Betty Marie Brayer
Born Friday September 18th, 2015
7:32 am Banner Thunderbird Hospital
Happy 1st Birthday Baby Girl!!!
Well it only took me a full year to finally sit down and write out your birth story.
It has been the craziest, busiest, yet the best year ever!
Let's start at the beginning.
We started trying to get pregnant again in December, and to our surprise it happened right away!
Your brother was 1 1/2 years old, and we knew we wanted our kids to be close in age and best buddies.
Your brother was 1 1/2 years old, and we knew we wanted our kids to be close in age and best buddies.
I took several pregnancy tests and thought it was just too early to tell, but to my happy surprise I showed a picture of them to a friend and she said, "Annie you are so pregnant!" LOL!
Your Daddy and I were super excited!
Your due date was September 17th 2015, and I started seeing a new doctor at Glendale OBGYN.
I decided I did not want a midwife this time, just to get a different experience.
I heard your heartbeat at 8 weeks on February 3, 2015.
It is the best sound ever to hear your little baby alive and well and growing inside!
I felt sick alot in the beginning, with lots of food aversions and even lost some weight!
But once the 2nd trimester started I felt less nauseous, but got a lot of headaches and just felt very unmotivated to much of anything.
We announced our pregnancy on Valentines Day with a cute picture of your brother and a chalk wall.
I had a blood test done at 12 weeks to test for genetic disorders and the gender.
It took FOREVER to get the results back, but on March 24th, we found out you were a girl!!!
At my 20 week check up, we found out I had placenta previa.
It is a dangerous condition which could cause early labor and excessive bleeding.
I was crazy crazy worried, but thankfully it corrected itself by 28 weeks and we both had a super healthy rest of the pregnancy!
I took lots of belly pics and tried to enjoy the pregnancy, but I felt so lazy and yucky!
It was hard to work, and take care of your brother, and enjoy the HOT Summer!
We tried lots of different things to naturally induce labor, like reflexology, bouncing on a stability, walking, pregnancy tea, and spicy food.
At 40 weeks, on your actual due date, I felt like you were not moving around as much in my belly. Daddy was home from work so we went to the ER at 2:30pm while Grandma stayed with Clark.
They monitored us both and said we were ok and sent us home.
I felt pretty tired, so I went straight to bed. At about 8pm I felt a big "thud" in my belly but just thought, "hmmm...that was weird."
Then when I stood up to go potty a few minutes later I kinda felt a little gush of liquid.
I was pretty sure it was my water breaking, but it was a light brown color so wasn't too sure.
It turns out you pooped inside of me, but it was ok and did not cause any harm.
Daddy was putting Clark to bed, so when he came in our room, he called the hospital and they said for us to come in.
Grandma came back to our house to stay the night with Clark, and Mommy and Daddy went to the hospital.
It was my first night ever away from your brother so it was kinda hard not to worry about everyone all night!
I started having contractions right after my water broke, so the hospital checked us in and told us we were there to stay!
They wheeled us up top the labor and delivery ward, and said that you were a little stressed in my belly, but they didn't know why.
I wanted to try to wait as long as possible to get an epidural, but I was in a lot of pain, so at about 2:30am I got the drugs.
Then I labored all night, with them flipping me side to side, and hooking me up to oxygen to try to get your heart rate to stop going up and down.
They even warned us we might need a C-section, but thankfully we got to have a vaginal birth like I planned.
My doctor was out of town, so I had a different female doctor actually deliver you.
I only pushed for a very short time and you came flying out!
My sweet tiny little baby girl!
Born at 7:32 am.
6 lbs 11 oz
21 inches
Brown hair, brown eyes, and absolutely perfect!
Mommy and Daddy both cried tears of joy, and felt so happy and relieved you were finally here with us.
Daddy cut your umbilical cord after a few minutes of delayed cord clamping.
Daddy got a little light headed after you were born and so we made him sit down and drink some orange juice.
Then he felt all better, and they set you right on top of me for skin to skin contact and to introduce breastfeeding.
You stayed with me for a while, then they cleaned you up and weighed, and checked you.
Then they took us to our new room, where we stayed for another night and had family come and meet you!
Daddy went home to stay the night with your brother and get some rest, so Auntie Rachel came to the hospital and we had our first girls slumber party!
I was so so tired, so I sent you to the nursery for a little bit...and cried when you were gone.
I also called the nurse in several times to check your nose, because I thought maybe you had a stuffy nose and couldn't breathe well.
But you came back happy and we were both a little more rested.
The next morning, we went home and started adjusting to life as a family of four.
I felt so so happy and fulfilled.
My heart could just burst with all the love I have for you, your brother, and your Daddy.
You are the most friendly, sweet, funny, little girl ever, and we just love you to the moon and back a hundred million times.
I love you sweetie, XOXO
Love, Mommy
