My baby story

I won't get too gorey and I'll try to spare the unnecessary details, but here is how baby Ana Victoria came into the world.

It was a beautiful, sunny day on March 30th, 2010. Oh wait, this isn't a fairy tale. Anyway, we went to the hospital to be induced at 9:00am. The doctor said it was because my placenta was starting to age, but part of me thinks she didn't want to have to hang around town during the 4-day Holy Week break. But, that's just my opinion...

The doctor started my induction with a tablet that softens the cervix and begins dilation. Within 15 minutes, I was feeling the contractions. They didn't hurt, but they were strong enough to make me notice. Ramon and I went for a walk around the hospital, got settled in in our room, and watched some TV. (We had to take advantage of the fact that the hospital had cable!)

The doctor checked me around noon and I was only dilated to barely 2cm. She advised us to get ready for a long haul. Another young mom was being induced at the same time as me and she was already to 4cm. I was jealous. I had a talk with AV about how the Alvarez Hickey family likes to come in first place. She listened because about 30 minutes later, my water broke. Now, that is a weird feeling. Like peeing your pants, not from laughing and you can't control it. Not the prettiest event of my life. I ran to the bathroom. Ramon ran and got the doctor.

For the next two and a half hours, I was monitored more closely and my contractions were coming about every 2-3 minutes. They were strong. They were painful. I wasn't happy.

At 3:00, they checked me again and I was only 4cm. They wouldn't give me meds until I was at least 5cm. I was not a happy camper. I had always said that I was going to go the 100% natural way, no drugs, no nothing. That's a nice idea when you're not in labor. I changed my mind. I wanted drugs. I wanted them right then and there. They didn't want to give them to me.

Then I had an epiphany. I pulled out the C word. C-section. If I told them I wanted a c-section, they'd have to give me meds, right? Right.

I convinced them. Oh, I'm so tricky. I told you the Alvarez Hickey's like to win. We also like to be tricky apparently.

AV had some of her own trickery on it's way. Remember how at 3:00 I was at 4cm? Well, at about 3:15, I was at 9cm. Open the gates, said little Ana V, I'm a-coming. I got the meds. I was now much happier. I might have heard the following things in my spinal block-induced bliss.

I can see her head!
Um, this baby is going to be born now!
Hurry!

Ramon, thinking he had hours on his hands, had gone back to the room to change his clothes. He was summoned with yells down the hall, "Shannon's husband! You'd better get in here!"

I pushed about 3 times. Then, she was here. Hello, little one. Welcome to the world!

The first night, they kept her in the nursery to monitor her. Standard procedure. I convinced the pediatrician to let me have her, but she wasn't going to be ready until about 2 in the morning. Ramon convinced me to just get some rest. They brought her to us early the next morning. She was beautiful. She was amazing. She was hungry!

The second night, we were so excited to have her with us. Then, my hormones went on a wild addict in withdrawal-type rampage. I was shaking violently. I was burning up. I felt awful. I couldn't deal with it all at once, so they took her to the nursery for a couple hours again. I shook and sweat and had all sorts of glorious other side effects for the rest of the night. I was really bummed, but was thankful that we were still in the hospital and there was someone who could take her.

We came home on Thursday April 1st. It's been a whirlwind since then. We've had some good days and nights. We've had some bad days and nights. She generally hates her bath. It's torture. She screams. Sorry kid, you have to be clean. No stinky babies in this house.

She's amazing. I look at her and it's still hard to believe she's really mine. She's not my neice, she's not my friend's baby. She's mine. I love her with all my heart. I love my husband even more than I ever thought I could. It's incredible.

Being a parent, two thumbs way up.