Happy Birthday Ellie-Lynne

Ellie-Lynne was born November 12th at 2:12 AM.  She weighed in at 7lbs14oz.  The birth was amazing. If you don't want to read the story just skip to the pictures!

I was in early labour Friday as I read a magazine at Starbucks getting free refills on coffee and ice tea's.  And as I got a pedicure my contractions, not yet painful, just annoying were about 10 minutes apart.  I got home had a late lunch and chatted on the computer.  I had diner as usual with the family, took a walk to the Longo's near our house and got Starbucks, here someone from the store asked how I was doing and I said "oh I'm in labour, it's not bad every 10 minutes" just out walking to help!  I guess the man behind me heard and offered to pay for my drink "you'll need it!" he had a baby in a bucket!  He was bang on!  I would need it!

I got home and started to keep better track because they seem to be getting closer together, Mark found an ipod app: contraction calculator.  I had a bath and called my midwifes when they were about 6-7 minutes apart.  Normally they would have come to the house for an assessment but since they were already at the hospital they told me to meet them there.  Ok well by the time I had gotten dressed and was ready to leave they were now 4 minutes apart and getting closer.

  We made it to the hospital around 9:45 (Mark had put the kids to bed and we had a friend over to babysit).  I had gotten it in my head that I wanted a baby 11.11.11, so tub, swaying and finally nitrous gas later and it was 11:45 and I still hadn't dilated much past 5 cm.  I threw in the towel, this baby was not going to be born on the coolest day of the year! I decided to ask for an epidural, and wouldn't you know he was in surgery!!!

So more gas and many many contractions later he finally showed up (like GOD walking into the room) I was now almost 8cm, but didn't care!  Got the epidural at a little past 1AM and was ready to push at around 2 AM.

I didn't do much to be honest, Mark even noticed that it looked like she was trying to kick her way out.  It was an amazing experience, my body did the work!  all the work!   Her head popped out and she started to cry... then plop she was on me and nursing within minutes.  I was up and walking to the washroom about half an hour later!  They had a private room available (otherwise I would have just gone home), so they set me up and here are the pictures of her birthday when my family came to visit!