The newest "Watts in Florida" - Lila Mackenzie

I have to start this post by saying our lives have been a whirlwind lately.  Nothing can prepare you for your first child and how drastically your perspective changes.  Here's how our little lady came into our life - and don't worry, I will spare you the "gory" details.

Last Saturday, September 29, my contractions finally started coming in strong.  I had actually been having mild contractions since the previous Monday, and they had been in regular intervals, but not strong enough to start labor officially.  Justin and I were at the Best Buy killing time when I finally said, I think it's time to go!  We had the car packed already and we headed down the street to Holmes Regional.

After hooking me up to the machines and checking me out, they said, "No, not quite yet . . ."

We picked up a Redbox on the way home ("The Lorax") and by the time we started watching it around 8:00 pm, I had a hard time even concentrating on the movie because I was in so much pain.  10:30 rolled around and they had gotten so bad I could hardly stand up.  Certainly, it was time!

We went to the hospital for the 2nd time that day, and while the nurses and doctor agreed I was having official labor contractions, my cervix still wasn't dilating.  Luckily, they didn't send me home yet - they decided I could walk the halls and see what happens.  After two hours of walking (and a lot more painful contractions, I had finally started to dilate.  But they were worried that I was getting too tensed up during the contractions and was actually slowing my labor down.  They gave me a "soldier's shot" of morphine to relax me (and assured me that the baby would just be sleepy from it).  It did NOTHING.  To me and to the baby.  The baby was still up and kicking the whole time.  We're hardcore like that.  Justin kept joking around that I was the only person who had the "lowest tolerance for pain and the highest tolerance for pain killers."  I think he might be right.

Finally at 2:30 am on Sunday, I was dilated to 3 cm and they admitted us for labor.  We called the grandparents to take care of Sandy in the morning, and we called my parents so they could start making travel preparations as soon as they got up that morning.  We also called Justin's parents to let them know that it was finally happening!

They took us to our delivery room and set me up to meet with the anesthesiologist.  I was worried that it was "too early" for an epidural - but they were hoping that by again, relaxing me, my labor would progress and I would stop stalling it by being so tense.  The hospital has a particular staff to take blood for epidurals, but for some reason, they were busy and couldn't see me right away.  It got so bad that one of the delivery nurses took my blood and walked it down to the testing area and waited for the results.  Finally at 5:00 am, the anesthesiologist arrived and by 6:00 am, I was my "happy place."  Meanwhile, my parents had found a last minute flight and would be arriving in Florida around 1:00 pm.   I was excited since they might actually make it for the baby's birth!

My labor continued to progress fairly well, about a cm every hour and half, so it was still slower than it should be, but my water broke around 11:30 am.  My doctor and the nurses really wanted me to take a dose of pitocin to help speed up the labor, but Justin and I had heard our fair share of "horror stories" aobut it and were reluctant.  I also had to have my epidural re-upped because it was starting to wear off and I was nowhere near 10 cm.  Around 2:30 pm, I was stalled at 6 cm, my water had broke so the baby was now at risk for infection, and it was decision time.  One of the labor nurses ran through all of the scenarios, good and bad, with taking pitocin, and explained that I was in "favorable delivery position" because my water had broke, I was already at 6 cm, and the baby was already in the right position in the birth canal, with its head right on my cervix (another reason I was having such a painful early labor).  We decided it was time to have this baby.

Around 4:00 pm, my cervix was finally dilated to 10 cm, and my parents and grandparents had arrived just in time for me to start pushing.

I have to be honest, the pushing part was probably the easiest part of my labor.  It took about 20 minutes and while it hurt like holy hell at the very end, I knew our baby would soon arrive and we would finally know if it was a boy or a girl.

Hilarious side note: when Lila first came out, and Justin saw her face, he just automatically assumed she was a boy.  He said "It's a boy!  It's a boy!" and then the doctor and the nurse said, "Um, you might want to check again."  I would have been happy either way - all we wanted was a healthy baby, but it was such an amazing feeling knowing that I have a daughter.  Especially since my mom, my grandma, and my great grandmother all had girls as their first born.  And you all know me, I'm pretty much the girliest person in the world.  I'm already planning Lila's first trip to the American Girl store, and that is years away from now.  Justin was also so excited because the whole time I was pregnant, he hoped he was having a little girl as well, and didn't want to say one way or the other so that he wasn't disappointed.

Lila Mackenzie was born at 4:52 pm on Sunday, September 30.  She weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces and was 19.5 inches long.  The moment I saw her and first held her, I was overcome with love.  (Getting a little teary-eyed writing this!).  No book can describe (and I barely can myself) the feeling you have when you become a parent.  Justin and I have been loving every minute of this past week, and we are so happy to share our joy with you!

Holding her for the first time

Happy family

Her footprints

Justin went with her for her first bath in the hospital nursery

The family got to watch

Justin and Lila

Already smiling!

Lauren and Lila

Lila Mackenzie Watts