Memories of a pregnancy and child birth

A year ago today Jason and I were spending our last day as just the two of us.  That night I was going to be induced.  Annabelle was measuring big at 9lbs 9 ounces and at 41 weeks by our last ultrasound.  The doctor said she would be a big baby just not that big. The doctor knew that I really wanted to try and have as natural of a birth as I could.  She knew I was worried about having to have a c-section since I was being induced.  The beginning of my pregnancy had been pretty rough, I was sick for almost 5 months.  Not just morning sick but sick for the entire day.  I lost more weight in my first trimester than I gained in my second.  I was always some shade of green during that time.  We had been trying for a baby for almost two years, I had been diagnosed with PCOS and was told I wouldn't get pregnant without the help of fertility drugs.  I did not ovulate, my period was very irregular.  My doctor had told me to give it three more months, due to my age she didn't want to immediately give me the fertility drugs.  I was feeling pretty down at the end of those three months, I had my appointment for fertility drugs made.  I got really sick at the end of my three months and thought maybe I was pregnant.  I went to the Instant Care, took a blood test and it came back negative, I just had a virus.  I felt really down, I don't really remember that week because of the phenegrin.  On April 15th, one week exactly before my appointment I still hadn't had a period, it had been over 2 months so I just took a hpt.  To my shock it was positive.  I will never again have the feeling I did that night, it was such a mixture of shock, relief, happiness and joy.  I took a few more tests and they were all positive.  The doctor couldn't believe it, they were all really happy as well. 
I complained a little (some people say I complained a lot) about my sickness.  I was so grateful to finally be pregnant I tried to really enjoy it and I did.  I would get sick every so often all the way through my pregnancy but nothing major.  I did swell more than normal but overall I had a wonderful experience.  There was nothing better than feeling that baby moving around inside and letting Jason feel her too.  She really didn't like him, she would kick him very hard in the back sometimes. 
The night I was induced was actually my mom's birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY MOM).  I had originally been scheduled for induction on 12/9.  The baby would have had the same birthday as mom but my doctor knew my desire to not have a c-section and thought that one extra day may have been all I needed to have her come on her own time.  I had been dilated for about a month or so and had made pretty good progress.  I wouldn't say that I was ready for my pregnancy to be over, but I was ready to meet my baby. We checked in at 7 and they started the pitocin.  It seemed to be a mild dose, never really kicked in very hard on me.  The only thing aside from the sickness that had made me uncomfortable was all the peeing.  I have a high bed and it was a little rough for me to get out of it with my big belly.  I didn't sleep well the last few days of pregnancy and the hospital stay was no different.  The next day I had progressed to 5 cms on the pitocin and felt a little bit of labor pains but nothing major.  The doctor had to break my water (I really really hated the leaking afterwards) and when she felt for the baby's position Annabelle had went back up the birth canal.  She was higher than she had been the week before, how I don't know.  An option at that point was the epidural.  I had went into this without a desire for that epidural, I for one thing was afraid of the needle (it is very large, Jason got freaked out by it in our birth class, haha) and another I didn't want mom to out do me.  She hadn't received any medications with either my sister or I.  I was also afraid of losing feeling in my body.  I was told there was a chance that the epidural would relax me and she possibly could slide down.  I said okay, turns out the epidural was nothing.  BUT the BEST part was the catheder!  I loved that thing, I felt such relieve after I received it.  Turns out I didn't lose feeling, and Annabelle didn't lower back down.  The doctor came in at 3:15 and told me that we could keep going or we could do a c-section.  I cried a little, but like she told me I could push all night and wear myself out and then need an emergency c-section or I could just do one then.  She told me that my mom could go back with Jason and I as well.  That made me feel better about it.  I didn't wanna chance anything so I just agreed to it.  I was also ready to see my baby so less than 15 mins later Annabelle was born.  She weighed exactly 9lbs 9 ounces and was 20 inches long.  My c-section and recovery was an absolutely BREEZE.  I could have walked into the surgery room if I had had too.  I didn't lose all my feeling which I loved.  I did need staples (17), stitches wouldn't work, she was too big so they had to cut me a little more.  I would have been able to leave the hospital that next day if they would have let me.  I felt so good.  Annabelle was such a great breast feeder that a year later we are still going strong.  I had such a wonderful experience and am so grateful for it!