On Monday, November 7th, 2011, Emily Meredith was born and our family of five is complete.
As with my other children, Nicholas and Claire, Emily came into the world on her own terms and in her own time. This is her birth story:
After our October 30th due date came and went and Blair's mom had come to stay with us in case baby came early, I went to the doctor on November 2nd to have a stretch and sweep done (I won't go into details, but let's just say its a way to hopefully get labour started). From that day on, I had what's known as "start/stop" contractions. Contractions that would start, slowly progress to between 15 and 10 minutes a part and then stop, only to start again and cycle. This went on for 4 days.
Finally, on Sunday night, early Monday morning, when the contractions got stronger and got to 10 minutes apart. At 2am on Monday morning, Blair and I headed to the hospital where I was put on antibiotics for a "Strep B" infection and a baby monitor to watch the contractions. Then, they stopped. I was afraid that I would be sent home and have to do the antibiotics all over again on Wednesday, November 9th when I had been scheduled for an induction. But they kept me. My doctor was called in and the decision was made to break my water and see if that brought on labour. It did.
My water was broken at 8:30am on Monday, November 7th and the contractions came on fast and strong as I did laps around the maternity ward. By 10am, I couldn't walk anymore and, instead was in bed with "laughing gas" within arms reach. With me the whole time was Blair, holding my hand, telling me to breathe through the contractions and kissing my forehead. It was a busy day in the maternity ward, with 9 admissions overnight and babies being born every hour. My doctor had gone to her office and had to be called back to the hospital to deliver our daughter, but she was running late due to a broken down elevator and I didn't think she was going to make the birth. Just as my nurse called over the PA system for any doctor or midwife to my room, my doctor ran in. I was turned from my side to my back and a few pushes later, our beautiful daughter Emily was born.
I am so grateful to have our beautiful, healthy daughter here. I am also grateful that Blair was there beside me, helping me through it all. I could not have done it without him. Our family is complete and filled with love.
