Reese is here!

Reese Janice Glassman was born Sunday 12-11-11 at 9:14pm. She was 7 lbs 4 oz, 20 inches, and absolutely perfect!

Here is the story: We got to the hospital at 8am, got checked in and settled in our room. It was a slow start... the nurse came in around 9am to check me and set up my IV and hydration. We didn't really get started with the induction until 10am when a resident came in and gave me "Mizo," a four-hour prostaglandin treatment. At 2pm I was still 3cm, but 70-80% effaced.

They started my Pitocin around 2:45pm. The Pitocin was tricky for my nurse to manage because I had such a strong response to it (my contractions were really close together on low doses). I got my epidural (which he had to do twice) at 5:15pm and they broke my water and checked me again. I was super bummed because I was only dilated to 4cm and I thought I would definitely have progressed more than that! What the heck! [Side note: my nurse said they don't really consider you to be "in labor" until they see cervical change, so I guess technically my labor started they checked me and I was 4cm?]

I tried to stay positive which was really easy to with the epidural working. It was seriously amazing. I felt like I could have handled the Pitocin longer, but once I got the epidural and realized how awesome it was, I kinda wished I'd gotten it sooner so we didn't have to stop playing speed scrabble! After the epidural, I took a thirty minute nap and just sorta hung out and chatted with my mom, dad, and Devon. When they checked me again at 7pm, I was dilated to 8cm, 90% effaced and Reese was at a -1 station. So, in two hours I dilated 4cm! (Right before my nurse checked me she looked at my strips and said, "Me and your uterus are not friends." I was having contractions really close together and sometimes three in-a-row, back to back to back, which she did not like. I didn't mind one bit because I couldn't feel it. Then, when she checked me and I was 8cm, she said "Nevermind! It's working!")

At 8pm I was 9cm, fully effaced, and she was at a +1/2 station. The CRNA came in and topped off my epidural. At 8:52 pm I was 10cm and ready to push, but I had to wait for my doctor to get there. She arrived a bit after 9pm but the scrub machine was out of her size, so she had to literally run to her office to get scrubs! The nurses got me all set up in the stirrups, etc., and Dr. Goist got there at about 9:05pm-ish. I pushed through three contractions and she was out! (Well, I pushed her head out and the cord was around her neck twice so she said, "Stop!" she unwrapped the cord, and then I pushed once more.) They cleaned her off a bit and put her on my chest and I was immediately in heaven. It was so magical holding her and feeling her sweet little hand on my chest. I was so excited and anxious for Devon to hold her too, but it was hard to let go of her! The doctor put in two internal stitches and I didn't tear at all externally. It was pretty much the most incredible experience ever. The nurses were amazed at how quickly it all went for a first-timer and said it was a text-book delivery. I just feel so blessed. My prayers were really answered.

Disclaimer: a couple pictures are on the graphic side

The morning we left for the hospital to get induced.

True knot in the cord

First family picture

So in love

Daddy changing his first diaper

Look at that precious face

Dad had to leave on Monday morning to take his last final. He was sad to leave her, but first to be done with the test! I think he was in a hurry to get back to his little girl. :)

Grandma with her first grandbaby

She came out with a couple bumps and bruises. One of which was her little rudolph nose.

We got home from the hospital on Tuesday afternoon.

We are so in love with our precious little girl. She is a DREAM! She sleeps great, eats great, and really only cries when she is cold/naked. She's a modest little lady!

More pictures to come.