Bridenstine Blurb

Life right now couldn't be sweeter. I spent last night with precious new life asleep on my chest. I couldn't put her down. A true miracle indeed to feel such pure breath on my skin as I watched this tiny human being just be. Nothing is more beautiful!

Claire Faith Bridenstine arrived Monday, 11/30, at 11:04 PM. She weighed in at 7 lbs. 1 oz. and measured 19 inches long. The thing that shocked us most about her appearance was her head full of thick hair! Aidan was a baldy until after his first birthday, so the idea that these two children share hair genetics from the same gene pool is baffling.

Our sweet little girl was a fashionable 11 days late. We'd been waiting for nearly two weeks, expecting her to arrive at any moment. Nearly every night I'd have Braxton Hicks contractions (the "practice contractions"), and would wonder if they would suddenly turn the corner into the real deal...the painful, productive contractions that signal labor is underway. A few nights during this overdue period I could feel them getting stronger and more painful, but after resting and sleeping, I would wake up the following morning and still be pregnant.

Ahh, but Monday was different! Monday evening I was having my normal evening Braxton Hicks, when all of the sudden at 8:30 PMish they changed into the real thing - and there was no question. This was it. Every 2 to 5 minutes, an intense pain began surge around my abdomen and back as the muscles contracted. This was it. I remembered!

Being that Aidan's labor and delivery was so short - and second labor and deliveries are often only half the time of a first one - I told Will we'd better get going. By 9 PM we had our bags loaded and Aidan loaded with his belongings, and we were off. We drove to the Colemans' house and quickly dropped Aidan off for his overnight stay. Suzi, the most fabulous doula and dear friend of ours, jumped in her car and followed us as we made the 35 minute drive to the Lake Norman Regional Medical Center. Things were ramping up. The pain was intensifying. The contractions were getting stronger. Will started running lights. Red ones. Suzi followed him in running red lights. We called our moms so they could leave from South Charlotte in time to see the birth.

Hospital arrival and check in occured at 10:06 PM. I changed into my fashionable hospital gown. The nurse checked me and said I was dialated to 6 cm. She wanted to start an IV of antibiotics since I was positive for Strep B at my routine 38 week test. I told her there was no way I'd be able to have the antibiotics in my system for the 4 hours prior to delivery that they require to consider the antibiotic administration a success at preventing newborn infection. If they weren't in my system for 4 hours, the baby would have to go through rounds of testing to ensure her health and safety anyway. I didn't want to get hooked up, restricting my ability to freely move about in labor - one of the benefits of a pain medicine free labor - only to still have to have alternate safety checks done once the baby arrived anyway because the antibiotics weren't in me long enough to work. The nurse called the midwife, who was on her way into the hospital, and they were pretty strong that they wanted to start administering the antibiotics. So, hooked up I became.

10:30 PM - the midwife on call, Cindy, arrived moments later and checked me. 8 cm. Transition was beginning. Thank you Lord for Suzi, who coached me through the breathing and relaxation. She held my panic at bay. Will was awesome too. In fact, he totally rocked. He must have learned a lot from the first go around because he seemed like a pro. He and Suzi were great. :) I was still hooked up to the machine administering antibiotics, and clearly I wasn't going to get them in time. Yet, as predicted, I wasn't free to move around too much because I had IVs in me. Next time, I am declining antibiotics if I'm found positive for Strep B again. My labors, fortunately, don't seem to be long enough for antibiotic administration to make sense. Transition, thankfully, went quickly. Suzi and Will helped me stand up beside the bed and work through those contractions. After 4 or 5 contractions I felt like the baby was coming.

10:55ish PM - Cindy the midwife checked me again. 10 cm. Our moms arrived in the room just then. It was time. Claire was coming and coming fast! My water still hadn't broken. Cindy said she'd break it when I pushed. She did. One, two, then three pushes, and alas, out came our most beautiful little Claire. 11:04 PM. Baby was placed in my shaking arms and we rejoiced. Thank you, Lord!

And, WHEW, it was over! Now, that is beautiful! My body seemed to be in shock as I was shaking for the next 20 minutes or so. Claire was cleaned up, weighed, and pictures were taken. Sweet Jenny arrived right about this time and was Claire's first official visitor.

I must say this labor and delivery was much faster than I had imagined it would be. Thank you, Lord! Waiting the extra days was worth it for such a truly simple experience. We are so thankful for a healthy beautiful baby girl.

Arrival - Suzi and me

Will and Me

Painful Contraction!!

Little Claire on me

Lots of hair!!

Weighed in at 7 lbs. 1oz.

Me and my girl

Us with our little girl

Suzi the doula, Claire, and me

Grandmas with baby Claire

Jenny and me