The MacDonalds: Whitney's birth story

A month and a half later, I am finally sitting down to type Whitney's birth story. She's here swaddled up sleeping on my lap as I type surrounded by a mess of a craft Christmas project the girls have secretly been working on in my office while the boys tear up the basement behind me. That has been our life over the past month...if I can keep the upstairs ~~clean~~ tidy/organized, my sanity is stable. Whitney is a chill baby and sleeps so well so she is definitely doing her part by not making it completely crazy around here.

Her story:
I had my weekly appt Tuesday morning at 39wks 5days and while I was 50% effaced, I was only dilated 1cm. I was a tiny bit disappointed because I had been having on and off contractions for awhile, but I knew that with the other kids, I was never dilated before I was in active labor. Well, I didn't have to wait much longer...my contractions started about 1pm and didn't stop. By the evening I had made calls to my doctor and neighbor, Jennifer, who was watching the kids that this was it and I was guessing I'd go to the hospital in the middle of the night. Hailey was super cute and very concerned about my contractions...she had it in her mind that she could drive me to the hospital if need be, ha! I tried to go to bed about 11pm, but they were strong enough to keep me awake. Keeping in mind that Kailee and Luke's labors went sooooo fast, I decided that we should head to the hospital when they got to about 5 minutes apart. I wanted to walk and get this baby moving, but I was too scared to do that at home (even with my mid-wife right next door). Unfortunately I was only 2 cm when they checked me at the hospital around 1:30am, but the contractions were regular so they didn't send me home but they didn't admit me yet. Since I couldn't sleep anyway I decided to wander the hospital halls and walk the 6 flights of stairs (while Leevi snoozed in an uncomfortable chair, ha!) I was so fortunate that I was able to walk my entire pregnancy pushing the boys in the double stroller up these crazy hills in our neighborhood. Just the day before my labor started it was raining, but Jennifer and I went anyway knowing it could be my last time (which it was!) At about 3am I was almost 4cm and they admitted me and started the process for an epidural, yay!! I was so tired but couldn't sleep from the pain and I wanted to make sure I got an epidural since it wasn't an option for Kai and Luke since they came so fast. I got the epidural at 4:30am after over 15 hours of contractions. I was in pain, but not agonizing yet and I just wanted to sleep!!!! I was able to doze on and off until she was born even though my epidural wore off but thankfully they were able to adjust it. At 7am I was 7cm. Linda (my neighbor and mid-wife) broke my water and said that she thought we'd have the baby within the hour. Well, Whitney had other plans! I got stuck at 7cm and we are guessing it was because Whitney was crooked coming into the birth canal in addition to my uterus quitting on me (I had been contracting for so long that day and also in the weeks before that Linda joked that it got lazy.) She gave me Pitocin and got things moving slowly.

Last ever pregnancy pic (complete with contraction monitors!)

It's a girl!!!! She was my longest and hardest labor (I seriously should have been able to sneeze her out!!) I pushed for the longest out of all of them (about 40 min...I have no clue how some women push for HOURS!) Linda and I were both so excited that she was able to deliver Whitney (even though she was late for an eye appointment in Springfield!!) The cord was wrapped around Whitney's neck which caused her heart rate to spike during the delivery, so Linda had me changing positions but she was on it and I felt so comfortable and blessed to be under her care.

8lbs 11.6oz

We had the most amazing staff with quite the ties to our family...Mrs. Punch is our next door neighbor, my first nurse also lived in our neighborhood, Whitney's nurse, Susan, was also Hailey's nurse almost 10 years ago, and the night shift nurse, Dana, was my labor nurse with Hailey!!!!!! We've come full circle with our first and last babies being born at the same hospital. The kids' birthdates are also fun: 7,8,9,0 (Luke is the 7th, Whitney the 2(8)th, Kailee the 1(9)th, and Hailey the 2(0)th.

The girls had a late start day at school because it was Wednesday, so when I was 7cm at 7am, I texted Jennifer and told her to just hold off taking the girls to school because we thought the baby should be here soon and they can just go late...well, lil miss had other plans and gave her sisters a free day! Once Whitney was born, we waited to tell friends/family until the kids were able to get up to the hospital! Jennifer was on it and they didn't have to wait long. We made the kids guess one more time once they walked in a saw her...the girls said, "girl" and Luke said, "boy". Thankfully, Luke absolutely ADORES Whitney and (at least now) could care less that she's a girl.

Professional big sister....so fun that she's done this 3 times!!!

Checking her out!

L.O.V.E.

He's already an amazing big brother!!!

His instant love for her is adorable!!!

Rockstar helper!!!!

Proud Papa with all of his babies!!!!! Never could we have imagined the life before us almost 21 years ago when we met at sixteen!!!!!

First family of SIX photo!!!! We have four kids....wow!!!!!!

Susan was ridiculous, over the top, and amazing with letting the big siblings get involved! Here they are listening to Whitney's heart and lungs.

And she let them help give her her first bath!!

Look at all of that hair!!!! She had the most (and the darkest) out of all of them!

Lathering her up!!!

Luke and Leevi had gone to do some paperwork, but he was also able to get in on the action.

What a swollen chubby thing!!! The nurses also put a bow in Hailey's hair that Leevi still has in his wallet.

In addition to the fun of giving her a bath, Susan gave each kid matching wrist bands with Whitney's name, date of birth, and weight that said Big Sister/Brother.

And, SO COOL, she inked each of them with Whitney's footprint!!!! Susan definitely didn't have to do any of this, but she took the extra time to make it so special for them! We are so grateful!!!!!

They were so excited to show their friends and teachers at school!

Hailey put on her first ever outfit!

So sweet!!

Exhausted dad, lol!!! These births always mentally drain him, sigh!

Sweet girl!

So swollen from the birth!

Such long fingers

Melts my heart!

Just taking in the world!

The girls cried when it was time to go home that first night (probably from just exhaustion!!!!) but Leevi promised them that they could stop by the next morning before school. Then he and Luke came back and had breakfast with me. We weren't going to get discharged until 1pm at the earliest, so the boys went to Walmart and then home for a bit so Luke wasn't confined to the hospital room all day!