AVA MARIE KUNZ: Born on September 4th, 2013 at 7:37 AM:   7 lbs 10.8 oz 20 inches:The Birth story

My parents flew in to San Francisco on my actual due date Aug 27th to help with the baby. However, a week later no baby yet. I had tried every natural inducing labor technique out there. I was still running, walking a ton, doing squats, ate spicy foods, got acupuncture , pumped some breast milk. I was starting to notice more braxton hicks but nothing else. At exactly 41 weeks I was scheduled to be induced at San Fran Kaiser hospital. I called them that day and they were too full to fit me in that day. My mom and I were getting a little worried since I had not had an obgyn appt in more than a week. So I called the hospital and asked since I was not going to be induced that day I would like to at least be seen to check my baby. They agreed. So I went to Daly city and they checked my amniotic fluid and did a stress test. Baby Ava was moving just fine but the fluid levels were lower than they would like to see. So the doctor came in and said that it would be best to go get induced at Redwood City. I am so glad I went in because who knows how much longer I would of had to wait! So we called Scott and left for the hospital. We arrived at 6:00 pm. Filled out paperwork and settled in a room. The delivery doctor came in and said that being induced can take up to 2-3 days.. yikes. I hope not!! By 8:00 they started an IV, which was one of the most painful parts of the whole delivery. The nurse, who had been working there since 1979, attempted my left arm. She missed the vein but still pumped in the fluids and my arm swelled up... and It killed!! Opps!! My mom was in there, who is also a nurse, said " Your not going to leave that in there are you?" Well, according to the nurse I have great veins they just jump!! The nurse then left the room and a different nurse came in to take a poke at me. She attempted my right arm... missed again!!! So she tried another time on my right hand!! Finally she got it. Then since they felt bad they offered to switch labor and delivery rooms. I complied and the room we moved into was twice as big and nice and had a window. At around 10:00pm my parents went home and I was going to let them know the progress and they would come bk when it was closer to push the baby out. At 10:15 The doctor and midwife came in and recommended starting with a different induction method besides pitocin since after a while pitocin can become less effective. Basically its a more natural way, they just blow up a balloon in your cervix to help stretch and trigger labor on your own. It sounded like a good idea so I said OK. Ten minutes after the procedure Scott left to grab some food. And not even 5 minutes later 5 frantic nurses run in and tell me to roll over on my side and put an oxygen mask on my face. I was so scared. What is going on!!The doctor comes in and they immediately remove the balloon in my cervix and my water broke in the process. The baby's heart rate dropped. The baby did not like it. They said that they had never seen that happen before. After they removed the balloon the heart rate went bk to normal, but they had me sign a consent of an immediate c-section if needed. What a scare!! So they wanted to wait a while and monitor the baby before we stared pitocin. Around 1:00am. They start me on pitocin. I had now dilated to a 3 and was 80% effaced, which was an improvement of just being 1cm coming into the hospital. After about two hours the contractions were starting to become pretty unbearable, so i decided to get an epidural. My original plan was to do it all natural but I'm already getting pitocin pumped in me. So I get the epidural at around 3:30am. What a great drug, I was able to relax finally! At around 4:30 I notice the contractions were getting much stronger. The nurse checked and I was 8cm dilated. She predicted the baby would be here around 7:30. My body was moving fast with the induction. Scott called my parents and they came bk to the hospital. At around 7am, it was time, the baby was already beginning to crown, After about ten minutes of pushing our sweet baby girl was born!! At 7:37am 7 lbs 10.8 oz and 20inches. My mom was shocked, She thought she was going to be 6 lbs looking at my belly. Ava Marie Kunz was a healthy crying baby. She had quite the vocals, big mouth,and long fingers. That was definitely one of the most amazing and rewarding experiences I have ever been through. Unfortunately, she caused some major tearing, clear to the bumhole.. so that part was no fun. It took about an hour to get stitched up but having Ava in my life was totally worth it. We just love her to pieces. She is now a week old. She sleeps alot!! Starting to open her eyes more and look around. I think she will have big eyes like her mommy!! She is feeding pretty good. Sometimes she latches and gulps away and other times it is a struggle for her and I, but we are both learning. She loves to sleep in her Mammaroo. Her daddy knows how to calm her with the 5 S's technique. She had her newborn photo shoot yesterday and did great... no fussing for 50 minutes. The last ten minutes she started crying and decided to poop on me, while I was holding her for some naked pics. Ava, Mom and Dad love you, you are such a blessing to our lives!! 

Belly Pictures

37 weeks

38 weeks

39 weeks

40 weeks

41 weeks on way to hospital