Reagan Renée birth story

Reagan's birth story is definitely the least dramatic of all the girls. I guess I can attribute that to this being my third time around and knowing more of what to expect. But of course all birth stories are exciting in their own way and Reagan's was definitely not without a little drama!

On Tuesday, Nov 7th I had my weekly doctor appt. I was 38 and 4 days along and the doc said I was dilated to a 3 and 90% effaced. He stripped my membranes at my appointment that morning and the rest of the day I was feeling pretty frequent contractions. I didn't think much of it though because I was having Braxton Hicks contractions all the previous week and while these felt maybe a liiittle bit stronger, I still thought it was the same Braxton Hicks.

Tuesday night I hosted our primary presidency meeting at my house. Since I was just sitting around in a meeting I decided I would keep an eye on on the clock and start timing my contractions. I was a little surprised when I discovered they were consistently 6 minutes apart! As the meeting wrapped up the other women asked how I was feeling and when I told them I'd been timing my contractions at 6 mins they all told me to get to the hospital!

I was hesitant to go in though. I wasn't in any pain and the girls were already asleep in their beds. Tyler wasn't going to get off work until 11pm. I was thinking maybe I would wait for him to get home and then we could decide if we still wanted to go in. I thought I was probably in labor, but didn't think I would have the baby till the next morning and I would rather sleep in my own bed than labor in the hospital all night long.

The women at the meeting kept insisting that I go in and offered to drive me to the hospital and take care of the kids and everything I needed. I really did NOT want to miss out on the epidural this time around so peer pressure eventually won out and I decided I would go get checked out.

My friend Aubrey helped me take the girls over to my other friend Carley's house and then Aubrey drove me to the hospital down town. I was second guessing myself the whole time and figured they were just going to send me back home, but Aubrey convinced me I was doing the right thing! She dropped me off to the ER where I was able to meet up with Tyler as he was getting off his shift and we walked over to OB triage together.

In triage they hooked me up to the monitors to see how my contractions were progressing. The doctor checked my cervix and I was still only a 3 and 90%!! I thought for sure I had made a mistake coming in and just wanted to go back home, but the doctor said I was having really consistent contractions and I could stay if I wanted. I tested positive for GBS so we decided to get me started on the antibiotics so they could break my water in 4 hours if things still weren't progressing.

They moved me into a delivery room and Tyler and I tried to get some rest while we waited around. They told me I could get an epidural at any time, but I wasn't in much pain and didn't want to slow down the labor so I held off. Around 2:30 the baby kicked me super hard and my water broke! All of a sudden my contractions were the unbearably painful ones I remember from labor with Kendall. I told them to get me the epidural STAT!

The anesthesiologist was able to come pretty quickly and get my epidural in. The contractions were horrible while we were waiting for it to kick in and I still don't know how I was able to get through labor with Kendall with no epidural. So much pain! The epidural started working but I was only getting relief on half of my body. They were telling me they might not be able to do much to help me and the baby's position could be affecting the medicine reaching the other side. They called the anesthesiologist back and he was able to give me some extra meds that blocked the pain on the other side.

Once the meds kicked in I felt amazing!!! Like the best I have felt in all 9 months of pregnancy. All the aches and pains I'd been having were suddenly gone and I felt so relaxed. I just wanted to go to sleep for 12 hours! I've never experienced an epidural like that. I only had time for a bolus dose with Avery that just sort of took the edge off. This epidural was complete numbness and it was heavenly!

The nurse told me I could start pushing at any time, but I told her to come back a little later so I could rest for a while with my amazing epidural. I wasn't even sure I could do any pushing because I really couldn't feel a thing. After about an hour I decided we might as well get on with it and the nurse came back in to do some "practice pushes". We did two practice pushes and she said, "Hold up! She's coming out! We gotta go get the Dr and let your husband gown up."

Tyler got on his gown and gloves and the chief OB resident came in to supervise. We did another two pushes and she was out! It was completely painless for me and super fun to watch Tyler deliver her. I love that he got to be a part of the birth. And especially grateful that she didn't decide to come when he was on shift! (Even though he did just work a 10 hour shift and then stayed up all night with me while I was in labor. Champion Dad!)

Right after she came out!

She wasn't too much of a screamer and was pretty relaxed. Scored 8 and 9 on her APGAR test.

Born at 5:30 am on November 8, 2017

7 lb 7 oz, 20 inches long

(My biggest baby! Avery and Kendall were both 6 pounders)

We named her Reagan Renée Hedman.

Renée is mine and my mom's middle name.

We were so excited to have the girls meet her!

Tyler brought them back to the hospital later that day to meet their new baby sister! They were sooo excited!

Reagan had a surprise for her big sisters - matching bracelets!

The girls thought this was so cool and loved that there was a tiny one for Baby Reagan!

Kendall wanted Reagan to hold her finger. Reagan just wants a snack.

Daddy snuggling two of his girls.

She is such a chill baby! Very sleepy and just wants to snuggle and eat.

My mom flew in the next day and came to visit at the hospital!

Avery was at preschool so it was just Grammy and Kendall.

Kendall loves her baby sister!

It's so sweet to see her love on her.

Just hanging out. It is very boring in the hospital.

Tyler was amazing while I was in the hospital. He took care of Kendall barfing in her bed at night and was able to give her a bath and get Avery all ready and delivered to preschool by 9 am and then drove immediately to the airport to pick up my mom and bring her to the hospital. He was able to get my mom all settled in and bought us all lunch.... He is seriously super dad!

Hanging out at the hospital. They had to keep us for 48 hours after Reagan's birth because I was GBS positive and it felt like I was there foreeeever.

I loved all my visitors!!

Picnic lunch at the hospital!

All ready to go home!

Avery with Reagan and her My Little Ponies.

Avery loves holding her and asks to hold her all the time.

Sleeping on Dad.

Avery loves her new baby!

Snuggle pile!

Kendall holding Reagan. She didn't care that Reagan was crying.

She cheered up when Avery got her though.

Lots of lazy days snuggling this cutie! We are all so in love!

Who do you think she looks like?! I don't know!

I am loving having this new babe in our home. I think I've been dreading the sleepless nights and constant nursing and all the messes from bodily fluids so much that I forgot how wonderful having a new baby is! She is such a blessing and I am loving all the baby snuggles!