The Godley Family: Pregnancy and Labor & Delivery Highlights

It was the day before my 29th birthday that Andrew & I found out we were going to be parents. We were thrilled yet very nervous. The news settled in, and I made an appointment to see my ob/gyn the following week. The blood results showed that my progesterone level was low, so I was put on a progesterone supplement for the entire first trimester. The first trimester left me feeling exhausted and nauseated throughout the entirety of most days. We had our first ultrasound at around 6 weeks. "Baby Godley" looked like some sort of tiny sea creature with a beating heart. Seeing the baby's heart beating was so relieving!

My doctor didn't deliver babies, so she referred me to Dr. Rose Kennedy, an ob in Lafayette who ended up being the most fantastic doctor. I began seeing Dr. Kennedy at around the 10 week mark. She was really funny and always left me feeling confident that everything was going well. I started to feel much better at around 14 weeks.

(appx. 16 weeks)

We had another ultrasound at around the 20 week mark. We found out that Baby Godley was a girl! I was a little nervous that perhaps the ultrasound technician may have missed a boy part, so I decided to get a 3d/4d ultrasound of just the baby's crotch to confirm baby was a girl. The 3d/4d ultrasound confirmed that she was indeed a girl, so the pink explosion in our house began!

(appx. 20 weeks)

One of the most exciting moments was feeling the baby kick for the first time. I could feel little flutters from around week 16 through week 20. However, at the 21 week mark, I had my hand on my belly while laying in bed and felt an unmistakable kick with my hand! It was an amazing feeling. I finally felt more confident that baby was doing okay in there.

I was sent for the glucose screening test at around 24 weeks. I failed, so I had to undergo the 4 hour (they say it's 3 hours, but it's really 4 hours) screening for gestational diabetes at the 28 week mark. I had to put off making an appointment for the longer screening because I was extremely busy with work. The screening confirmed a gestational diabetes diagnoses. For the remainder of the pregnancy, I was on a diabetic diet. Blood work showed the diet was working in controlling my blood sugar levels, so I never needed insulin injections, thank goodness. Because of the diabetic diet, I only gained 12 lbs. during the entire pregnancy. The diet was miserable, though. No sugars were allowed, and the only thing I was craving was sweets! It was torture.

Andrew and I attended a total of four labor and delivery classes in the last trimester because I thought I'd like to try a medication-free delivery. More on that below!

(appx. 33 weeks following fabulous baby shower hosted by our moms and friends on May 1, 2010)

I started showing signs at around 36 weeks that I may go into early labor. I was already slightly dilated and effaced and having tons of Braxton Hicks contractions. The dilation and effacement never really progressed over the next few weeks. At 39 weeks my doctor suggested inducing labor because the baby's non-stress test at 38 weeks was not as reactive as she would have liked.

We were scheduled to be induced on Monday, June 14th at 5am. We went to Lafayette General and were told all the labor and delivery rooms were full. We were ultimately sent home. My doctor called later that day to explain that was a very rare occurrence and to reschedule the induction for Wednesday, June 16th. On Tuesday, June 15th, I was having mild contractions every 15-20 minutes all day long. At around 9:30pm, the contractions became closer together, at around 6-8 minutes apart, and this lasted until about 10pm. Then, all of sudden, the contractions were 3-4 minutes apart and unbearable. I thought labor was supposed to progress more gradually! At 11pm I called the hospital and explained my symptoms. The nurse advised we should go in. We packed a few last minute things and got to the hospital at around midnight.

Now, more on my naive idea to have a medication-free pregnancy. The contractions were so painful that I felt like I couldn't breathe and was going to vomit from the nausea. I wanted an epidural asap! By the time we checked in and got settled in, I finally got an epidural at around 1:30am. I was apparently too wimpy for a natural delivery! At 5:30am the nurses augmented my labor with Pitocin. Dr. Kennedy strolled in at 8am, hung up her purse on the door, checked the dilation progress, and said, "okay, let's start pushing." She and the nurse then got all of the medical supplies together, and I started pushing, even though I couldn't feel my right leg! Andrew was there for the entire delivery process. Our little angel was then born at 8:31am on Wednesday, June 16th!! She came out very healthy with a soft cry. Her two Apgar scores were both 9s. I'm very happy that I went into labor on my own and didn't need to be induced. We were eventually escorted to our mother-baby suite after the delivery and were discharged on Thursday afternoon.

Pictures below are of Corinne Jolie Godley, born at 8:31am on Wednesday, June 16, 2010. She weighed 6 lbs even and was 18.75 inches long. A tiny, yet perfect, baby girl!!