Baby Brooklyn!

She’s FINALLY here! She was four days overdue and I was super anxious to meet her and be done being hugely pregnant! Anyone who has gone over their due date has felt my pain! Since I was having contractions since I was 34 weeks, I thought for sure that she would come early. It made it even more frustrating that I went over! I was way more uncomfortable this pregnancy than with the other two… I hit my record weight gain, everything hurt, and I couldn’t sleep at night. But… she is so perfect that it made it all worth it!

Brooklyn Sue Gilbert

 

I figured that I had better write down her “birth story” while it is still fresh in my mind. At my 39 week appointment I was dilated to a 3 and was 70% effaced. The doctor stripped my membranes and I thought for sure that I would be having a baby any day after that. I kept having contractions but they just kept coming and going but wouldn’t get consistent. I went on LOTS of walks but it didn’t help!

At my 40 week appointment the doctor told me that he would break my water if I was dilated to a 5. I crossed my fingers and got really excited but nope I was still only a 3! He told me that he would induce me in four days if I didn’t go into labor on my own.  I really hoped I would go into labor before then but she was a stubborn little thing! I went into the doctor on Tuesday the 11^th and I was dilated to a 4 ½ and he called the hospital and said that we could go in at 1 to be induced. We already had our bags packed and had an hour and a half to kill so we went and ate lunch a Chilli’s. I made sure to order dessert because I knew it would be a while until I would be able to eat again!

They checked my when I got to the hospital and I was dilated to a 5 and 90% effaced. The doctor said that I was in labor and that I would have had the baby that day anyway. He broke my water at 2:00 and at 4:00 I got my epidural. My contractions were starting to get painful but weren’t horrible. I was paranoid that I wouldn’t get it in time so I figured that early was better than never! I took a little nap and at 5:00 when the nurse checked me again I was dilated to a 10! They said they liked to let the contractions push the baby down for a little while before they had me start pushing. I started to push around 6:00 and our sweet little girl was born at 6:40 pm! It was by far the best delivery I’ve gone through. I got my epidural early enough that I didn’t have to feel very strong contractions and the epidural was strong enough that I didn’t feel any pain but I could still feel every contraction and knew when to push.  Even though she came out posterior, I didn’t have to push forever like I did with Jayden.

When she was coming out the nurse said “Wow! She has SO much hair and it is really dark!” I always pictured her with blonde hair so I was excited when the doctor said “No, her hair is really blonde!” When I was able to hold her I couldn’t believe how perfect she was! She was 7 pounds 14 ounces (same as Jayden) and was 20 ½ inches long. She had TONS of blonde hair and didn’t have her brother’s crazy toes! We immediately felt such a strong connection to her. I love my little girl!

 

Conner was SO excited to meet his little sister. He kept saying how cute she was and made up a few songs to sing to her while he held her. When my mom took the boys home, Conner kept saying “But I don’t want to leave without baby Brookie!” Jayden was more interested in what mischief he could cause in the room than in his baby sister but I’m hoping in time that he will adore her too!  

She is the BEST baby. She came out screaming but that was one of the only times I have heard her cry. She rarely gets upset and when she does she only whines and squeals. She is really easy to soothe and is such a sweetheart. We can’t get enough of our baby girl. I love to cuddle her, stare at her, smell her, and take in all of her little baby cuteness! :)