Jake and Lynette Pyne: November 2011

I can't believe that this time a week ago I still had not met Aubrey. I was wondering what she would look like, if she would be healthy, and how I would react when I first met her. It is weird that you bond with this baby inside your stomach but it is like they are a whole other person when they finally get here.

For Aubrey, me, and anyone else this is Aubrey's story:

On Friday November 4, 2011 I called the hospital at 7 pm to see if we were still set to come in at 9 pm for medication to start the induction. Since Aubrey had not made her presence known yet we needed to give her a little kick in the pants. I called and they said to come in whenever so Jake hurried and took a shower and we were on our way to have a baby. It was actually really weird because you expect the franctic screeching into the hospital and being wheeled in but not us. Jake asked if I wanted him to drop me off but I said it was fine since I was feeling just perfect.

We got to the hospital, checked in, and got hooked up to an iv and monitors. I was the only one in labor and delivery so they took good care of me. My nurses Betsy and Kristi were so sweet and were there throughout the whole night. They gave me the cytotec to get the contractions moving. I was having contractions when I went in but had been for 2 weeks and nothing too strong. After about 2 hours the medication was making me have more contractions. Then in the early morning they gave me the pitocin to make the contractions stronger. The contractions then were every minute and pretty strong. Then it was like a balancing act to get the contractions to be a good amount apart, while lasting longer and stronger. By about 8 am I was really in a lot of pain and the contractions were going well and starting to do their job because I was dilated to about a 1 1/2. The doctor was monitoring me at home and said he would be in at 11ish. At about 10 the pain was getting to be really bad. The nurse asked if I wanted the epidural but I was trying to be tough. I didn't say anything but you could see it in my face obviously. She said it wouldn't slow anything down and it would help me to relax so it actually makes the pitocin work better. I decided to get the epidural.

The part I was fearing the most about labor was about to happen. The anesthesiologist came in and was trying to talk to me but I had nothing to do with it. He was saying how quiet I was but apparently when I am in a ton of pain I don't scream I just ignore people. The nurse Jan and Jake were holding me still. I was so jumpy from being nervous, and his cold hands. I was seriously jumping all over the place. They told me to be still and Jake was counting with me to breathe and the did the epidural. It was less painful than the iv. I was so proud that Jake was so awesome about it. I could have sworn he was going to be passed out on the floor by then. Since I was oblivious to a lot that was going on the nurse did a good job keeping Jake entertained. She was from Kansas and was a big football fan so she was talking to him a lot. She was such a sweet lady.

About an hour later Dr. Robert Merrill came in and checked me and said we were ready to break my water. I couldn't feel a thing and then all of the sudden I was wetting my pants in from of the doctor, nurse, and Jake. Good thing by that point you have no decency left so it doesn't matter. The doctor then said that the kid is going to come out with a snorkel because of all the fluid. I was finally feeling better and would actually talk to him.

He then took off a little while later and went to his office so he could be around for when things started to get closer. Not too long after that I was dilated to a 3 and 90% effaced. Things were then starting to get rolling. At about 4:30 I was wanting to push the button for the epidural because the pitocin makes the contractions so painful but the nurse checked me and said I was at a 7 and it would help if I didn't press it because when it came time to push it would be a lot easier. She came back about 20 minutes later and I was at a 10! She told me we were going to start practice pushing. They let the doctor know and he was there about 15 minutes later. We weren't quite ready for him but he said he would just stick around and get scrubbed up. Then he said we were ready to really start pushing. The had a mirror to the side but I was closing my eyes to focus. We started pushing and soon you could see the baby's hair. The doctor told me that she had lots of dark hair and I started to cry. Jake was even looking. Then when the baby started to crown they put the mirror back over so I could see. the doctor said just a few more sets of 3 and she would be here. I then got this huge surge of adrenaline and she was here just 10 minutes later. Right as she was coming out the doctor was saying that she had the cord around her neck. It was wrapped around 3 times but since her cord was 4 times the size of an average umbilical cord it wasn't hurting her at all. She came out with perfect coloring.

Aubrey Michele Pyne was born November 5, 2011 at 6:10 pm. Weighing 7 lbs. 5 oz. and 19 inches long. She had long, dark hair and eyelashes. They immediately brought her up to my chest and Jake and I were both balling. It was one of the most spiritual experiences we had both ever had and it was amazing that we got to share it with each other. The was covered in vernix and all goopy but I didn't care. I couldn't help but love that little angel that had been sent to our family. They then took her over to be weighed and cleaned off. I told Jake he had to make sure to take pictures. She was screaming like crazy. She got an APGAR score of 8 and then 9. She was doing so good. After they cleaned her off they brought her back over to me. She had a good cone head and a little bruising on her back from coming out. Also her head measured large at 36 cm.

The next amazing thing was the doctor telling us a great story. He said how he often takes it for granted what a miracle birth is because he sees it all the time but then it reminded him of an Atheist man at one of his conventions who was talking about how God didn't exist. Our doctor was giving a talk a few days later and he felt prompted to rewrite his talk on family because he was reminded of the everyday miracle that happens when a baby is born. Heavenly Father loves us and is looking out for us and he sends us these little angels to remind us of our life before this one. It was such a great experience because even our doctor helped to bring the spirit into the room.

Not too long after they sent us down to labor and delivery where they took care of us until Monday morning. The first night Aubrey had a quite a bit of amniotic fluid in her and she kept coughing it up until they finally pumped it out on Sunday morning. Everything else was good and so we were able to leave on Monday.

Aubrey had a little bit of Jaundice which we had to get tested on Tuesday and then again on Thursday but it is now much lower and so we don't have to do the lights. She also had her first appointment on Wednesday and she was at 6 lbs. 14 oz.

We are loving every minute with her and trying to figure out the whole parenting thing. It is worth every bit of struggle when we get to see her sweet face.