Roxelle Rianna Erickson

She is finally here!! Roxelle Rianna (Ree-ann-uh) arrived on Sept 17th @ 8:25 pm. She weighed in at 8 lbs 7 oz and 20.25 inches.

And here's the "rest of the story..."

We arrived in Newberg at 10 and got checked in. My nurse, named Mary Grace, had a senior nursing student with her, so things didn't go a quickly as I had hoped. Dr Emmons, who was very nice, came in around 10:30 or 11 and told the nurses to do antibiotics, then start the Pitocin, then she'd come back and break my water and then see how it goes from there. She did an exam and said that I was almost dilated to a 2, 50% effaced, and that she could feel the top of the baby's head really well.

By 12, they were finally putting in my IV. Dr. Emmons came back when the 2nd bag of Penicillin was 1/2 in and thought I'd be done by then (me, too!). I don't know what she said to the nurse, but they hurried things along after that. I also asked if I could have my epidural before they broke my water, just in case. They said that was fine. The CRNA came in around 2:30 to place the epidural. By then, I'd had the Pitocin for about an hour. I was having contractions, but nothing serious. The CRNA gave me a button thing-y so that I could control my own pain management.

Around 3:30, Dr. Emmons came in and wanted to know if I wanted her to break my water. I told her that my mom would be arriving around 4, if we could wait just a little longer. She said that would be fine, but that it would probably be the on-call midwife would be the one to do it since she was done at 4:30.

My mom arrived around 4 and the midwife, Jodi, came in just after that to check me and said that she didn't feel comfortable breaking my water because the baby was not down in my pelvis and I was still only dilated to a 3. I didn't say anything, but I started to panic because Jodi was almost talking like she was going to send me home if I didn't progress. Dr. Emmons ended up coming back to the hospital around 4:20 and didn't even check me, she just broke my water and left. (PHEW!!) There was meconium in the water.

Around 5:30, I had really started to be able to feel my contractions and that little button thing-y was NOT helping. I had pressed it the maximum of 3 times per hour and I could feel every single cramp and ache there was! They had paged the CRNA several times, but he was just coming out of surgery. He didn't come back in until almost 7:00. He said that my epidural had "slipped" and all the medication that had been dispensed by the button thing-y was pooling under my skin creating a bubble there. He went to place it again and hit a blood vessel, so he had to take that one out and go again. My contractions were OUT OF CONTROL. I have never endured labor that long. I feel for those that go without drugs at all! Finally, the numbness washed over my legs and the pain was less and less. *SIGH* Around 7:40, the new nurses came on. 2 of them came rushing in and were trying to find the baby on the monitor. I guess her heart rate kept dropping with each contraction and they were trying to get it under control. I didn't know until after I delivered that one of the nurses had put this cord thing in there and, like a corkscrew, put it into the baby's scalp. Apparently, this gives a more accurate and steady reading of the baby's heart rate.

(WARNING!! TMI ahead!!!)

Just before 8, Ellene (Will's sister) arrived. Jodi said I could start pushing any time. She also let Will gown up and help deliver. Just as we were about to start, Chelsea made it. They had both asked me before hand if they could come and be there. I pushed about 6 or 7 times (the most I'd ever done). I told Jodi that the pushing didn't feel like it had with the others. I didn't feel like I was doing anything and I was EXHAUSTED! Then I asked if I could use stirrups. That made all the difference. One more push and there she was!! The minute I saw her chubby little face, I said "Oh my gosh, she looks just like Tatum!"

Will cut the cord and they took her directly to the warmer and to the care of the pediatrician whom they had called in ahead of time since there was meconium in the water. She immediately pooped again and then pee'd everywhere! I could hear the nurse saying "I'm gonna get a diaper on this girl, now!"

It was so amazing. Chelsea and Ellene were so great! I could almost see the whole experience in their expressions. They just looked awed or something. I can't think of the right word. I'm glad they both made it in time. Monica walked in just minutes after she was born. She had tried to make it, but ended up feeding Rennick before she left and just missed it.

When they brought her to me, I couldn't believe she was there in my arms! It was such a surreal experience. My life is upside down right now and here's this new tiny spirit entering into the middle of it. I feel so blessed!

p.s. I will post more about the days that followed later.