Introducing Ashlee Mary

So on April 20th little Miss Ashlee thought she had had enough waiting and decided to come see us 3 weeks early.  It was quite and adventure.  So here is our story.

On April 18th I starting feeling a surging pain in my lower back.  I've ALWAYS had a problem with my sciatic nerve so I just figured that's what it was and called my chiropractor to get an adjustment that day.  The adjustment felt awesome and my chiropractor said I was majorly twisted and if I hadn't been adjusted before labor it might have been even more painful than a normal delivery.  So good thing right!  Well I went about my errands and later that afternoon that darn pain was back again.  I just figured it was still a little inflamed and just needed time to "calm down" so I went about my day.  That night as I was trying to sleep I just couldn't get comfortable - I'd lay in a position and about 10 min later my back would surge and I figured that position just wasn't good so I'd flip...that went on all night.  The next morning I had a midwife appointment and I mentioned that to her...and she said "Every 10 min?"  When I said yes - she said "That kind of sounds like back labor."  But then she said - you are technically full term at 37 weeks so if it IS labor we won't stop it, but it could be false labor and stop at anytime.

Now something you should know is that on Monday, April 15th I put Edward on a plane to Montreal Canada for work...he wasn't coming back til April 27th.  It's a brand new job and this was his first assignment so I was nervous to call him and say come home...so I didn't.  =)  Convincing myself that this was false labor.  Well I did try to call my mom, but she wasn't answering..so I just went about my day again.  Around 2:30 I thought I really need my mom's opinion so I tried again and still no answer so I called my sister.  After I told her about my situation she drove to my mom's school and told her that I was in labor, but in denial.  So my mom called and told me that she was getting on a plane and would be there soon.  I told her she was NUTS because she was wasting money - she was going to come and there wouldn't be a baby and then she'd have to fork out more money to come back in 3 weeks when the baby did come.  She told me to butt out.

So with that I decided my husband should know.  So I called him and told him what was happening.  I still said I don't know if it is real or if it is false labor - so he had me call the midwife and he listened in.  She still affirmed that it could stop, but that is did sound like early labor.  So Ed called him boss and told him the situation and his boss sent him home on the next plane, which unfortunately didn't leave until the next morning. 

Over the night my contractions got worse - obviously...and by 3 am I was 5 min apart.  Ed hadn't even boarded his plane yet and I was determined he would not miss this so I hopped in a warm tub and slowed the contractions back down to every 10 min.  When my mom woke up to me moaning at 6:30 am she said to get in the car that it was time to go to the hospital (I was at 6 min apart by then). 

So I chose a birthing center that is located in Davis...about a 40 min drive.  My mom and I hop on the freeway (the only way we know how to get there) and it is JAMMED...like not normal traffic jam...and actual standstill.  So mom pulls off as fast as possible and we map out another way - and there is a cop turning people around that way too.  So my mom pulls up to him and yells out the window "SHE IN LABOR!  HOW DO WE GET TO DAVIS?!"  And he's all freaked out and says "I can't let you through there is a major shooting down here."  My mom yells at him again "I DON'T CARE...FIND ME A WAY TO THE HOSPITAL NOW!"  So he told her a different way and we flew off.  It took us almost 2 hours to get to the hospital.  When we arrived I was 3 min apart, dilated to a 4 and 80% effaced.  I told the nurses that my husband was on a plane and this baby was NOT coming out until 2 pm. 

So I labored all day.  Back labor ALL DAY.  I was trying to do this 100% natural (I hadn't even taken a tylenol during the whole pregnancy)...but after I had thrown up 4 times and began dry heaving every other contraction...we made a new plan.  The contractions kept stacking and I would have about 6 at once and all in my back.  It seriously felt like someone was taking a hatchet to my spinal cord.  So Ed arrived at 1:45 pm - which was a miracle because the freeway was STILL jammed...his story is that he was hoping to get pulled over and he was going 90 down the emergency lane the whole way - never got stopped, but made it to the hospital in record time.  I labored for a while with him there and finally at 4:30-  I asked for a epidural...INSTANT relief and the rest of the labor was magical.  I actually was able to keep control of my legs so I was able to move as they wanted me to and at 9:21 it took about 7 pushes and little Ashlee was out all on her own.

She was born at 9:21 pm, 5 lbs 13.6 oz and 18 inches long.  She's a perfect little peanut.  She's a fabulous baby - only cries when she's hungry.  She struggled a little with eating in the beginning, but she's now more alert and eats regularly and she's even gained back all the weight she lost.  She's now JUST under 6 pounds.  She looks JUST like her dad for now.  Hopefully my genes will pull through soon! 

So what was happening with the freeway that day?  ONE guy did a home invasions, knocked over a gun store, did TWO carjackings, and stole a tractor, and was holed up in a neighborhood after doing a shooting rampage...the freeways didn't reopen to normal traffic until 8 pm that night.  Figures on the ONE day I go into labor. 

But we made it - and we now have perfect little Ashlee with us.  She's such a joy to our life.  The following pictures were taken by a good friend, Danielle Hatcher for her newborn photoshoot.