Bree Scarlet Struckman
Born on 12/2/2010 at 2:00am
8lbs 7.4oz and 20 inches long
Born on 12/2/2010 at 2:00am
8lbs 7.4oz and 20 inches long
Bree's Birth Story
Monday, 11/29, I had my 39 week OB appointment and was still only dilated 2cm. On Tuesday morning, 11/30, my friend Mora-Leigh came over and gave me a massage and worked especially hard on the 'trigger points' in the hands and ankle areas that can start contractions. Shane and I also did the 'other suggested' labor inducer ;) Later that day, my mom, Emma and I got out of the house and went a few places in order to get some good walking in....no contractions tho. I actually felt great!
The next morning, 12/1, I woke up still feeling good, so we decided to spend the day shopping in the QC. We went to Old Navy, Hobby Lobby, Gordman's, and the mall...we didn't make it home til 5:30pm! I was pretty tired by the time we got home and laid on the couch for awhile. At 6:45pm while laying down, I felt a very strong contraction that was different then any of the braxton hicks I was having, strong enough that I thought we better start timing them. I had downloaded a contraction tracker on my ipod, so the timing began. The next 3 contractions came 15-12 minutes apart. My mom made hamburgers for supper for her and Shane, while Emma and I had homemade chicken noodle soup and I even had a few jalapeno poppers (was still craving them up to the end!) While everyone else finished supper, I thought I better take a shower (I wore a hat all day shopping...no way I was going to the hospital with 'hat hair'!) The shower helped with relaxing between contractions.
After the shower, I told Shane we better get everything ready to go, just in case (at this point I was still somewhat in denial...I just wanted to be 110% sure I was in labor cuz I didn't want to go to the hospital unless it was for real). Contractions started getting closer and closer together. Shane showered and put Emma to bed (it was 10pm by this time) I told Shane I didn't think we should wait any longer and LOAD THE CAR! Contractions were 5 to 7 minutes apart now. We left for the hospital at 10:30pm and called our friend Ann on the way to come over and sit with Emma so my mom could come to the hospital.
It was 11pm by the time we got registered, in a room and I got into a gown. The nurse checked me and I was dilated 4cm and said I would be staying and went to call the doctor. My OB doctor wasn't on call, but the nurse midwife, Kim was. The nurse came back and said that Kim told her I could go ahead with whatever I wanted for pain management, and that she does recommend using the whirlpool tub for some relief. So I thought I would try that out...which takes 15 minutes to fill up.
By the time I made it in the tub, I was having constant back pain. I was only in the tub for about 10 minutes when the contractions were coming on top of each other every 2 minutes (it was around midnight at this time). I told my nurse I was ready to get out and to call in the epidural. She didn't call it in for another 15 minutes and it was a 20 minute drive for the anesthesiologist. The nurse tried to get me in bed again, but sitting on my tailbone caused excruciating pain. Shane did an awesome job helping me thru my contractions and holding me up. The anesthesiologist set up and as soon as I had a break in a contraction, she worked her magic fast (it was 1am by this time)! 15 minutes or so later I was finally able to feel some relief and lay back in the bed so the nurse could check me...I was 8 cm dilated, so the nurse went to call Kim.
While waiting for Kim to arrive, we all gave our final gender predictions...mom and I said boy, Shane said girl.
Kim arrived around 1:30am. She checked me and I was 9.5cm dilated now and she broke my water and had me give one push that put me at a full 10 cm. And then the hard work began! After pushing for awhile, I was having trouble getting the baby to come down and stay down between pushes, so Kim had me turn over and push while on my hands and knees for awhile...I could definitely feel the baby move down, so we flipped me back over and after 10 more minutes of giving it all I had, the baby's head finally came out, then I had to work on getting one shoulder out, then the other (turns out the baby's shoulders were bigger than her head, usually its the other way around). After the shoulders were out, at 2am, Shane got to finish bringing the baby out and put her on my chest...which is when we all saw for the first time that we had a little GIRL! We all could tell instantly that she was much bigger than Emma was at birth. My mom was nice enough to film the birth, like she did for us when Emma was born, but this time I gave her specific instructions to 'get it all' (its for my viewing only anyway)...thanks Mom!
