Aspen Adelle

With this little critter, we were skeptical about going anywhere for Thanksgiving. Luckily I was only 40% effaced at my appointment before the holiday so doc cleared us to go. Apparently the little one wanted to meet her great aunts!

We had a great time in Dumas and at my next appointment (Monday after Thanksgiving) I was dilated to a 1 1/2, and the head was engaged.

Tuesday I walked in the door and Dr. Bill gave me a hug, felt my belly and said he thought I had dropped more since the day before.

Wednesday I lost my mucus plug. I decided I had better get my tree up while I had the chance.

Thursday I ran a few errands on my lunch break and went back to work. I was trying to figure out what to do the rest of the afternoon. My relief for maternity leave was already in place and we had been running out of things to do. Since we were slow that afternoon I decided to call the hospital and see if I could get the tour. (Not that our hospital is big - In fact I was in the last room in the hall when I was in for my "sinus problem" in 2007 so that was my "tour." - but Dr. Bill has it set up that the labor, delivery, and post partum rooms are designated for just that.) Diane said to come on over and she'd show me around.

I told Dina what I was going to do and decided that I was going to use the restroom before I went over to the hospital. While I was in the bathroom, things kept going when they should've been shut off. I came out and consulted Shannon in the lab about it. She asked if I needed Dr. Bill to check me. I said, "I don't know... I don't want to be the paranoid pregnant woman!" (We tend to see a lot of those!) Shannon convinced me that since it was my first baby I really didn't know what I was feeling anyway and that she'd get me set up in a room.

I was getting up on the table with my drape and I was kinda chuckling at what was going on and the thought of this really happening. Well, chuckling used too many abdominal muscles and I made a BIG mess in the room!

Dr. Bill came in and declared that unless I had just lost all control of my bladder, I was headed to the hospital. He swabbed some litmus paper just in case. We all laughed at the color (I went ahead and let loose seeing as I had already made such a mess!) and got me set up to dry off and get to the hospital.

While in the room, I tried calling Jerrad - No answer. Then Kitty - No answer. Then Jimmy - No answer. I thought to myself, "Why are people not answering when the 38 week pregnant woman is calling?!" I clicked over to the line to try Jerrad again and he was there.

I said, "So, you wanna come to the hospital?"

"Ok... Why?"

I replied sheepishly, "Hehe... My water just broke..."

Apparently he was with all of the others and hollered, "HEY GUYS! We're gonna do this! Baby's coming!!" Cue the hoops and hollers from the farm.

They had decided to butcher a steer that day to get it out of the way before I went into labor. The building we butcher in has little to no cell phone service, so that's why no one was answering... that and they were all too bloody to get to their phones right away.

I told the other girls in the office what was going on and went out the back door to go to the hospital. On the way I called Trina. (She and I really wanted her here for my delivery, but she wasn't going to be able to make it until the 15th.) David answered and I asked if Trina was around. He said she was kinda busy and asked if I could give her a message through him. I said I needed to tell her this myself. He said ok, then said, "Oh, Alyssa! Alyssa, NO!" I said "Yah..." Then Trina got on the phone and I broke the news to her.

She asked if Jerrad was there and if I had my bag packed. Nope and nope! We had talked the night before about my bag, but I was exhausted when we got off the phone so I decided to wait until the next evening. Haha!

We hung up and I walked into the back door of the hospital. Dr. Bill had already called over to tell them I was coming so when I saw Diane and she asked, "So are you ready for that tour?" We laughed and the nurses got me all set up in the labor room.

The CNA on duty for the evening brought me my liquid supper. I ate the popsicle and drank plenty of water but I left the rest. When she came back to pick up my tray, she asked, "Is that all you're going to eat?" Like I was going to pig out on a popsicle, ice chips and apple juice. But this is also the same CNA that got ticked off at me when I was in the hospital before for never eating my breakfast! Yeesh! But I was relieved to find out who was about to come on duty! Brooke Wilkerson, Nicole Housholder and the D of N, Pam Twilleger. Say what you will about small towns, but it's nice to know people that are going to be by your side during such a time!

Jerrad got there shortly thereafter and hung out. He was really clueless as to what to do. To be quite honest, so was I! So we watched a little TV, then Dr. Bill came in and was talking to us. He hung out a while and by this time the contractions were coming on harder.

