Hannah and Hailey - Birth Story Comparisons (Warning - May Be Slightly Graphic)

Obviously having your second baby makes you think about what happened with your first. Here is a side-by-side comparison of our baby girls birth stories:

Hannah: was induced the day before her due date
Hailey: was induced four days after her due date

Hannah: in labor for 9.5 hours - had the epidural at 8cm, pushed for an hour and a half
Hailey: in labor for 6.5 hours - had the epidural at 7cm, pushed for a half hour

Hannah: had a bit of a scare during labor when Mommy passed out after they put the IV in
Hailey: had a bit of a scare during delivery when baby got her shoulder got caught on the way out

Hannah: had a little bit of jaundice
Hailey: had a little bit of an issue with blood sugar levels

Hannah: was a great nurser and a good sleeper
Hailey: was a great nurser and a good sleeper

Hannah: kept spitting the pacifier out at the nurses
Hailey: liked her pacifier

Hannah: weighed 8lbs 6oz and was 21.50 inches
Hailey: weighed 8lbs 15oz and was 21.75 inches

Hannah: had reddish brown hair and blue grey eyes
Hailey: had black hair and blue grey eyes

Hannah:





Hailey:

And because I never included Hannah's pregnancy and full birth story on this blog, here it is:

Hannah had always measured about a week behind on all ultrasounds, meaning her due date should have been May 30, 2006. The doctor had her due date at May 24, 2006 based on my last cycle and he doesn't change due dates. I had some spotting at 6 weeks (spotting at 10 weeks with Hailey) and some pretty bad morning sickness until about week 12 but thankfully it stopped (Hailey's stopped at 16 weeks). I ended up having to have emergency hernia surgery at 15 weeks with Hannah, which is when we first found out we were having a girl. Everything went smoothly until 32 weeks. I had started falling behind on my measurements, which they assured me just meant that she would probably be a small baby. They wanted to do an ultrasound just in case. This is also when I found out that I failed my 1 hour test (also failed it with Hailey; passed the 3 hour test with both kids, although I was told I was borderline hypoglycemic and to make sure I was eating every 2 hours). Then I mentioned that I felt like the baby was balling up and stretching so they thought that sounded weird and put me on the monitor. I was sent to the ultrasound where they found the baby was a good size but already 50% effaced and I was sent to triage for preterm labor. This was one of many times that I was sent to triage for this in both pregnancies (preterm labor started at 28 weeks with Hailey). They stopped the contractions and gave me meds. At 37 weeks, I was allowed to stop the meds but no baby. I ended up begging the doctor for an induction because I was in so much pain from the permanent sutures they had to place in my stomach from my surgery (in the end, it took 2 more surgeries, on top of my 2 hernia surgeries I already had, to remove all of them - my stomach looks like a war zone) and he agreed to do it the day before my due date since I had been 4cm and 80% effaced for 2 weeks at that point. I was also having regular contractions. Really, I had been in labor for almost 2 weeks and just not progressing AT ALL. Anyway, they went to hook up the IV and since I didn't eat (I didn't make that mistake with Hailey - I ignored their "rules"), I passed out. They started giving me a ton of saline and I blimped up from it, which is why my face looks so big in pictures. Of course, the nice thing was that I didn't keep setting off the alarm from my naturally low blood pressure like I did with Hailey. Anyway, I was fine and took some IV meds to take the edge off but eventually wanted the epidural around 8cm. They doc was in a surgery so she came a half hour later and didn't bother to check me, which she probably should have. She just gave me the epidural and suddenly I could remember how to breathe again (pitocin is evil). The nurse came back in 20-30 minutes later and said I was ready to push. It took an hour and a half. They kept asking if I wanted the mirror, which I did not. She was born at 5:35pm. The doc said he appreciated that she didn't come until he was done with all his work so now he could just go home. There was a slight tear but no big deal. Hannah scored a 9 on the apgar scale. I was up walking around 15 minutes later and felt great, except for the fact that I was starving and sleepy. All the grandparents and great-grandparents and aunts/uncles were there to visit and so happy to meet the new baby!