Major differences between Emma and Bree's birth were that Emma only took 4 good pushes and she was out in a flash and she only weighed 6lb 11.2oz, where Bree weighed 8lbs 7.4oz and was very hard to birth! Also, I was in labor with Emma for 24 hours and felt little with the epidural, but with Bree, labor came on fast and hard, lasted around 7 hours and they didn't turn my epidural up much since I was in the final stage of labor (I could have never gotten on my hands and knees with Emma). Thankfully, with Bree's birth, I only had a small 2 degree tare, where as with Emma I had a tare, but also a hematoma which was the most painful part to heal from. But with Bree, my tailbone was bruised and took several days to start to feel better.
After Bree was cleaned off and handed back to me, we tried breastfeeding, but she wasn't interested quite yet, it was about 45 minutes later when we tried again and she latched on very well and ate for about 20 minutes from each side. I finally then had to let her go down to the nursery to have her bath, be weighed and all that stuff. My mom went back home, and Shane and I were moved to our room.
Here is the birth story in pictures:
Monday, 11/29, I had my 39 week OB appointment and was still only dilated 2cm. On Tuesday morning, 11/30, my friend Mora-Leigh came over and gave me a massage and worked especially hard on the 'trigger points' in the hands and ankle areas that can start contractions. Shane and I also did the 'other suggested' labor inducer ;) Later that day, my mom, Emma and I got out of the house and went a few places in order to get some good walking in....no contractions tho. I actually felt great!
The next morning, 12/1, I woke up still feeling good, so we decided to spend the day shopping in the QC. We went to Old Navy, Hobby Lobby, Gordman's, and the mall...we didn't make it home til 5:30pm! I was pretty tired by the time we got home and laid on the couch for awhile. At 6:45pm while laying down, I felt a very strong contraction that was different then any of the braxton hicks I was having, strong enough that I thought we better start timing them. I had downloaded a contraction tracker on my ipod, so the timing began. The next 3 contractions came 15-12 minutes apart. My mom made hamburgers for supper for her and Shane, while Emma and I had homemade chicken noodle soup and I even had a few jalapeno poppers (was still craving them up to the end!) While everyone else finished supper, I thought I better take a shower (I wore a hat all day shopping...no way I was going to the hospital with 'hat hair'!) The shower helped with relaxing between contractions.
After the shower, I told Shane we better get everything ready to go, just in case (at this point I was still somewhat in denial...I just wanted to be 110% sure I was in labor cuz I didn't want to go to the hospital unless it was for real). Contractions started getting closer and closer together. Shane showered and put Emma to bed (it was 10pm by this time) I told Shane I didn't think we should wait any longer and LOAD THE CAR! Contractions were 5 to 7 minutes apart now. We left for the hospital at 10:30pm and called our friend Ann on the way to come over and sit with Emma so my mom could come to the hospital.
It was 11pm by the time we got registered, in a room and I got into a gown. The nurse checked me and I was dilated 4cm and said I would be staying and went to call the doctor. My OB doctor wasn't on call, but the nurse midwife, Kim was. The nurse came back and said that Kim told her I could go ahead with whatever I wanted for pain management, and that she does recommend using the whirlpool tub for some relief. So I thought I would try that out...which takes 15 minutes to fill up.
By the time I made it in the tub, I was having constant back pain. I was only in the tub for about 10 minutes when the contractions were coming on top of each other every 2 minutes (it was around midnight at this time). I told my nurse I was ready to get out and to call in the epidural. She didn't call it in for another 15 minutes and it was a 20 minute drive for the anesthesiologist. The nurse tried to get me in bed again, but sitting on my tailbone caused excruciating pain. Shane did an awesome job helping me thru my contractions and holding me up. The anesthesiologist set up and as soon as I had a break in a contraction, she worked her magic fast (it was 1am by this time)! 15 minutes or so later I was finally able to feel some relief and lay back in the bed so the nurse could check me...I was 8 cm dilated, so the nurse went to call Kim.
While waiting for Kim to arrive, we all gave our final gender predictions...mom and I said boy, Shane said girl.