Jerrad and I walked around for a while. Then went back and I got in bed. It was then that I started vomiting. I was getting my IV antibiotics (for my group B strep) and I figured I might need something IV for the pain. It seemed to ease for a bit but not much. Doc started me off slow on that and as we were working up I vomited a couple more times. Then I got to a 4. At a 4, Dr. Bill will start para cervical blocks which involves a HUGE needle. Now I'm no fan of needles, but it was going to help so I could handle that.

After the first block, I slept for an hour! It was great! When that wore off about an hour and a half later, he did another one. It worked well also. Not enough to sleep, but still a major help. When that one wore off in another hour and a half, I got a third one. I got that one when I was at a 7 and it didn't seem to work at all. Then thirty minutes later we tried another. That one was tricky as I started getting the leg shakes. Same story. As we were waiting for the fourth block to possibly start working, he checked me and said, "She's complete! Let's go!"

So they unlocked the brakes on the bed and wheeled me into delivery. I was really shocked that I went so quickly! We got into the delivery room and Dr. Bill briefed Jerrad and I on what was going to happen then we got down to business.

We got into delivery at 2:20 A.M. As she was crowning, Dr. Bill said, "Look at all that hair! If it's a boy, he'll need a hair cut tomorrow!" Then Pam started raving about all the hair. I asked if it was dark and they told me it was light colored. I was so happy to possibly get a little toe head!

I don't remember much pain during delivery. I don't know if the blocks were kicking in just right or what, but the worst part was the pain in my hips from my knees being up by my head! The rest was enormous pressure, which was exactly what Dr. Bill told me it would be.

I was growing weary of pushing and pushing with seemingly no results and Dr. Bill could tell. He asked me if I wanted to feel the head. I had heard of people doing this and finding the strength to go on, and I figured I would do the same thing. However, at the moment I thought to myself, "How dumb! Feeling a nasty slimy head isn't going to make it come out any faster or easier!" So I said no. I just wanted it to be over!

I got the head out and we were working on the shoulders. Just as her shoulders and ribs came out she let out a HUGE cry! Dr. Bill said, "You're not even born yet and you're screaming!" It was so awesome to see her head and shoulders. I was looking in wonder and all of the sudden the rest of her just came on out at 3:09 A.M.! 11 hours from water breaking to delivery. Not too shabby!

Jerrad had said a while back that if he was going to cut the cord, he wanted to use his pocket knife. We talked to Dr. Bill about it and he said that was fine. He sharpened it really well Wednesday night and Shannon ran it through the sterilizing machine while I was in labor. The nurses were kind of shocked at the "butcher knife" in the delivery room. Dr. Bill got the cord ready for him and Brooke grabbed the camera. After he cut it, Dr. Bill said, "Whoa! That is sharp!" Jerrad was pretty proud of himself!

It wasn't until this point that I finally asked, "Is it a girl or a boy?" They chuckled because most people already know! Dr. Bill told me that it was a girl! I was so excited because I absolutely love the name we picked for a girl!

I had a slight tear so Dr. Bill gave me a stitch. I swear that hurt more than delivery!

Pam started getting her cleaned up and weighed. I delivered the placenta with no problems. I was finally able to rest for a bit. Dr. Bill got her wrapped up and told Brooke to get the camera for a family picture. The blanket she was wrapped in was the same blanket that is in every hospital in the world! It's also the one that Keagen is wrapped in for the "portrait" we have of him. Trina and I were talking the night before about that. She mentioned that she is bringing her own receiving blankets to the hospital when their little one is born. I had mentioned this in coffee that morning at work so Dr. Bill knew the story. We were still a little unsure if I would do the same. I had Jerrad pick up a couple at the house when he was packing our hospital bag just in case. I saw him start wrapping my baby in that blanket and I made up my mind! That blanket has the connotation of death to it and I couldn't stand to see my baby wrapped in it! I asked if we could get a different blanket for the picture and Dr. Bill said, "Yah! Go ahead! I hate those things anyway!"

So Jerrad ran and got our bag and I grabbed a blanket out of it, then we took our picture! Then they wheeled us into the post partum room. As Pam was cleaning me up, Brooke was showing Jerrad how to swaddle Aspen. I saw them just as he said, "Oh, like a little burrito!" =)

Jerrad was really great during all of it. He was really quiet, but I'd so much rather have that than an overbearing know-it-all! He was really good at making sure I was breathing through contractions. They take 40% of the uterus' oxygen away each time, so we knew it was imperative that I breathe. He comforted without being in my face. He was just the right balance! Oh, I love him!

And her!!

Aspen Adelle Banning
December 4, 2009
3:09 A.M.
7 lbs. 1 oz.
19 1/2 inches