far along." I'm tough, I replied. No, I didn't really say that, but I kinda felt it. Apparently I have a very high pain tolerance compared to most women in labor. Things then went into overdrive. The nurses zoomed into action, and thankfully, just as Jimmy walked through the door. Clearly, if you promise a cab driver a big enough tip, tell him your wife is in labor, then all things are possible. It is now 7:30 p.m.
I was taken upstairs and given my own private birthing room. My nurse and doctor thought I was going to deliver within the hour and asked me about pain management. My contractions were now three minutes apart, but still only 45 seconds or so. From the beginning I steadfastly said I was not going to have an epidural and wanted narcotics to take the edge off. I was given two doses of Fentnyl (sp?), which didn't work well enough. About an hour and half in, I was howling like a banshee. I don't think Jimmy was prepared for the gutteral wailings I was emmiting. No mistaking that I'd hit the painful part, which made me seriously ask what ever possessed us to do this. I wanted the baby out and I wanted it out now! Kill me if you have to, I don't care, make it all stop!
I was still planning to do it au naturale, but at my doctor's urging, I got the epidural. Apparantly, I was so tense that I wasn't relaxed enough to allow the baby to move through the birth canal. I have never been happier. I was relaxed, I was chatty, and I was nice to Jimmy again. All things were a go for pushing. I pushed for 30 minutes and our beautiful daughter was here.
From everyone's perspective I had a relatively easy labor. I labored at home for 14 hours pain free, and from the time I got to the hospital and delivered, only about three hours had elapsed. Personally, it was long enough for me, and I couldn't imagine it any other way. I certainly can't image laboring for 14 hours and pushing for another eight like some women. No thank you.
In the end, it was all worth it. We are so in love with our Avery!
Since I was still eight days away, I figured that I was probably experiencing false labor. I rang the on-call nurse at my doctor's office and she said that if my contractions were five minutes apart and 60 seconds in length, then there was reason for concern. This was around 8 o'clock, and my contractions were 9-11 minutes apart, but only about 10 seconds in length. Well, obviously, that started to progress.
I opted to stay in the city and work from home that day, just because my contractions weren't letting up. They were uncomfortable, but not unbearable and if this was the real deal, I didn't want to have to think about being on the freeway or city driving at any point in the day. Throughout the day, my contractions varied from 9-22 minutes apart and 30-45 seconds in length. Again, nothing I couldn't handle because they didn't hurt.
Well, around 3:30 p.m., things started to change. My contractions weren't really getting much closer together, but they were definitely getting stronger. Enough to make me stop what I was doing and wince a little. And this was around the time I started losing my mucus plug.
This all being said, let me interject a small tidbit of interesting information. Jimmy was out of town, in Colorado for work. He left Sunday evening and told me to call him immediately if anything changed. He was extremely concerned about his travelling so late in my pregnancy and didn't want to miss anything if something transpired. And did I call? Of course not. I thought I was only experiencing false labor and didn't want to pull Jimmy away if it was nothing.
Anyhoo, Jimmy called me, I told him what had transpired, he freaked and was on the first plane out of Denver. I had considered going to pick Jimmy up from the airport, but thought better of it. I called my girlfriend Nicole around 6:00 p.m. and asked her to sit with me and potentially take me to the hospital if Jimmy didn't make it to the apartment in time.
Well, we ended up leaving for the hospital without Jimmy around 6:45 p.m. We parked the car, I walk in and announced to the Labor and Delivery reception area that I was, well, in labor (why else would I be there, I'm obviously pregnant). "Did you call your doctor?" asked the nurse. "Crap!" I hadn't even thought to do that. I had so diligently been timing my contractions, that by the time I thought we'd better go to the hospital, I'd overlooked this key step in the protocol. Oh well.
The nurse asked me to change into a gown, checked my cervix, then flipped out. "OHMIGOD, you're complete! How is it you walked in here by yourself? You don't even look like you're that far along." I'm tough, I replied. No, I didn't really say that, but I kinda felt it. Apparently I have a very high pain tolerance compared to most women in labor. Things then went into overdrive. The nurses zoomed into action, and thankfully, just as Jimmy walked through the door. Clearly, if you promise a cab driver a big enough tip, tell him your wife is in labor, then all things are possible. It is now 7:30 p.m.
I was taken upstairs and given my own private birthing room. My nurse and doctor thought I was going to deliver within the hour and asked me about pain management. My contractions were now three minutes apart, but still only 45 seconds or so. From the beginning I steadfastly said I was not going to have an epidural and wanted narcotics to take the edge off. I was given two doses of Fentnyl (sp?), which didn't work well enough. About an hour and half in, I was howling like a banshee. I don't think Jimmy was prepared for the gutteral wailings I was emmiting. No mistaking that I'd hit the painful part, which made me seriously ask what ever possessed us to do this. I wanted the baby out and I wanted it out now! Kill me if you have to, I don't care, make it all stop!
I was still planning to do it au naturale, but at my doctor's urging, I got the epidural. Apparantly, I was so tense that I wasn't relaxed enough to allow the baby to move through the birth canal. I have never been happier. I was relaxed, I was chatty, and I was nice to Jimmy again. All things were a go for pushing. I pushed for 30 minutes and our beautiful daughter was here.
From everyone's perspective I had a relatively easy labor. I labored at home for 14 hours pain free, and from the time I got to the hospital and delivered, only about three hours had elapsed. Personally, it was long enough for me, and I couldn't imagine it any other way. I certainly can't image laboring for 14 hours and pushing for another eight like some women. No thank you.
In the end, it was all worth it. We are so in love with our Avery!
8 Comments:
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Ryan, Trish, & boys
Love her, hold her and take lots of pictures...you will not even notice how fast she is growing.
Tori had her 6 month check up today (she is only 5 m 10 days..a little early) and she was 16 lbs already. What happened to my lil baby???
Take time for you Doreen...make sure you get all the help you can get from your mom and rest.
Congrats again!! I'm so happy for your whole family!
D
Love,
Chris, Heather, Rose & Nate
Congrats! Glad to hear everything went well. Doreen, now that labor has toughened you up, I'm *sure* you're ready for Hammer Lane. In about 10 years.
Sweet dreams...when you can get them.
Mike