Oh, Baby! (Part 4)

I know, there are a lot of parts to this story, but the goal was to not overwhelm anyone with a single massive post. 

My husband entered the room and I told him I was going to start pushing soon.  We were on the verge of becoming parents, weeks earlier than what we expected or were prepared for.  Nurses and staff were walking around the room, they brought in equipment, altered the bed, and at 9:00 p.m. they told me the doctor was on her way and I would be pushing around 10:00 p.m. 

10:00 p.m. My doctor arrives.  I remember some things, but not too many details, which I am okay with. 

"Dad, do you want to watch?"
"No," Matt said with a big grin on his face.
"Mom, do you want a mirror?"
"No," I said with a smile.
"Dad, do you want to cut the cord?"
"No," he said with another smile on his face.

With this taken care of, it was time to begin pushing.  Thanks to my new best friend, the epidural, I could not feel contractions.  Doctors explained they would watch the monitor and wait for me to have a contraction.  I would take a breath and push for ten seconds, take a breath and push for ten second, and one last breath and ten second push.  In four or five sets of pushes, Eleanor was here.  It was 10:24 p.m. and Matt's phone had just died.  Luckily, he had his iPad which allowed him to take pictures.  Matt was suddenly a busy man.  He was all over the hospital room taking pictures, asking questions, and soaking everything in.

Matt later told me that Eleanor and I had surprised the doctor and the staff.  Apparently I could birth babies for a living according to the folks in the room.  From water break to baby in under 12 hours.  What is your hurry, kiddo?  Eleanor came so quickly that the doctor was not quite ready and had to juggle her a bit.  Good thing he had not told me that until recently.

There you go, that is the story of how 6 pound, 3 ounce; 19.25 inch Eleanor Grace entered the world.