Here is my story.

Adam and I were sitting at home relaxing on January 2 when I started to feel surges around 6pm.  I had experienced surges quite a bit and they always seemed to go away after about two hours, so I just did what I usually did when they came, practiced my breathing.  We put on a couple movies and just relaxed on the couch.  Around 12pm they were still going and so I decided we would head up to the hospital since it was a thirty minute drive.  I continued to practice my breathing and just relaxed.  We got to the hospital and they checked me and said I had progressed since my last doctors appointment a few days before.  After about an hour of laying down and more breathing they decided to get me up and walking to help me progress more.  I walked around for about an hour.  After I got back to the room they checked and I hadn’t progressed much.  They waited a couple more hours and then they decided to phone my doctor.  She said she wanted to either break my water or send me home but that it was my choice.  Just as they walked in to tell me this, my water broke on it’s own.  I was very relieved.  I continued to do my breathing but was getting really really tired since I hadn’t slept for almost two nights (the night before was not a good one).  Around 4am I decided to get on the birthing ball.  I continued to progress really fast.  A couple hours later I started to get really uncomfortable.  After a lot of talking with my husband, we decided to get the epidural.  Half an hour after receiving the epidural it was time to breath Elliana down.  After two surges she was out.  She was very pink and very aware.  The doctor put her on my stomach and a few minutes later Adam cut the cord.  I was very happy to have her finally here.  She weighed 7lbs 7oz and was 19.5in.

There are a few things I will do differently next time but I am very happy with how it all turned out.  Elliana is a very healthy and happy baby.  Thank you again for everything you did for us.

Adam, Ashley, & Elliana