It all started about two days before she was actually born...
1/21/15: I went in at 38 weeks 6 days and was still at 4cm and 80% effaced but she had dropped down some. We decided to schedule an induction for Friday, January 23 at 7:30am. I didn't necessarily want to be induced but Tayt was starting his new job in a week and Dr. Webster was going to be out of town that whole weekend and she assured me that Hannah was healthy and ready. We decided to go out to dinner at Cheesecake Factory after my appointment and take Austin to the Disney Store for an early birthday treat. I told Tayt as we headed in to dinner that I just wasn't feeling good and things were hurting. I knew that since Dr. W had just checked me a few hours before, that that could be the reason. During dinner I began to feel some contractions. They were kind of sporadic and I tried timing some of them. I do remember thinking they were real contractions but not too strong yet. I was still able to talk through them. After dinner we went home and they slowed down and spread out. I was able to sleep most of the night and woke up the next morning (1/22) feeling just a few.
1/21/15: I went in at 38 weeks 6 days and was still at 4cm and 80% effaced but she had dropped down some. We decided to schedule an induction for Friday, January 23 at 7:30am. I didn't necessarily want to be induced but Tayt was starting his new job in a week and Dr. Webster was going to be out of town that whole weekend and she assured me that Hannah was healthy and ready. We decided to go out to dinner at Cheesecake Factory after my appointment and take Austin to the Disney Store for an early birthday treat. I told Tayt as we headed in to dinner that I just wasn't feeling good and things were hurting. I knew that since Dr. W had just checked me a few hours before, that that could be the reason. During dinner I began to feel some contractions. They were kind of sporadic and I tried timing some of them. I do remember thinking they were real contractions but not too strong yet. I was still able to talk through them. After dinner we went home and they slowed down and spread out. I was able to sleep most of the night and woke up the next morning (1/22) feeling just a few.
1/22/15: Austin's 3rd Birthday! (This was the only date that I was hoping to avoid having her. I just really wanted my kids to have their own birthday.) I just needed to make it through the day and then they would be one day apart. I decided to go to work and see how I felt. I had a couple contractions while at work and felt light headed and just not good overall. My team convinced me to go home and I was able to leave a little after 10:00am. It was perfect because Tayt had kept Austin home from school and just the three of us had lunch together, birthday cake, opened presents, played and then all took a nap. At about 7:30pm my parents came over to bring Austin some presents. That was when I started to feel the contractions increase in intensity. They also began to speed up. The contractions were stronger, lasting about a minute but about 8-10 minutes apart. I also thought my water was starting to leak. I called Dr. Webster's office and they were having phone trouble so I was unable to reach the emergency line. I called Labor and Delivery and they told me that I should probably just come in. We left the house about 9:20pm and my parents stayed there with Austin. I had one contraction on the way and one in the parking lot walking in. When we got to L&D (9:45pm) we found out Dr. Webster was on call and there! She actually passed by my room as we were just getting there and we both yelled out at her! She came in and broke my water, I was 5cm dilated and we were going to have a baby. Sara and Grant came to our house to stay with Austin and my parents came up to the hospital right after I got my epidural. The epidural worked great this time and I wasn't feeling any contractions. Two hours later I was dilated to 7cm. We thought we had a few more hours but things began to progress quickly from there.
1/23/15: We did watch the clock tick by until finally it was officially January 23, 2015! My kids would not have the same birthday, they would be one day apart! I felt good about that. Around 12:15-12:30 Hannah was looking a little stressed on the monitor. They put oxygen on me, checked me again (I was at 10cm!) and watched the monitor closely. Her heart rate was dropping. The nurse set everything up and then had me prepare to push. I pushed through one contraction and she was coming. She told me to stop and called to see where Dr. Webster was. She told her to come now. Quickly after that, Dr. Webster was there and I was pushing again. I pushed through two contractions and out came our baby girl. SHE WAS PERFECT!!
Hannah Kayt Todd
January 23, 2015
12:56am
6lbs 13oz
19inches long
Labor was fast and easy. Three hours and three contractions from the time my water broke! We stayed in the hospital for a day and a half and went home Saturday morning 1/24! We had lots of visitors, calls, texts and Facebook love. My favorite moment after her birth was when Austin came to the hospital to meet her. He had the biggest smile on his face. He wanted to hold her and kiss her and check her out. It was the sweetest thing to see my two kids together for the first time.
Now we have been home for a little over two weeks and I just can't stop holding her and loving on her. She is a very sweet baby and easy to read. She is breastfeeding great and sleeping really good. I can't express how blessed I feel. I am off work for 13 weeks, which is HEAVEN in my book. I plan to soak up every minute with my new baby girl. God is good and I am so grateful for another healthy child.
My cousin Nikki made us another sweet video and I am so thankful. Here is Hannah's video...
