Paige Marie

Our little Paige made her way into the world Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 3:01 am, a week before her due date of May 2.  She came fast and furiously, weighing 7 lbs 3 oz and was 19 3/4 inches long.  My active labor was extremely quick and she was almost born on the highway as Matt was racing to the hospital.  I had been having cramps and Braxton Hicks for several days.  On Tuesday evening I was feeling more and more like the real labor was about to start and around midnight I started having real contractions.  They started out strong but 15 minutes apart and lasting less than one minute.  They quickly increased in frequency and by around 2 am Wednesday morning I felt it was time to put in the call to my doctor, Dr. Marotta.  He advised me to come on down to the hospital as at this point the contractions were pretty much one on top of the other.  I thought I had time for a quick shower as Matt was busy getting the kids awake and ready to be dropped off with Nana.  Halfway through my shower I had the realization that I needed to get to the hospital asap as Paige was coming.  I didn't have time to dry my hair or do my make-up.  We piled into the car as I was trying my best to keep my moans and cries from the contractions to a minimum as to not scare the kids on the way to dropping them off.  After the kids were with Nana, Matt preceded to speed down the highway per my adamant pleas that I was fighting the strong urge to push and he needed to get me to the hospital quick.  Somehow we made it safe and sound in record time, pulled up to valet, and he wheeled me up to the labor floor, this was at 2:50 am.  My doctor was there to greet me and they promptly got me into a bed and checked my progress while Matt went to park the car.  The doctor realized Paige was coming out and ran to the hallway to try to get Matt back into the room but he had already gone down the elevator.  He did make it back right as Paige was crowning, despite my efforts to not push until he was back into the room.  I didn't even have time to get a gown on.  My water "popped" all over everyone around me, getting me in my eye and Matt in his face, as well as getting the doctors and nurses that were assisting.  With three pushes she was out (11 short minutes after arriving to the hospital), crying, placed on my chest, and begin nursing.  I was lucky in that I didn't tear or need an episiotomy. Matt was able to cut the cord. Although actual pictures of my labor are non-existent due to the fast nature of her birth, the memory will stay with us forever.  When I reflect on the whole experience it seems surreal and almost like what one would watch on a television show.  She is perfect and scored a 9 and then a 10 on the APGAR scale.  We stayed in the labor and delivery room for about an hour before moving to the maternity floor, but not before Paige had her first "bath" from one of the nurses.