Ashley started having sporatic contractions around 1:00am on Sunday. We were thinking maybe a Mother's Day baby but it wasn't to be as the contractions continued all day Sunday and all day Monday. The contractions were 8 to 15 minutes apart and about 30 seconds long for the first 24 hours, but then increased to 5 to 12 minutes apart and around 50 seconds long all day Monday. Finally, at 1:00am on Tuesday morning, we woke up to find her water had broke. 12 hours later Lauren was born!
The final 12 hours were intense but my wife did a wonderful job. We had our friend Sarah there to help out with coaching and to video. Labor at the hospital seemed never ending until the nurse asked Ashley to try and start really pushing with each contraction around 12:30. To everyone's surprise after about 20 minutes of hard pushing Lauren started crowning! This was a little ahead of schedule as the doctor was no where to be found at this point, but Lauren wouldn't wait for him. She was delivered and checked over by the wonderful nursing staff at Bartlett Hospital. The doc eventually made it in to give her a once over and take care of Ashley.
Preparing for her first car ride, Lauren gets buckled up in her car seat.
What a wonderful experience! We are in love with our new baby girl and can't imagine life without her. Our hospital stay was fantastic and we have made it back home together, just the three of us.Love,
The Meyers
