Lacey Emma Nielsen

 Lacey Emma Nielsen arrived December 26, 2013 at 1:44 am. 

8 pounds 6 ounces 21 inches long. She is perfect in every way!

First skin to skin. 

It was a long night, so we tried to sleep as much as possible the next day. 

Proud papa

She slept so good cuddling with her daddy!

She had to be under the lights due to a little bit of Jaundice. 

The birth story.

I starting having Braxton and Hicks on Saturday. I'm not sure if I was more aware this time around because we had a 2 hour drive to San Diego, or if I really didn't have any the last 2 pregnancies. I was put on bed rest and wasn't allowed to do much by my husband. We were planning on being induced in San Diego the 28th. My parents would be in town and we would be able to make the trip and stay knowing that our kids would be in good hands. Lacey had plans of her own. Christmas day I had Braxton and Hicks all day long, nothing painful, and sporadic. I called my Doctor around 7:30 because they were getting a little more regular, not painful.  Over the next hour and a half the contractions started to feel a little more like menstrual cramps. I headed up to the hospital in Brawley to make sure I wasn't jumping the gun before heading over the hill. I should have gone with my gut instinct and just headed to San Diego, but this is the first time I have ever had contractions and started labor on my own. I was checked at the hospital and was a soft one and still really thick. My Doctor told me I should probably head over the hill.  We called Stacey Rolfe to come and watch the kids over night and Jer and I headed to San Diego around 11. Jer had already called the hospital in San DIego to let them know we were on our way. By this time the contractions hurt, but I could still talk through them. About 20 minutes into the drive Jer said we should start timing the contractions. They were about 5 minutes apart and continued to get closer together and more painful. Inside Jer was freaking out! Never did  I feel like we were in trouble on the way over, nor did I feel like I was going to give birth in the car. 

I was in a bit of pain when we arrived at the hospital around 1. I was ready for and epidural! Jer called the nurse and she was waiting out front for us. We got into our room and I was checked and only a 1+ and about 70% efaced. Sunny, the lady that put in my IV, was rediculas. She had to poke me twice in my left arm and them moved over to my right before she finally get a good line in. Durning this time my water broke, roughly 1:15,  and I was huddled over the side of the bed throwing up and in a ton a pain. I just kept asking please for the epidural.  I had the feeling that I needed to use the rest room. Sunny, the IV nurse that I was already annoyed with, was on the side of my bed cleaning up the floor from my water breaking. I was already grumpy with her and so it didn't make me very happy that she was stopping my from getting up to go to the bathroom. She kept saying it's probably the baby. They had just checked my so I was sure it wasn't the baby and I didn't want to have a BM right there on the table. My nurse came into check me right then. I was at a 10 and the babies head was right there. The nurse told me that I could still get the epidural but I would have to hold still. I told her that I needed to push. She told me not to bare down, but I couldn't help it. I pushed once, and there was the babies head, the second push was her shoulders, and the third was the rest of her. I couldn't help but scream with every push. I didn't picture myself as a screamer either! I wasn't in stirrups, the end of the bed wasn't off, and my nurse only had one glove on. Needless to say it was crazy! All of the sudden there was 10 people in the room. The nurse that took the baby to the warming pulled out my IV and shortly after all the drama the Dr. walked in. Jer patted him on the back and said "you missed it" So, I went from a 1 to a 10 in 30 minutes and had baby Lacey at 1:44 am

They were a little concerned that I had ruptured my uterus with the amount of blood that was present and the fact that I progressed so fast. So I went to the OR for an internal check. They ended up putting me out and doing a D&C. All was fine and I'm glad they checked right away instead of in a month of two when it could have turned into something really bad. But, in the end I have a beautiful healthy baby girl that is perfect in every way!!