THE story...

I will try to make this quick since I am one tuckered out momma at this time.
I thought I would take a few minutes to try to tell the whole birthing story in detail.
I was waking up on and off through the night on Monday with gas....or so I thought! Really I never would have thought that I was in labor. I even imagined my mother's voice a few times "Jennifer, are you sure you're not in labor?!", but quickly dismissed it because I had had gas before and I new what labor felt like too. This did not feel like labor, not in a million years. Yeah, I was a bit uncomfortable but I wouldn't say I was in pain.
I got up a few times to walk around and just try to get some relief but always ended up back in bed to get a few more zzz's.
I woke up around 7 starting to get a bit more uncomfortable and, at that point, suspicious. I figured I would get up, take my shower, pay a few bills or something and then head off to my Dr. apt where they would be able to give me something for my "uncomfortable gas"!! (I know you guys are laughing at me right now! I really REALLY never in a million years would have thought it was labor!)
About 8 o'clock it started getting very uncomfortable and I called a friend to ask for advice. She said she thought I was probably in labor we planned for me to go get the fam up, bring Gwen over to her place since my mother in-law would have been at work already, and then head to the hospital. If it was gas they could send me home, if not we would be there!
I went upstairs and woke up Andy who went and got Gwen up and dressed and then decided to take a shower. I told him it better be the fastest shower in his life, which it was, and TRIED to get a few things in a bag and ready to go. At this point something was happening very quickly and I knew I was definitely in labor. It was probably around 8:15. I was in so much discomfort that I gave up on packing the bag and decided we didn't have time to run to E's house and my mother in-law would have to come from work to our house.
Andy started Gwen's breakfast just in time for me to change my mind again and decide that we would have to take Gwen with us to the hospital and Kathy would have to meet us there. It was around 8:30 at this time. Andy ran me out to the car and then went back in to get Gwen. I didn't get in right away knowing I would be too uncomfortable sitting there so I stood by the side of the car in MUCH PAIN. Immediately my water broke and I could feel her head coming!! (Sorry if that's TMI:p) AHHHH-I have always vowed to never yell or scream during labor/delivery but I was a screaming banshee!!! I was terrified and I could feel my baby coming!
Andy ran out and put Gwen in the car and I told him "no time", threw him my phone to call 911 and headed back towards the house. He was telling me to get back in the car and didn't understand that I knew we really REALLY didn't have time. He called 911 (which is another story since they didn't have our in-town coordinates in their system and didn't know where the house was right away) while I laid on the back porch praying that I didn't have my baby there! Gwen was getting pretty upset by now so Andy took her back in the house and put her in her high chair, ran around the front of the house to flag down the cop car, and all the while still on the phone saying things like "it's near the intersection of ____" and "she's having the baby RIGHT NOW"!
I got about a second of break time from pain so I crawled into the house, made it to the living room and laid there knowing what would happen any minute. I couldn't control anything, it was just happening. It was probably somewhere between 8:35 and 8:40.
By now there was a cop there but no paramedics. I actually thought the cop was a paramedic and wondered why he wasn't helping me. The rest of the story is almost a blur. I remember terrible pain followed by feeling her head come out (paramedics still not there!!), Andy and the cop looking at each other like 'what the heck do we do!' Andy saying "OH MY GOSH!" and me wondering what I was going to do if this baby came all the way without the paramedics!!
Luckily they came about 30 seconds after her head did and within a couple minutes she was born!! 8:52 It all happened somewhere within 15-20 minutes!! We were both taken right away to Lansdale hospital since it was closest to get us stable. I had trouble delivering the placenta so they sent me to Grandview (no OB at Lansdale) and I finally delivered it.
Olivia was sent to CHOP. I'm not really sure why since this was never in the plan but I have a few thoughts for a later time. I need to wrap up and go to bed.
I am fine! I feel good, no pain, no stitches, no HEARTBURN! Olivia is doing well too! We've had some very busy couple of days and I will take another time to tell you about them. So far we know that she is doing well, they are still predicting Trisomy 13 although her labs haven't come back yet, and they are on board with us trying to bring her home soon. We will know more tomorrow the details of all of that. I am able to have a bed here to sleep on and we're just taking it day by day for now. Keep praying for us, I know you are.
One last thing: All you home birth girls....rock on! I can say I did it and I can also say I won't do it again!! YIKES!