An Angel from Heaven

My little girl was born a week and a half early on a very snowy night. I had just got off work at 9:30pm and headed to Walmart to pick up some milk since we were out... I was walking pretty fast and had a few strong contractions. I, of course, didn't think anything of them because exercise always made me have them. No sooner did I get home and inside the door that I felt a little gush of fluid. I thought maybe I just accidentally peed my pants, but when the gush kept coming I knew that my water broke. This was it! This was the moment I had been waiting for! I was SO afraid that I would have to be induced to get my little girl here at 41 weeks, but she had decided to surprise us and come a bit early. :D

Jordan and I got everything ready frantically and headed to the hospital where I was checked in to room 9 (lucky number) lol. They helped me get ready and checked everything. I was only 1.5 cm dilated and 80% effaced which was no different from my appointments the weeks beforehand. The contractions started pretty soon afterwards and I did my best to hold off on the epidural. They reached peak at 100 and I just kept waiting. Hours passed and I wasn't dilating very much so I asked them to put me on pitocen to speed things up. Once they did my contractions got worse and would stay peaked for long amounts of time. At this point I was dilated to a 3 after 4 hours and finally asked for the epidural. Definitely worth it! Though I hate the feeling of being numb, I preferred this to the pain of the contractions, which as I watched on the monitor showed about up to 5 in a row at 100. I think I would have been screaming my bloody guts out if I had to feel that many, that strong, in a row.

The night passed and the snow stopped, the nurses told me that if I wanted my doctor to deliver the baby then I had to do so before 7 because it would then be my doctors day off. I was so disappointed because I knew I wouldn't make it that soon. After being on the pitocen I was only dilating 1 cm every hour. They finally boosted the dosage on the pitocen and I went from a 5 to a 9 in an hour and a half. An hour later I was fully dilated. They told me that my doctor was making some rounds at the hospital and that she said she would deliver my baby for me. What relief!!! I was SO happy and grateful that she was willing to do this for me since it was already past 7am and it was her day off nonetheless.

This was when they started having me push. For about an hour and 15 minutes I pushed and at 10:35 am on a beautiful sunny, snow covered day I had my gorgeous baby girl Brailey Ann Pitchford. :) 6 pounds 9 ounces and 18.5 inches long. She is everything I have ever dreamed of and more! She is perfection in every way. And I couldn't have prayed for a better turnout of labor. Only 12 hours in labor and every minute of it was worth it. :D

I love this little Angel more than anything and I can't believe that time is moving so quickly on us already.

Me holding my little girl. :) And yes I look like a mess, but so would you after 12 hours of labor, nothing to eat for over 24 hours, and pushing for an hour and 15 minutes. lol. And I would do it all again in a heartbeat for her.

Such a darling all dressed up... even with her "kicks" (shoes) lol

Eyes wide open at the hospital. She looks SO much like her daddy. :D

Going home outfit. Daddy just had to pick out a dress lol.

This day was one of the best days of my life because I got to bring my little Brailey into this world! I love her SO very much that I can't even begin to describe just how strong a love it is. I want to give her everything. Heavenly Father sent me this wonderful angel and I couldn't be more grateful that He did. Life just wouldn't be the same without her.