Reagan's Birth Story

Reagan Nicole Clark was born December 26, 2014 at 10:59pm. She weighed 7 lbs 10 oz and was 20 inches long. I was 41 weeks and 1 day. She is so perfect! Here is the birth story according to me…I will have Bryce try to write his down because his is a different version ;)

Before Induction:

When I was 36 weeks I had my doctor check me and I was not dilated at all. I was sad but I was still early that it wasn't a big deal. I skipped being checked at 37 weeks and was rechecked at 38. Still not dilated. I wanted to have her on 12/13/14 since that was the last consecutive date ever, but she didn't like that idea. Then at 39 and 40 weeks I still wasn't dilated! I was really nervous because I didn't want her to be born on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day and my mom and sisters were coming on the 26th! I talked with my doctor and she said I could potentially be induced on the 23rd (FESTIVUS) but it was risky since my body wasn't showing signs of being ready and I could possibly deliver on the 24th or 25th. When it came down to it we decided Friday morning would be the day of induction. 

Dec 26th: Bryce and I head to the hospital at 7:15am. Fill out paperwork and go get things started. The first step was to use Cytotec to see if we could get my cervix to start dilating and then start pitocin. With using the cytotec we had to wait 4 hours and then decide what to do next based off my bodies reaction. At 12:15 I was having contractions pretty consistently but when I was checked I was still not dilated. They couldn't give me another dose of cytotec because of the contractions being close together and they couldn't start pitocin because I wasn't dilated yet. My doctor decided to just wait a little longer to see if my body would make progress on it's own. Also, at this time Taylor went to the airport to get my mom and sisters.

Around 1:30 my mom got to the hospital so I filled her in on what was happening. The nurse came in and went over a couple of options on what we could do since my cervix wasn't changing but we were still waiting to see if my body would do it on it's own. Around 4:00ish my doc came in and wanted to check me and said I was a 3-4! She then decided to break my water! Reagan was just waiting for her Granny to come before she could come out :)

Contractions started to come longer and harder so I decided to get an epidural. That happened around 6:00. Everything went smoothly! I was so nervous though my legs were shaking but it was super easy and not painful at all. But, once they got it in it wasn't working and only made my feet numb and the anesthesiologist wasn't happy with how I was reacting to my contractions so he took it out and replaced it. (He is also in our stake). After that one was in I was all numb and was happy! Between changing out my epidural I was checked at was 5 cm and 60% effaced. A little bit later I was rechecked and was 5cm and 90%. Things were progressing!

Around 9:45 my doctor came back and was nervous because my contractions were slowing down so she wanted to see where I was at and when she checked me she looked up and said "You're Complete! Let's have a baby!" I went from a 5 to a 10 in about 4 hours! I was so nervous I started shaking again and started crying because it all seemed so surreal! I was also nervous it was going to hurt even though I couldn't feel anything!

We started pushing and I was sooooo numb it was hard. I would try to push and it wasn't ever the right push so I had to change what I was doing even though I couldn't feel it. After a little bit I realized if my mom and Bryce could hold my legs and push my back forward I could get the push just right. After about an hour of pushing Reagan was born! Bryce was able to cut the cord and they laid her on my chest while they finished up down there. She was just crying and crying, it was so cute! After I was all cleaned up they took her and weighed her (my moms guess of her weight was right). Bryce then took my mom home and I started to breastfeed and she latched on like a champ! We haven't had trouble with it, so I'm excited about that!

Around 1:00am We were put in my postpartum room and things have been going well since! She is so sweet and so loved by her grandparents and aunts and uncles! I am obsessed with her and so glad she is here and so glad she wasn't born on Christmas!

Here are some pictures of labor! My mom took a few pictures of the process.

I'm having a baby!

Heaertbeat/Contraction Monitor

Heartbeat/Contraction Monitor under my belly band

Using a birthing ball to see if that would help me dilate

Mid contraction face

Soothing myself with a popsicle

Things were starting to get painful

"Reading" the consent for the epidural

YES I want it!

Epidural in and feeling GOOD!
Only Bryce was allowed to be in the room so I don't have pictures of that  

Info Board

Right after my doctor said I was complete

Trying to push out a baby

Delivery instruments

She's OUT!

Bryce cutting the cord
My dr put hr hand up right he did it

First time seeing her!

Add caption

Pouty Face

My Placenta

Little baby cries

IN LOVE!

7 lbs 10 oz 20 inches long

Little feet

All bundled up!
Don't mind my "not impressed" look

Love this little girl

Bryce and I are in love and are so excited to get to know this sweet little baby girl. 

36 weeks and counting!

