Lily's Birth Story - Part 1

I have started writing this blog in early 2010. We were pregnant with a surprise baby, and after much contemplating where our family would head as a 4-some, we decided to move to Germany. The blog was some sort of outlet for my fears, my excitements, my hopes, and dreams for our future.

Back in April 2010 I shared Violet's birth story; a few months ago, however, I noticed, that I have never wrote about the days back in the end of January and early February of 2008 that have finally turned a couple into a family, the days of Lily's birth. A couple of days ago I realized, that Lily's 5th birthday would not only be on her actual birth day (Saturday), but also the Saturday of Superbowl weekend, just like it was back in 2008.

I would like to start the story remembering Wednesday, January 30, 2008. At this point, I was working a 40plus-hour job, was on the fast track to earning my bachelor's degree in only 15 months and happened to be 39w 3d pregnant. I had an appointment with a midwife at Irvin Army Community Hospital (IACH) at Ft. Riley. Since Richard was in the Army at that point and I was covered under TriCare Prime, I took the 25-minute trip to my appointment on post as usual during my lunch break. My pregnancy was considered "high risk" due to hypothyroidism that was discovered during the time I became pregnant (let me quote the doctor who confirmed both diagnoses: "How can you be pregnant with THESE thyroid levels???"), therefore I was usually seen by the head of the OB/GYN, but at that day I had gotten an appointment with a midwife. I agreed to be checked for progress and learned that I was only slightly effaced and not dilated at all. I accepted that since I was sure that I would go over the time by quite a bit; at about 36 weeks, my OB confirmed this feeling with a late-term ultrasound claiming that I would have either a very, very small baby (speak: 30th percentile AT BEST) or go at least 10 to 14 days past my EDD.

Despite the check results, the midwife sent me on my way with a "I give you two tonight; afterward, I don't guarantee for anything!"  I didn't believe in her words, having been convinced that the baby would not show up until the 10th at the earliest. Still, Richard and I went out for a date that night having dinner at Chili's, holding hands at the little two-some booth.

That night, as I did some more homework, I noticed some mild pulling pain in my back for the first time during this pregnancy; I never had Braxton-Hicks or any pain from my joints loosening at all, so I thought that it was about time something went on around here.

Little did I know what happened just hours later...