Look at what Gustav blew in...

They weren't kidding about the low pressure in the atmosphere and bringing labor on... then again I was at 38 weeks also. Our little GIRL was born August 30... I guess she wasn't with me when I said I wanted a September baby. She's beautiful... just gorgeous, we're so in love with her. Her sisters are just in awe.
My water broke around 0400, I wasn't really having contractions or anything. But with Diva my water broke and we headed out to the hospital and she was born within an hour of my water breaking. So I tried to lay down and wait for painful contractions to come. I was torn between getting to the hospital because of how fast my labor and deliveries had been and waiting because I wanted to be in the hospital as little as possible- but also wanting to be wise due to the hurricane in the Gulf. Diva and Piglet were in and out of bed a lot that night so we tried to get them back in bed several times, they both had/have summer colds. So do DH and I. After several attempts they finally stayed down and we decided to lay down for a bit to get some rest. I was having contractions but they weren't enough to get me too excited. We did know that we'd be holding a baby soon but I wasn't so concerned that we had to get to the hospital right away. After a little nap I decided we should head out to the hospital. On the way there my contractions were getting more
consistent and painful. They were bearable though. I was able to pray through them and just thank God with each of them that it just meant that it was closer to the baby arriving. After being hooked to the monitor for half an hour they checked me and I was only at 2 cm. I think they kept me because my water had broken and the storm. Other than that 2 cm's is nothing to write home about :-). We got to the hospital around 0800 or so. After a couple of hours the doctor checked me and said I wasn't really progressing, I was maybe 3 cm. She said if I didn't start progressing they would start pitocin... I hate hospitals and sometimes the mindset towards births. I asked her if I had some kind of time limit on me or something. I think that caught her a bit off guard. She said because my membranes had ruptured they were concerned about infection. Yeah, well that's no reason to start pitocin less than 24 hours since my membranes broke, I thought to myself. We talked about it more and she said that she would see how I progressed and we would go from there, she would check me again in an hour (an hour... seriously? I hope I didn't roll my eyes too much) . I had already made up my mind that I wouldn't be taking the pitocin until way later if I had to. I knew it would be a battle though I already had an IV in due to my being very anemic, they were almost betting I would need a transfusion.
After a couple of naps I was finally having some contractions. The doc checked me and I was still at 4 cm and thick before they got stronger. That's not discouraging or anything LOL. I shouldn't have let it get to me but I did. I wasn't in hard labor for long, but I was tired from being sick, and being up with the girls that night. I was just exhausted. I kept telling myself that I had prayed for these contractions to start and to start hard so I wouldn't have to have the pitocin, I just tried to keep focused and thank God that they started, they were more painful and more consistent. God was faithful and I was able to get through most of the contractions, I think I was in "real" labor for only an hour or so. Thank GOD for DH, I am so thankful he was home and that his trip was rescheduled due to the hurricane. He kept me focused. Towards the end I kept saying I couldn't do it anymore and that I wasn't progressing and he just talked me through and kept me focused. I did opt for some IV meds at the end. I just thought I had hours to go, but apparently not. I got the medication and they checked me and told me I was ready to push... ummm no I am not. I am sure I would know and feel it if I were. But they said they wanted me to try. So I humored them and tried, I think a couple of times, but because I had no urge they were worthless pushes. At that point everyone took their gloves off and turned from the bed and I felt the urge to push so I did, I knew the baby's head was there and I said, "head! Baby's head is there" as I pushed and they turned around and as I finished the push the baby was out. Good thing DH was there. I ended up not needing the transfusion, pretty uneventful labor and delivery. No tears or complications.
Our little one is a great nursling, she caught on much quicker than her sisters, of course it helped that I had nursed before. She was 6 pounds 6.9 ounces... and I still don't know her length 18 and something inches... dark black hair and dark eyes, not even the infant grey that her sister's had.
As of this morning we didn't have a name... but I had to decide pretty quickly as I filled out paperwork for her birth certificate today. I haven't decided what to call her here on the blog but her name means "man's defender" and her middle name means "hope".

Sweet little one. A little less hair than her sister's had...

We're so blessed!!!

She's ALREADY sucking her fingers and twirling her hair like her sisters!