The Malouf Family: Lucy's Birth Story

We've been on edge all the month of July wondering when Lucy would get here since I started dilating really early. My 36 week appointment was on July 2nd and I was already at 2 and 1/2 cm and 80% effaced! Then the next week I was at a 3 and 90% with the baby's head right there, the doctor could bounce her head up and down. I had lots of braxton hicks contractions all month on. The night of the Super Moon July 11th/12th I thought I was going to have a baby because I kept having contraction after contraction. I was determined not to yet because 1. My mom was out of town plus several other family members, 2. We didn't have our video camera ready to go, and 3. Lily and I hadn't finished Mommy and me swimming lessons! So I held that baby in :) It motivated Michael and I to finish our final preparations for baby sister to come. I went to the doctor again on July 15th and was at a 3 1/2 that time. I had a bunch of contractions again that night but they never became 5 minutes apart. Over the next couple days I kept having contractions but they weren't very close together or regular.

Michael talked to my belly and told Lucy that he wanted her to come on Friday in the daytime, not the middle of the night. He said around 9 to start giving me contractions and then we'll go in to the hospital at about 10 and she can be born at about 11. Apparently Lucy is an obedient daughter because she followed his instructions pretty closely.

On Friday morning of July 18th I woke up at about 9:00 and Lily was still asleep. I decided to go ahead and hop (as much as a 9 month pregnant lady can) into the shower so I'd be ready for the day before Lily woke up. After getting out of the shower I noticed that even after I dried off I kept feeling a wetness on my leg. Finally I realized my water must have broken and it was just trickling for now. I decided to wake Michael up and tell him he should probably jump in the shower because we needed to go into the hospital soon. I thought we still had hours and hours before the baby would get here!

I got Lily out of bed and got her ready while I called my doctor's office. I asked them if I should go in if my water was just trickling a little. They said, yes get to Labor and Delivery now! So I called Alison, my amazing sister-in-law who lives in Highland and was planning on keeping Lily for us and let her know the time had come! Then I called my mom and told her to alert everyone else and quickly texted a few of my friends. I then proceded to blow dry my hair and then finish packing up all our stuff. Michael got out of the shower and loaded up the rest of the car and Lily and then we said a quick prayer and we were finally on our way!

By then I had started to get really painful contractions. I was in too much pain to get out of the car so Michael put her on my lap so I could give her some hugs and kisses good bye. Then we headed to the hospital in American Fork. Only a few minutes away, but oh what a very painful few minutes. Michael kept asking me over and over if I was okay. I started getting annoyed with him because every time he asked I was in worse and worse pain and I felt like he was just pointing it out. He told me to squeeze his hand as hard as he could. Then he said, "should we stop and get an Egg McMuffin at McDonalds?" Needless to say I got a little upset with him. When we were close to the temple he told me to look at that and it would make me feel better. It didn't.

We parked at the hospital, me instructing Michael to please park as close as possible since he usually parks in the farthest away of spots with nobody around us when we go anywhere else. He did the best he could and helped me hobble up to the front door. A nurse had just dropped someone off in a wheelchair so Michael asked if I could ride in it since I was in so much agony!

We made it up to the Labor and Delivery floor and they let us go right into a delivery room. As soon as I stood up out of the wheelchair my water really broke and a tidal wave just gushed out. It continued to gush anytime I moved. It was crazy. I had no idea there was that much water in there!

Once my water broke the contractions hurt even worse and were coming stronger and stronger. It was just Michael and I in there at first and I started panicking asking why weren't they there helping us? I was afraid I was just gonna have a baby right then with nobody to catch her. As soon as the nurses walked in I demanded an epidural! They got to work right away.

I was at a 6 1/2 already when they first checked me. The anesthesiologist worked quickly getting my epidural in since I was in so much pain. It didn't kick in until I was all the way at a 10 and ready to push, but when it finally kicked in I felt so much better. Until then with each contraction the nurse would tell me to make some noise. I tried. Michael said the most I did was a quiet, "ow, ow, ow, ow". Michael asked me for the 500th time if I was okay. I snapped and told him, "STOP. ASKING. IF. I'M. OKAY!" When he laughed at me I got mad at him again and told him he couldn't laugh at me.Michael was really being very supportive. He was fanning me and holding my hand and very concerned and helpful. I was just not happy!

My mom made it before the baby was born and helped take over the fanning while Michael held my leg and I started to push with the contractions. I only had to push for 3 contractions and then she was born! They could see a lot of hair before she came out and that got me excited. My sister Judy and my niece Holly rushed in seconds after she was born.

Lucy was blue! Or purple. But she was screaming and started to pinken up after a bit. She had a full head of dark, beautiful hair. They put her on my chest and let me do skin to skin while Michael cut the cord and the doctor did the afterbirth and stitched me up (I tore, ouch). She was born at 11:43 am. My water started trickling at home around 9:30. Talk about a short labor! She weighed 7 lbs. 2 oz. and was 20 inches long. She was born 9 days before her due date.

I nursed her for a bit and she latched right on and did great. after she nursed Michael's parents and my dad came in to see her and my sister Jana was there as well. Everyone thought she looked so much like Lily. You can definitely tell they are sisters.They are both so adorable and cute!

We named her Lucy Linda Malouf. Her middle name is my mom's name :). Lily's middle name is Renee after Michael's mom. We have 2 of the most perfect daughters in the world and are so blessed!

Michael stayed at the hospital with me the whole 48 hours while Alison watched Lily and brought her to visit us a couple times. We had a gift for Lily from Lucy waiting for her when she arrived, a doctor's kit. Lily loved that and enjoys taking everything's heartbeat. Lily has been really sweet with Lucy. She has adjusted well. She has been a little emotional but it has helped so much to have Michael home so she still gets lots of attention and I have been able to get lots of rest. Having a baby in the summer is ideal when your hubby is a teacher!

Lucy has been such a sweetheart. She is a very relaxed and laid back baby. It has been so much easier the second time around! Maybe its because Michael and I know what we are doing a little better this time and are more relaxed ourselves. It also helps a ton that Lucy is a good eater and we haven't had problems with breastfeeding. Lily was so tiny we really struggled in the beginning. We have felt so happy and blessed to have this amazing new little angel in our lives. We love you Lucy!

Here are a bunch of pictures from our camera. More posts will come with more professional pictures taken by my niece Holly and my sister-in-law Nicole!