Little Lucy's Arrival!

Our darling daughter Lucy Grace Harstad was born January 17th, 2010! Below is the story of little Lucy's arrival into this world.

Saturday, January 16th 2010: Ryan and I are living in Philadelphia, which means very cold winters (in Kelsey and Ryan San Francisco dweller terms). After a 5-day work week, and going into a long 3-day weekend, the cold weather was lifting for one day (45 degrees F - a heatwave!) and I wanted to take advantage and explore the city. One section of the center city we had heard rave reviews about is Old City. However, it is on the east side of the city and we live on the west side, about a 2 mile walk each way. So, Ryan and I hiked it over to Old City to explore and grab brunch. Being 9 months pregnant, the walk was more than what I was used to, but the fresh air and exercise felt wonderful. We met up with our good friends Will and Shanna, had a yummy Cuban brunch, then milkshakes, and mosied on home after. I was a bit tired that evening, so instead of joining Ryan out I stayed in, laid low and watched a movie. Ryan had a few birthday parties to go to and I encouraged him to stay out late, as "you won't get many more nights to stay out with friends once baby girl comes". Ryan took me up on my offer and thoroughly enjoyed himself until he arrived home at 2am.



Sunday, January 17th 2010, 2:30am: Like most nights in the third trimester, I woke up due to being uncomfortable. Typically I would wake up and need to change sleeping positions, use the facilities, or drink some water. This feeling of being uncomfortable was definitely different. I tried to sleep through it but the pains kept coming back every so often and seemed to be getting worse. By 3am I was VERY uncomfortable and not happy. Ryan was sleeping peacefully beside me - not exactly fair so I woke him up for some sympathy. Rather than real contractions, Ryan was convinced the pains were false labor, as they weren't every 3-5 minutes like we had read labor would be like. By 4:30am the pains were now so intense that I couldn't talk through them. We finally agreed that even if the pains were false labor, it may be worth going to the hospital. Ryan finished packing our bags for the hospital (we had thought we had 2 more weeks!) and off we went.



Sunday, January 17th 2010, 4:30am: We arrived at the hospital ER, shuttled up to the maternity registration where I was checked out. We found out I was already 5 cm down the road - only 5 more to go! Ryan was still convinced it was false labor and that we'd be sent home. I was still convinced that an epidural was in order, as the labor pains were making me not so pleasant to be around (poor Ryan!). On the elevator up to the delivery wing we heard a code blue on the floor. The nurse who was escorting us says it would be a while until I received an epidural as all delivery doctors and anesthesiologists must help with the emergency. So, we waited and waited and WAITED for the anesthesiologist to arrive and put me out of my misery. Meanwhile, a nurse began to monitor my contractions and the baby's heart rate - very strong throughout delivery! A little before 7am the anesthesiologist put me in my happy place, we learned I was only 3cm to the finish line, and Ryan was then coming to grips that the baby was really coming that day. After the epidural Ryan and I tried to get some Zzzz's, as we were both going off only an hour or two of sleep.



Sunday, January 17th 2010, 12:15pm: Now the fun really began - the pushing! Wow, I was not expecting the pushing part of delivery to be so intense and exhausting. Everyone says it is, don't get me wrong, but I was in decent shape at the time, had been walking and doing yoga regularly, so thought I would be really ready for the hard part. Man I was wrong! Ryan would count for me during the pushes while the doctor or nurse would tell me if I was making any progress - which most times it didn't seem like I was. My nurse, Kat, was really encouraging, and the student nurse (first day on the job), Amy, was as nice as can be. Finally after an hour of pushing, and after the epidural was beginning to wear off (ouch!), we were hearing good reports from the nurse after each contraction was over. Once when both Kat and the doctor were out of the room, I had a really good push and the baby's head crowned and stay crowned. Amy wasn't sure if we should push again or go grab Kat and the doctor. Ryan gave her the nervous-husband-look that nurse and doctor were needed, so she bolted for the door and yelled down the hall for Kat and the doctor. First day on the job and Amy the nursing student almost delivered our baby! Kat and the doctor sprinted back to my room, Kat let out a "WOAH" when she saw me, followed by a team of pediatricians. I let the team of doctors and nurses know that I felt another contraction starting and that I was ready to push - "DON'T PUSH!" was their response. So, I let the contraction go by as the doctors got garbed up in their scrubs and masks, readying themselves for our baby girl's arrival. The next contraction everyone was ready to go, me more than anyone else, and with that contraction our beautiful baby girl arrived.

Sunday, January 17th 2010, 1:45pm: Our baby girl had arrived, she was rushed over to the team of pediatricians at the warming table. "WOW, look at those cheeks - she looks like a cabbage patch doll" we hear from the team of doctors hovering over our baby girl. Then, she was weighed, which came in at a whopping 8lbs 6 oz! She was then diapered, swaddled, and then put in daddy's warm waiting arms. I could tell Ryan was in heaven as he held our little girl, just smiling down at her and talking to her softly - it was amazing! When I was done getting stitched up, Ryan was able to put the baby in my arms. "Kels, I think I have a name picked out" said Ryan. We had gone into the delivery with a list of 6 names that we both liked. So, we knew it could be war at delivery if we disagreed on the ultimate name. I took a good look at our little one, and I said "me too, I think she looks like a Lucy." Luckily for me, Ryan agreed, that was the name he was set on, too! So, the new Harstad family was as happy as can be, especially with the new addition of little Lucy!