Here’s how it all went: I started having contractions the evening of Thursday, May 6th. They weren’t consistent or anything, probably about 15 to 20 minutes apart. I went to work that day, then home to make jewelry, then the post office and finally the Beehive Bazaar to restock my jewelry booth. It was a busy day and I ran around with these pains the entire time. (By the way I had 3 big jewelry shows the three weeks before her due date and life was CRAZY making jewelry!)
I woke up the next day, Friday, with contractions that were 10 minutes apart and called into work saying I wouldn’t be in. I was so bummed about this! I told all my students that Friday was my last day and I was going to officially say goodbye to all of them. It was also Teacher Appreciation Week and students were encouraged to give their teachers gifts that day too. I felt so bad. I waited at home though, waiting for these contractions to get closer together because you’re not supposed to go the hospital until contractions are 4 to 6 minutes apart. You can imagine this waiting game! Every 10 minutes! You can’t really sleep through that.
By Friday afternoon they were still 10 minutes apart, so I decided to go into work after all the students were gone to finish up my substitute plans. I came in and found cards, candy, flowers, and gifts all over my desk! How sweet is that!?! My students are so great! I have over 400 of them that I see each week, but I see my math students everyday and most of those gifts were from them. My heart sank that I didn’t get to say goodbye to them.
I finished up at work and went home to make MORE jewelry and wait out these 10 minute contractions. Mark came home and we both headed up to the Beehive Bazaar to restock my booth. Boy was I surprised at how much was sold! Yay! Another answered prayer! Anyway, we went to bed that night, well Mark went to bed, I stayed up having contractions every 10 minutes! Yuck!
I finally couldn’t take it anymore. I woke Mark up at 6:00am on Saturday and told him I wanted to go to the hospital, the contractions were 6 minutes apart. We nervously gathered everything and drove over to the American Fork Hospital. They hooked me up to monitors that read my contractions and the baby’s heartbeat. We sat there for two hours and I didn’t progress, so they sent us home! What a disappointment! And I can’t even describe the pain. I felt so yucky and exhausted.
So we were home again, Mark was writing down my contractions while I made MORE jewelry. Mark was so great, he went and restocked my booth Saturday afternoon while I moaned and groaned on the couch. Later that night he went again to clean up my jewelry booth. He said vendors were coming up to him asking for trades and asking him how long he had been making jewelry! Ha ha! What a great husband. He did come home with some fun trades though.
We went to bed Saturday night, I stayed up with my contractions timing them, and they got closer and closer. FINALLY they were 4-6 minutes apart and we were off to the hospital again at 2:30am on Sunday, May 9th: Mother’s Day. I was praying the entire time that they would admit me and I could get the epidural soon. I had been through 48 hours of contractions and no sleep! UGH. They hooked me up to the monitors again and after another hour they admitted me! I got that epidural at 4:00am. I was so cold and shaky I had to keep still long enough for the anesthesiologist to put it in. After about 3 minutes I felt warm all over and relaxed and NO PAIN! Yes! Finally!!! Mark and I slept as I progressed through the night. That epidural is one crazy good drug.
All through the morning Mark got me jell-o, juice and popsicles and my nurse took great care of me as well. At 10:50 am my contractions were so close together – I couldn’t feel them – that it was time to PUSH! Oh boy, what an experience that was. Pushing as hard as you can, but not feeling any of it, WEIRD! My doctor was called in at 12:00 noon and Bailey Mae was officially born at 12:15 pm Sunday, May 9th, Mother’s Day. What an amazing gift she was.
Bailey Mae weighed in at 7 lbs 7 oz, 19 inches long, and healthy. Mark cut the cord – he really didn’t want to, but my doctor made him! He also snapped some photos of her getting weighed and cleaned. Then they handed her to me. Whew, words can’t describe that moment! I’m holding back tears right now just thinking of it. I was overwhelmed, filled with joy, exhausted, excited, a little nervous and scared, and starving, but so happy she was there in my arms.
Our parents came into the room shortly after, they all got to hold her, take photos, and enjoy their new grandchild. She’s number 11 on the Thompson side and the 1st on the Hadley side – can you imagine my mom’s excitement? Soon after this they brought me my first meal: roast beef and mashed potatoes! I couldn’t get enough. Popsicles and Jell-o are great, but definitely not satisfying. Then Mark and Bailey were off to the nursery for cleanup, tests, footprints, and whatever else they did. Mark took some great photos. My nurse took me to my recovery room where I met Mark’s family and spent some time with them while we waited for Bailey to come back.
The next two days in the hospital were great. I had pain medicine and awesome meals brought to me whenever I needed it. We had Bailey go to the nursery at night so we could sleep. My nurses were wonderful and some of the nicest and helpful people I’ve met. We had our nervous moments at the hospital though, Mark and I changed our first infant diaper, feeding was somewhat of a challenge, and one evening Mark went home for a few hours for a meal and shower and I was alone with Bailey for the first time! It was scary at first, but I soon managed on my own. I think back to that moment and laugh now! Motherhood has become natural to me now.
My mom came down to the hospital every day. She was even there when we brought Bailey home. We strapped her in her car seat and drove as carefully as we could home. Our apartment was still a little in shambles – I was so busy with jewelry and painful contractions that I didn’t have time to put all the baby stuff away and get organized! That happened over the next few days as I felt up to it and while my pain medicine kicked in. Mark was great over these days, he ran errands for us, got all the baby items we lacked, and mailed jewelry orders for me. He was off the entire week and enjoyed every moment of it. My mom also came down every day with meals and food to stock the fridge. What would I have done without these two!?!
All in all everything went great and Mark and I couldn’t be happier that we have our healthy baby Bailey with us. We love you Bailey!
I should also mention that I was STRESSED out the week Bailey was born. I had school teaching, the jewelry show and contractions. I ended up breaking out into hives on my legs and arms. It lasted through the delivery and the week after she was born. Crazy itching! I finally controlled it with Benadryl cream and pills.
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