Your Birth

We went in for our 37 week appointment and everything looked good! Dr. Bierer knew how scared we were that I would go into labor on my own and we wouldn't make it in time, so he offered to induce us at 38 weeks! We chose Sunday, November 7th, 2010 to be your birthday!

Sunday morning, our little family went to the hospital at 11:00. They got us to our room and Daddy, Saylor and Beckam got comfy to wait for your arrival! The nurse got me hooked up and started the process at 12:00. I was dilated to a 4 and 80% effaced. Grandma and Grandpa Sweety, Chelsea, and Natalie, Grandma and Grandpa Dahl, and Sarah all came to wait with us. (I ended at 122 lbs, gaining 16 lbs total)

I started contracting right away, only 2 minutes after they put the IV in! Dr. Bierer broke my water at 12:04 and then sent the anesthesiologist right in, no waiting around. They got it going so quickly that even Daddy missed that part! The vision in my left eye got blurry, and my entire left side went numb...I couldn't even smile right! The doctor said that was normal and not to worry. I started feeling lots of pressure right after the epidural, so they checked me again and after 15 minutes of pitosin I was at a 7 and 100% effaced. They made sure Dr. Bierer was nearby. The pressure just got more and more intense, but not painful, thankfully! At about 12:40 I was complete and feeling lots and lots of pressure. They called Dr. Bierer in and got everything ready to go. I pushed for 10 minutes and you were on your way! You were born at 1:04 pm! Nice and quick!

They took you over and weighed and measured you: 6 lbs 11 oz, and 20.5 inches long. You had lots of long dark hair and were so beautiful! Your color was dusky though, and you were very quiet and working really hard to breathe. They wrapped you up and let me hold you just for a second before they took you to the nursery. They watched you really closely and did everything they could to help you clear your lungs. Daddy went with you and watched as they hooked you up to oxygen to help you breathe. After about an hour, the nurses FINALLY wheeled me over, in my bed still, to the nursery to see you and hold you. You were so sweet and pink and tiny! You had an oxygen tube in your tiny nose that you kept pulling out with your beautiful long fingers. I just held you and stared at you for maybe half an hour. You were so sweet and perfect. I talked to you and loved you for as long as they'd let me. It was so hard to see you struggling to breathe! They wanted to watch you a little bit longer in the nursery so I had to leave you there.

Once we all finally got to hold you, we introduced you to your big brother and sister. Saylor held you and Beckam talked to you a little bit. They were so excited that you were finally here!! We didn't know what to call you, though, so we wrote lots of names on the board in our hospital room to try and pick one (Finnley, Sienna, Macy, Harper, Charley). Everyone had lots of suggestions and we made everyone vote, even the nurses. We had lots of family and friends visit that day/night. Right away you were a good little eater. You latched well right away, I was so happy! At bedtime, Daddy took Saylor and Beckam home to get some sleep, and I sent you to the nursery so I could get some rest.

They brought you in 2 times that night. When they did, they told me that you were choking a lot and spitting up a lot. Your birth was so quick that lots of fluid was left in your lungs. They were able to suck a lot of it out but you still had a bunch in there for a few days. You made me and Daddy (and the nurses) nervous with your choking and spitting up. You were okay though! It was so quiet and peaceful, just you and me together. I felt like we were best friends right away! The next day, Grandma Dahl watched Saylor and Beckam so that you and I and Daddy could spend some time together. Right away we got to work picking a name for you. Daddy brought up Hayden and added it to the list. We tentatively decided on that name by the end of the day, as we were leaving the hospital. We tried it on you for the next few days and decided that Hayden Hope Dahl would be your name!

The next week was exciting! We loved having you with us at home, and Saylor and Beckam were so happy to have you here. Saylor refused to call you Hayden. She called you Sarah, Pinky (her own little nickname for you because you were so pink for the first few days), and Sienna. You had jaundice problems so we had to take you back up to the hospital the very next day after you came home. When you left the hospital your bilirubin level was 8. The next time it was checked it was 12, so we had to take you in everyday for a week to have your heel pricked and your blood tested. It went as high as 15, even though I was doing everything I could to make it go down. I was told to feed you as much as possible, so you were eating around the clock. Grandpa Sweety and Justin gave you a blessing (Daddy had to go to a meeting) and the next time your blood was drawn your levels had plateaued. You stayed at a 15 for long enough that we didn't have to worry anymore.

You have been such a good little sleeper since the beginning! You only get up once or twice at night...thank you! We've had a few bad nights but we aren't complaining. You still want to eat every 2 hours, which is really hard for me. Saylor and Beckam have adjusted to you very well. Saylor likes to talk to you and is excited to teach you things and play with you. Beckam loves to stroke your head and pretend you're punching him with your little fist. He loves you lots but had to learn to be careful around you. He threw a cell phone and hit you in the head on accident. He felt really bad.

We're so happy that you're here and healthy. You're such a beautiful, sweet little girl and we're so excited for you to be a part of our family!