Kim arrived around 1:30am. She checked me and I was 9.5cm dilated now and she broke my water and had me give one push that put me at a full 10 cm. And then the hard work began! After pushing for awhile, I was having trouble getting the baby to come down and stay down between pushes, so Kim had me turn over and push while on my hands and knees for awhile...I could definitely feel the baby move down, so we flipped me back over and after 10 more minutes of giving it all I had, the baby's head finally came out, then I had to work on getting one shoulder out, then the other (turns out the baby's shoulders were bigger than her head, usually its the other way around). After the shoulders were out, at 2am, Shane got to finish bringing the baby out and put her on my chest...which is when we all saw for the first time that we had a little GIRL! We all could tell instantly that she was much bigger than Emma was at birth. My mom was nice enough to film the birth, like she did for us when Emma was born, but this time I gave her specific instructions to 'get it all' (its for my viewing only anyway)...thanks Mom!
Major differences between Emma and Bree's birth were that Emma only took 4 good pushes and she was out in a flash and she only weighed 6lb 11.2oz, where Bree weighed 8lbs 7.4oz and was very hard to birth! Also, I was in labor with Emma for 24 hours and felt little with the epidural, but with Bree, labor came on fast and hard, lasted around 7 hours and they didn't turn my epidural up much since I was in the final stage of labor (I could have never gotten on my hands and knees with Emma). Thankfully, with Bree's birth, I only had a small 2 degree tare, where as with Emma I had a tare, but also a hematoma which was the most painful part to heal from. But with Bree, my tailbone was bruised and took several days to start to feel better.
After Bree was cleaned off and handed back to me, we tried breastfeeding, but she wasn't interested quite yet, it was about 45 minutes later when we tried again and she latched on very well and ate for about 20 minutes from each side. I finally then had to let her go down to the nursery to have her bath, be weighed and all that stuff. My mom went back home, and Shane and I were moved to our room.
Here is the birth story in pictures:
Spending some time with Emma before she goes to bed, while in the early stage of labor.
At the hospital, ready to have a baby!
my mom and I
Welcome baby Bree!
Shane falling in love with his new daughter!
Mommy and Bree!
She has hair!
Kim, the nurse/midwife that delivered Bree, baby Bree, me and Shane
Nana with her 11th and newest grandbaby!
Bree weighs 8lbs 7.4ozs!A few days before I went into labor, I jokingly told my mom that I thought I was carrying an 8lb baby because I was getting so huge (maybe it was all those jalapeno poppers)!
Big Sister Emma coming to meet Bree for the first time on Thursday afternoon!
Emma giving Bree her first sisterly kisses!
Nana and Bree
Shane with his girls!
Emma opening her 'new big sister gift'...a pink castle!
Me with my girls!
Our first picture of our family of 4!
Bree with nurse Melissa. She was my nurse during labor and when Bree was born, and also my nurse the next night as well...she was great!
Shane brought Emma to visit me on Friday afternoon...I couldn't go a whole day without seeing my Emma!
Bree just lounging!
Daddy and Bree watching tv
Saturday morning, 12/4, Bree getting dressed to have her hospital picture taken, then go home!
I LOVE Bree in this hat! It so fits her personality!
Mommy and Bree...cuddling while Daddy loads the minivan!
Bree in her carseat...
...now all bundled up and ready to go!
Bree loaded and ready to make the 1 mile trip home!It was the first snow of the season and beautiful outside!
We're home!We are smiling at Emma who is looking at us thru the window, super excited to see us and the baby!
Welcome home Bree!
Nana with Emma and Bree
Bree's entire story from conception to birth has been one full of blessings and surprises! We weren't trying to conceive when we got pregnant with Bree, so I am incredibly humbled that God chose that for me and blessed me with another daughter. Bree is exactly what I needed!
The story behind her name:
Bree was written on my heart when I came across it in a book I had read shortly after we had Emma. I fell in love with the name...Shane, however, wasn't crazy about it. It wasn't until we were pregnant, that he actually considered it and he really liked it after he came up with the middle name. We were driving to Lincoln the week after we found out we were pregnant and trying to come up with middle names. Shane suggested Scarlet (because the Huskers colors are scarlet and cream), we both liked how it went with Bree, so it was settled!
The story behind her name:
Bree was written on my heart when I came across it in a book I had read shortly after we had Emma. I fell in love with the name...Shane, however, wasn't crazy about it. It wasn't until we were pregnant, that he actually considered it and he really liked it after he came up with the middle name. We were driving to Lincoln the week after we found out we were pregnant and trying to come up with middle names. Shane suggested Scarlet (because the Huskers colors are scarlet and cream), we both liked how it went with Bree, so it was settled!