My last month of pregnancy is here and it seems surreal! I still can't believe I am 9 months preggo! I am so ready and so not ready for her to come! I have her bag packed, my bag packed, carseat installed, diapers, wipes and lots of other baby stuff. Her current room situation is still being worked on so we will not have her nursery set up for a little while longer. I am going to order her co-sleeper/pack n play on Wednesday and hopefully have her little area set up by the end of the week! Here is an update and a bump picture!

• How far along? 36 weeks 2 days (9 months)
• How big is baby? The size of a honeydew 4-6 lbs, 17-18 inches
• Total weight gain? 16 lbs
• Maternity Clothes? Yes
• Best Moment this week? Hangin out with Bryce down in Seattle
• Miss Anything? Long enough shirts to cover my belly-the one I am currently wearing is too short
• Movement?: Yes. She loves to jab me in the ribs
• Food cravings? String Cheese
• Food aversions? Chicken
• Symptoms? Pregnancy waddle, hip pain
• Labor Signs: I think I'm having some Braxton Hicks but I'm not sure yet
• Belly Button in or out? In.
• Wedding Rings on or off: On
• Happy or Moody most of the time? Happy
• Looking forward to: getting her out
• Next appointment? 2 days! I am going weekly now and I hope to see if I am dilated at all on Monday!

35 weeks 2 days, before my baby shower

Love, Jordyn and Reagan

8 months!!

Holy crap that last month went by fast! Good news is, is I found an OB. Better news is, she also does pediatrics and family care so she can be mine and Reagan's doctor after the OB part of it is done too. I'm glad I don't have to find someone else to go to! Being 30 weeks and a few days I am starting to feel it. I am totally not ready for her to come yet (mostly because her room is not ready and I don't really have a spot for her stuff yet) but I am excited for her to get here! I did my glucose test and let me just say…that was not bad at all. People talk about how horrible it is and no I wouldn't want to drink it with my dinner but it wasn't bad at all, so I'm mad at all those people saying it's disgusting because I was nervous for no reason! Anyways, here is an update for you!

• How far along? 30 weeks 4 days (8 months)
• How big is baby? The size of a Winter Squash, weighing 2.5-3.5 lbs, 15-17 inches
• Total weight gain? 10 lbs
• Maternity Clothes? Yes
• Best moment this week? I am going to visit grandparents tomorrow so I am looking forward to that!
• Miss Anything? Sleeping on my stomach!!
• Movement?: Yes. When I lay on my side if feels like she is dancing in there!
• Food cravings? Not really
• Food aversions? None
• Symptoms? Fatigue 
• Labor Signs: Nope! 
• Belly Button in or out? In.
• Wedding Rings on or off: On!
• Happy or Moody most of the time? Happy
• Looking forward to: Getting her room done!
• Next appointment? 2 weeks!

30 weeks

Pregnancy Update 26 weeks

Pregnancy update on baby Reagan! Officially 7 months!

25 weeks 6 days

• How far along? 26 weeks 3 days
• How big is baby? The size of a papaya, 2 lbs and 13-15 inches from crown to heel
• Total weight gain? Unsure, at least 2 lbs though because Reagan weighs 2 lbs
• Maternity Clothes? Yes
• Best moment this week? Getting up to Washington to start my new adventure
• Miss Anything? My job!
• Movement?: Yes. It's so fun to watch. Bryce can feel her too. She is mostly active right before bed and in the morning.
• Food cravings? Not right now
• Food aversions? None, really.
• Symptoms? Fatigue, bloating
• Labor Signs: Nope! 
• Belly Button in or out? In.
• Wedding Rings on or off: On!
• Happy or Moody most of the time? Happy
• Looking forward to: Getting my house unpacked and her room done
• Next appointment? It should be in 2 weeks, but since I just moved I will need to find a new OB!

Pregnancy Update-22 weeks

I feel like I should do a little pregnancy update so I can remember what my first pregnancy was like!
So here we go!

How far along? 22 weeks 2 days

How big is baby? the size of an eggplant-1 lb, 11-12 inches

Total weight gain? 0 lbs

Maternity Clothes? Yes for shirts! They make my stomach look more pregnant and non maternity shirts make me look frumpy. I still can't tell if I have a bump or if it's still my pre pregnancy chub.

Best moment this week? Finally picking out her bedding fabric to make a bumper and crib skirt

Miss Anything? Not having normal energy

Movement?: Yes! I felt her kick for the first time a few weeks ago and now I feel her a lot more. Especially after I eat something sugary. 

Food cravings? Rice Krispy Treats

Food aversions? None-it's more smells that bother me i.e. fridge and garbage cans

Symptoms? Just throwing up on the mornings I work-I think it's because I have to wake up early and start moving around a lot. On days I get to sleep in a little bit I am vomit free :)

Labor Signs: Nope! Although I did have a dream I was with people in labor and my doctor said I was in labor too and the baby was coming…I had to argue with him because I wasn't having contractions..it was weird.

