She's Here!!!

Please welcome..

Emma Susette Nalder

Born: 11/10/09 @ 5:02 p.m.

6 pounds 6 ounces

19 inches long

I can't believe she is really here! We love this girl so much already! Since I can hardly sleep, I decided I need to write down her story before I forget all the details. It's pretty long, so feel free to skip it and just enjoy the pics. ;) I have to do this for my posterity.

I went in to my midwife on Monday morning because I had been having really intense back pain. I couldn't sleep at all, and I didn't know if it was due to labor, pregnancy, or it was just my car accident back starting to get really irritated from the pregnancy. But it had definitely gotten worse in just the last week.

My midwife said that the baby just needed to come out. Since she knew I do hypno birthing, and was planning on going natural, she was worried that if it kept going on like I was, and my back pain kept getting worse, than my body was just going to get really worn out, and my labor would not go as I wanted it to. As much as I didn't want to force the baby out, I agreed that I wasn't sure I would last much longer, especially running on such little sleep and not being able to take any pain meds for my back.

So Zach and I came into the hospital yesterday morning at 7:30 for my midwife to break my water, and hopefully get things going!

i am huge! This is probably one out of three pictures of me this whole pregnancy. sad.

After they monitored me for a while, around 8 or 8:30 a.m I was dialated to a four, and she broke my water. Nothing significant really happened. I walked, or "speed walked" the halls and would have a good contraction here and there. I think around 11:30 or noon, my midwife came back to check my cervix and said there had been no change. Our last resort was pitocin.

The plan was to start up the IV, and then turn it off once I started having cervix dilation and could tell I was in active labor. Within 30 minutes, my contractions were coming every 5 minutes or so and with every contraction I could feel a shooting pain up my back, but nothing I couldn't handle. I thought I had totally had everything under control. I was amazed how easy this was when you have relief in between each contraction! With Jonah, I was in labor for 48 hours, with non stop pain for 24 hours. There was no reason I couldn't handle this!!

After a while the contractions started coming every two to three minutes and the pain intensity shot through the roof. With every one, a sharp pain would radiate up my back, also causing this strange shot of pain down my legs as well. No matter what position I tried, nothing seemed to help. I was hesitant to get in the tub because the pain was so strong through my back, with every contraction I had to lean forward and cling (more like choke) Zach's neck and shirt. After four hours, at around 4 p.m., my nurse said she could tell from watching me, the baby must had made some huge changes, so she better check me. It took everything I had just to lie down and be checked though the contractions. So.. After four hours of all that, I was STILL at a four. How was this possible!? My nurse said I was tensing up so much through through contractions, and if I could find a way to relax, the baby might move down faster. I broke down and sobbed. Why was this SO hard!!? How could I have back labor for 48 hours straight yet I couldn't handle this!? She wasn't even posterior! Through my snot and sobs, I realized it wasn't me, it was my bad back, and probably the pitocin. I had lost all focus. I was crying so hard, I knew physically and mentally I had lost it. I was so discouraged. All I could think about was how many more hours of pain I might have until my cervix would progress anymore.

I told my nurse to send in the anesthesiologist and get me that epidural.. fast!

I was told it would probably be about three more contractions until he was there, and so with each one, Zach would say, "it's your last one. You can do this!" I probably had about 15 more in the 20 minutes it took to get my epidural going. Thanks for being so positive honey!

The funny thing about this whole labor, is that my epidural didn't work on my left side..and in my butt.

As soon as he was done getting the epidural going, my nurse checked me again. I was dialated to an eight! I had gone from a four to an eight in about 20 minutes. Within minutes my midwife was all scrubbed up and I was pushing the baby out. Within 10- 15 minutes she was out! Zachary delivered her which was really special for him. It was such a different experience with my delivery this time. I was able to put Emma on my chest right away and kept her there as long as I wanted. She instantly pulled out her arm and grabbed onto my hand. I felt such an overwhelming love for this sweet little spirit who i had barely just met. Having a baby is such a testimony of our heavenly father's love. She is such a beautiful miracle. I'm so grateful to have such a healthy, happy baby.

Kelley came and watched Jonah through my whole labor. It was so great to have her there!

Thanks for everything Kelley!

Daddy and his little girl

Jonah was so sweet with her. He looked a little freaked out

when he first came into the room but he just wanted to hold her.

I swear he doubled in size as soon as he did! I totally forgot how TINY newborns are.

I can't believe I have TWO kids.. what was I thinking!? just kidding. 60/40

And thats all for now! Jonah just threw our camera and shattered the lense. (jealousy already begun?) So I made Zach run to buy a new one before we are released from the hospital tonight. Lots more to come!