What a day… my first official day not working at AEC, thinking I would get a nice week, or more, before the birth of our little Ella. As we all know, this was not the case.  Our little determined Ella decided that a break was not in the cards for her Mommy and decided to make her grand entrance into this world and our lives!

May 10, 2010 started out different as I wasn’t getting up and making the drive to King of Prussia. It felt a little odd, but at the same time felt like I just took the day off.  As I recall, I really was just spending the day relaxing and letting my body rest. I had a list of things that I wanted to work on but felt that I had the rest of the week to work on those things ((looking back none of those things were overly important)).

After a delicious  lunch of freezer burned bagel bites ((yeah they were in our freezer for a good 6 months plus)) I was enjoying my daily fix of One Life To Live, when I needed the bathroom. On the way back to the couch, I felt this unusual wet feeling in my underwear. I had to question myself on if I peed myself because I felt like I had. Knowing something wasn’t right, I returned to the bathroom with telephone in hand and called my OB office.  A little uneasy as I wasn’t really sure what was occurring, although deep down I really did, I just didn’t expect it would happen on my first day off!!! 

Since I wasn’t experiencing any sort of contractions there wasn’t a rush for me to head directly to the hospital. My OB office wanted me to come into the office so they could determine how far along I was and if my water broke ((or as they now label it “rupturing”)). I called Josh and after careful consideration and some convincing, he met me at my doctors office.  Being that my water more than likely broke, I figured I would be rushed back into an exam room ASAP, but that wasn’t the case, I sat in the waiting room for what felt like hours ((probably only 10-15 minutes)) as every other pregnant women was also at the office that day and there weren”t any available rooms! Once in an exam room, I was examined and it was determined that my water did break and that I was 1 centimeter dilated. The next step was to either be hooked up to a fetal monitor to see if I was experiencing any contractions and just not feeling them, or go directly to the hospital. This decision was up to Dr. Touey, one of the two doctors who deliver. Dr. Touey decided to send me directly to the hospital and have me get checked in. We were having our baby!!!!

Arriving at the hospital we were told to head directly to Registration. Josh and I both thought that registration was the registration area located in the front of the hospital where you register for lab work etc. We had been told by the hospital that when arriving to go through the emergency room however, my OB office said that wasn’t the case and to go to registration. So we headed to the registration area and had to take a number as no one was available to assist us. This just didn’t seem right to either of us as while I was in labor but not having painful contractions, some women arrive having contractions and are much more advanced in the labor process and I don’t think taking a number would be acceptable in that scenario. A nice man noticing our situation handed Josh his number as he was a head of us by a few numbers. Still the idea of taking a number and waiting just wasn’t sitting right, so Josh inquired with the front desk and sure enough we were in the wrong location. We were to go to registration within the emergency room area. Off we went….The registration process was very simple as I had pre-registered. I really just had to sign a few documents and await my wrist band before being escorted to the elevators taking us to the maternity floor.

The Labor and Delivery section of the Maternity floor is rather nice as each room is spacious and rather homey feeling. While you are well aware you are in a hospital about to give birth, the feel of the room is calming and doesn’t look like your standard hospital room. The staff in the Labor and Delivery section were fabulous and really cared and made you feel comfortable. ((well as comfortable as you could considering)) Having hit a waiting period in the labor process Josh and I sat around and waited. My parents were coming to visit which allowed Josh to run home, get changed and get something to eat. Once he returned the progression in my labor picked up a bit. Around 9:00pm or so, after my parents left, Josh and I walked the Maternity Floor hallways, hoping to bring on the labor quicker. The nurses were waiting to hear from Dr. Touey on if procosin — I know that is spelled wrong —  should be administered to progress the labor process faster. The waiting game was played and dilation happened on it’s own, at rather rapid speeds. Dr. Touey as well as the nurse staff at the hospital felt I would not be having Ella until May 11th since I was only 1 centimeter dilated when I arrived at the hospital. To everyone’s surprise dilation continued to progress to the point that we were waiting for clearance to have an epidoral done ((we were literally waiting on blood work results)) when I felt the uncontrollable urge to push. Now when I say uncontrollable, I mean I was telling Josh and the nurse that I had to push and neither wanted to listen. They both continued to tell me not to push. I continued to say that something is wrong and that I had to push and finally they listened and the nurse checked on the dilation status and sure enough I was almost 9 centimeters dilated – to late for an epidural!!!! Oh Boy…

Around 11:30pm I started to push which was such an unbelievable experience. Feeling nervous, excited, anxious and scared all flood your body and one thing certain was that I was delivering our little angel so none of the feelings experienced mattered as this was happening regardless! 24 minutes later – exhausted but adrenaline flowing strong our Ella Mae entered the world!

Seeing our little one for the first time was a shock to me. I never felt overly huge during my pregnancy and could not envision a baby nestled within. I continued to tell myself that there was no way a baby would fit in me and pictured a skinny, bony, structured figure, not a full term baby. Seeing Ella my face as Josh tells me was a face of complete shock. The memory of seeing and then holding Ella for the first time is a feeling that is unexplainable and only a parent who has gone through this process can truly understand.

May 10, 2010 was a day/night of complete change for Josh and myself.  Our daughter is so precious to both of us and we are so thankful that she is healthy and entered this world without any complications or a drawn out labor. She is an angel and a blessing to us both and I want to pledge to her that I will try my best to be the best mother I can be and I will always do what I feel is best for her in any situation that may come her way. She is a true miracle and there is no love like the love for a child – immediate and unconditional.

I love you Ella Mae Cook!