Belly Button in or out? In. I wonder if it will stick out because it is a deep belly button

Wedding Rings on or off: On!

Happy or Moody most of the time? Moody if I'm hungry, and I go back and forth from cranky to happy-depending on who is talking to me :)

Looking forward to: My baby shower on Saturday!

Next appointment? Technically it should be in 2 weeks but I'm skipping it since I will be moving in 2 weeks. I will have an "unofficial" appointment though before I leave-perks of working at an OB/GYN :)

Also, 2 weeks ago I had my 20 week anatomy scan! Baby girl is looking good and healthy! Now that I have my fabric to (help my mom) make her bumper and bed skirt I am getting more excited to get to WA to set up her nursery. Pictures to come once things are made and organized. 

Baby Clark

Baby Clark: Due December 2014.

Yepp, Bryce and I are having a baby! Due December 18, 2014! We are having a girl and her name is Reagan Nicole Clark. Right now I am 20 weeks! Half way there! Bryce has only spent a few weeks total with me throughout the pregnancy. When he came in July we went over to my work (I work in OB/GYN) and had an ultrasound so he could see our cute babe! I think that is when it really became real for him. We are very excited/nervous/scared/happy for this new adventure!

So, I've always wanted to have a baby but the timing just never felt right, even though friends of mine were already working on baby #2 or #3! Bryce and I discussed it and planned to move to a town home in April when our lease was up and then we would start trying in April. Every time I would think about it and try to move up the time of trying I just kept coming back to April and thinking "just wait, it will work out". So then I would go with that feeling and be okay with waiting. Then I would think about moving it up again and that thought would come back "just wait till April, it will work out". I finally stopped worrying about it and would plan think about it again in April. Then when Bryce got his job offer in February and we learned I wouldn't have to work up in Washington (unless I wanted too) and if I stayed here for the summer to pay off all our bills I could stay at home I knew that now was our time to start trying for a baby! Even though it wasn't April yet, I knew we were waiting for this moment and timing in our life. I have always wanted to be a stay at home mom and I feel so blessed to be able to do that. 

Except I was nervous, I have some issues with my "lady cycles" so I knew I would need some help getting pregnant. Luckily I work at the best place for it! I went and saw my doctor, told her the situation and said I only have 2 months to try and get pregnant before Bryce leaves. I immediately started a medication to induce "aunt flow" and then had to take Clomid (a medication to help you ovulate-which my body wasn't doing naturally). I took the medicine, had a few ultrasounds to make sure things were working and they were! 6 days before I was supposed to miss my period I took an early pregnancy test. Negative. I was sad-but still hopeful because I was still early. Then a few days later I decided to take a random test again, just to see (it's hard not to take tests when you're really hoping it will happen-especially because you only have 2 months to try and it can take up to 6 months for normal fertile couples to get pregnant) and the line was so faint but it was positive! I was so excited! Bryce didn't believe it and neither did my mom but I saw the 2nd line! I took another test the day after I missed my period and it was much darker so I knew I was pregnant for sure!

At 6 weeks we saw the heartbeat on the ultrasound and things have been going well ever since! I don't have any nausea, although I throw up in the mornings- but then I feel great the rest of the day! I feel very blessed that I am not sick all the time. I don't have baby bump pictures because it still looks like my pre pregnancy chub but here are some pictures of Reagan!

Announcement for Facebook and Instagram at 12 weeks

Announcement of her gender at 16 weeks

Looking healthy at 18 weeks!

Love, 

Bryce, Jordyn and Baby Reagan

Moving!

Well, Bryce moved already. In February Bryce was offered a job to work for his dad up in Bellingham, WA. We decided that it would be the best for us to take the offer. The only problem was, it was so soon! Bryce had to officially start in July but needed to have training done so needed to start in May. We discussed our options of me staying in Utah till the end of August to continue working and saving money/paying off debt before moving and then not needing to work after I moved up OR me moving up with him and trying to find a job for a few months (more on that in the next post). We decided staying in Utah for the rest of the summer would be our best option. (And we have paid off almost ALL our debt!)

I went up to visit Bryce over Memorial Day weekend and he came down here in July. It is now August 1st and I have only 27 more days of living in the state. I can't believe it. My last day of work is August 28 (also our 4 year anniversary) and then I am heading down to San Diego to visit my family for 2 weeks to hang out and do Disneyland. Bryce will fly down the second week of September and go to Disney with us and then him and I will drive up the coast of California on our way to Washington. I am hoping to stop in San Francisco and do the fun stuff there!

This move is a small reason for what happened next...