Meet Madison

I am now the mother of a 5 week little girl named Madison Elizabeth Fuqua. It is a tad surreal, but I cannot imagine my life without her. This is her story and how she came into this world and became the center of Jordan and I's lives! Our baby girl was due November 24, I was finishing up my student teaching hoping for her to come a little bit early. However, her due date came and went. I even went to my husbands flexibility class that day hoping to get something started. Nothing!

Then on Wednesday morning (the 26th) I got up you go to the bathroom around 3 am, (per the usual), and realized that my water could possibly be breaking. I know people say it is obvious when your water breaks, but when you have had a 'leaky' bladder for the past month and a half, I think it is hard to tell. Plus, you don't want to be that overzealous person that panics and rushes to the hospital for nothing. Anyways, I slipped back into bed (on a towel of course) and started Google searching different ways that someone's water could break. Jordan woke up a little while later complaining about a wet leg (sorry it may be gross, but I think it is funny). We came to the conclusion that my water was definitely breaking. We talked a little bit, and Jordan even suggested sleeping for an hour or so before going in. This seemed like a good idea, but I could not get to sleep, I was to excited. My little baby was finally on her way! Surprisingly, I didn't feel scared, I thought I would when the time came, but I actually felt calm and even took the time to french braid my hair into two side braids before heading off to the hospital. I did this hairdo for almost every basketball game in high school. My baby was coming and it was time to get serious and work hard!! :) We arrived at the hospital around 6 am, they verified that my water broke and checked me right in. I was having little mini contractions about an hour after my water broke, and when they hooked me up to the monitors I was so happy that they were actually consistent. I really wanted to start labor on my own instead of being induced from scratch. I called my mom around 8 am to let her know that I was checked into the hospital. She was ecstatic and said the rest of my siblings were literally jumping around the house. I also texted both sets of my Grandparents per request to let them know that their first great grandchild was on her way. (Madison is the oldest grandchild and great grandchild on my side of the family) Jordan also called his parents who decided to make a trip up to Utah to see Madison that day.

By 9 am, I was dilated to a 4 and 100% effaced, the contractions weren't to painful yet, and although I was pretty sure I wanted an Epidural, I was really curious to see what an 'actual' contraction felt like. By 10 am, I was dilated to a 5 and I had had enough! I got up to go to the bathroom and couldn't go. The contractions were coming fast and my body didn't have enough time to relax to let me empty my bladder. I was in pain and extremely annoyed! I ordered my epidural (Jordan couldn't help but chuckle), and laid back in bed to wait for the anesthesiologist. He came super quick, and to be honest, getting the Epidural wasn't that bad. It wasn't painful at all. However, after a half hour, the juice wasn't kicking in and I was still feeling the painful part of the contraction. The doctor had to come back and give me something stronger. (Goes to prove that the wives' tale about red heads needing more meds is true!!!) After my epidural was working I decided to fall asleep to some Taylor Swift. I was woken up at 1 pm when the nurses told me that I was at 10 centimeters. However, the doctor decided that I could wait another hour before pushing to see if the contractions would push the babies' head further down the birth canal. I fell asleep until 2, and it didn't make one bit of difference! I should have just started pushing an hour earlier. Oh well! It was time to push and get my little girl out! PUSHING, is the hardest most exhausting thing I have EVER been through. Even with an epidural and feeling no pain, it was so tiring and frustrating. To be honest, if I had felt the pain on top of being that tired and working that hard, I am not sure if I would have survived. I pushed for an hour and never saw a sign of the babies head. The nurses were so kind and tried to be encouraging telling me after every push that I did such a great job. Jordan, however, remained silent, I knew from this silence that I was being patronized and I was not anywhere near getting this baby out. The second hour came and went. Though we did see a little bit of progress! No one every tells you about the slow going of the pushing! I had no idea. My doctor finally came in and we discussed options of forceps or a vacuum to help me out cause I was so tired and it seemed her head was HUGE and not moving a muscle. However, my doctor was great, and he convinced me to push a little while longer. That hard work in the first two hours was finally paying off, that third hour I could see a little bit of progress almost every contraction/push! At 5:02, the coolest little sensations went through my body as my baby slipped out and entered this world. Even though the name wasn't decided quite yet at the time, my little Madison was finally here! She weighed 9 lbs and 3 oz and was 21 inches long. She was perfect and I was able to hold her in my arms. After 9 long months she was finally here.

As I held her, she kept her eyes wide open. She already had a strong neck and was looking around taking everything in around her. She definitely didn't want to be cuddled and had no desire to nurse yet. However, she loved her first bath and even took being pricked in the heel like a champ. (even though it broke Jordan's heart) Madison and I were happy and healthy and I got to take her home a day and half later!

Even though I didn't feel nervous about delivering the baby, I was was TERRIFIED to take her home. I didn't think I would be that scared, but all of sudden the responsibility of my baby girl put me into a little panic. I was already obsessed with my baby and didn't want to do anything wrong. I bawled like a baby as I got her in her little going home outfit and realized how little I knew about being a mother to a newborn. Even though by the time I was home, I was calm and at peace with the fact that I was a mother, those first couple of weeks were HARD. Hormones were crazy, ( crazier then they have ever been and I have consistent crazy hormones), breastfeeding hurt, and I never slept, whether it getting up to feed her, or stressing if she is warm or comfortable enough. However, from that two week mark, everything went up hill.

Now Madison Elizabeth Fuqua is 5 weeks old and I can never get enough of her! I miss her when she takes naps and wish I could feed, hold, and play with her all day. However, she needs to take naps for her health as well as to give me time to take care of my home. It is still crazy that I have finished school and will not be going back this upcoming semester, but I am excited to be full time mother and see where life takes my little family.