My long birth story (included finally belly pic)

So here's my birth story: I'd been having menstrual like cramps on and off all week. Everytime they seem to get more regular they would stop altogether so I was starting to give up on thinking I was going into labor anytime soon. The night before I went into labor I was conveniently working (I'm an L&D nurse) and was doing my usual crampiness so I decided to put myself on the monitor to record my contractions and they weren't regular yet. I had one of the residents check me and she said I was almost 1cm dilated. Convinced nothing was going on again I went home from work @3am and thought nothing off it. I had a bowl of cereal and crawled into bed but was only able to get about 1/2hr of sleep before the cramping got worse and worse. By 5am I was pacing the hallways of my house then decided to start posting on here of my pain I took a nice long hot shower which helped temporarily but then the nausea/vomiting kicked in. I still wasn't convinced I was in labor even though I was contracting every 1-5minutes but decided to head to L&D for at least some IV hydration since I couldn't keep anything down anymore. We got there around 11:30am and I was surprised to find out that I was 3-4cm and 90% effaced. They asked me if I wanted and epidural and without hesitation I said yes please! After the epi I was all smiles! A few hours later I was 6cm and my dr. decided to break my water then. By 5:30 I was fully dilated and desperate to push and the epidural does not take away that urge. She was born @ 7:06pm. Her head came out a little crooked so I tore quite a bit and my recovery has been a little rougher than I expected but totally worth it. All in all I had a nice experience and can't complain. My poor baby had a rough 1st night though, she had a temp of 101.9 after delivery and they had to start her on IV antibiotics I was almost in tears when I saw her little IV but thankfully everything turned out ok! BF has been challenging but so far we've been managing. Here's some more pics. The first one was taken 2 days before I had her

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Message edited 8/29/2006 2:44:58 PM.

She is beautiful

Congratulations! Shes beautiful!!!

You looked awesome 2 days before her birth and your expression of happiness was all over.

Lots of luck with your little girl!

what an adorable baby!!! and great birth story. where did you deliver?

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Posted by pinky

what an adorable baby!!! and great birth story. where did you deliver?

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awe...
she is beautiful!!!!!

omg Doreen, she is absolutely gorgeous.

Congrats !!!

She is beautiful and you look great

Wow you looked amazing just 2 days before giving birth !!

And your daughter is just beautiful

Thanks for sharing your story!

Congratulations!

You looked great....do, did being a L&D Nurse make the whole thing easier or harder???

I have a few girlfriends who are midives and I always wonder the same thing!

congrats! she is so cute and you look great!

Thank you for sharing! Did Dr. hanuaer make it from her vacation?
Who was your Dr.?

She is so cute and you look great! Congrats!

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Posted by Disneygirl

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Posted by pinky

what an adorable baby!!! and great birth story. where did you deliver?

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Winthrop

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Congrats aww she is so cute

congrats!!!!! She is beautiful

Thanks for sharing your story. She's beautiful and you looked amazing!

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Posted by dawnie

Thank you for sharing! Did Dr. hanuaer make it from her vacation?
Who was your Dr.?

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congrats! What an adorable

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Posted by Disneygirl

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Posted by dawnie

Thank you for sharing! Did Dr. hanuaer make it from her vacation?
Who was your Dr.?

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Nope Dr. Hanauer missed her by a day. Dr. Dolisi delivered me, he was great.

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