Saffryn's Birth Day

The day I found out I was pregnant!!! So exciting!

Tomorrow is Saffryn's first birthday and I realized recently that I never actually wrote out her birth story. I know I don't want to forget it, so now seems to be an appropriate time to remember that special and wonderful day!

During my pregnancy my doctor tested me to see if the clotting that has happened to my family is a genetic trait that has been passed down to me. The answer is yes, I have a "genetic mutation" called Factor V Leiden. This basically means I am extremely more likely to develop a blood clot than a "normal" person. There are several things that make a blood clot more likely for anyone: smoking, birth control pills, being over weight and pregnancy. Since I clot more easily anyway pregnancy just makes it that much more likely I could get one....I guess...LOL

That being said, we had to see a maternal fetal specialist and take a few procations for both our safeties. I need to be on baby aspirin and during delivery needed to do a few things. My doctor didn't want me going too much past my due date because of all of this. So since it was not looking like I would go into labor before/on my due date we scheduled an induction.

I was really excited about it, because it means you can actually plan on the day the baby is coming!!! So on Wednesday, November 11 my mother flew in from Colorado Springs to be with us! We went out to dinner with Dan's parents then went off to the hospital!

On my way to the hospital. Almost 40 weeks!

We had to wait for a while to get checked in and situated and after a LONG process of getting an IV in (did I mention my viens are really small and diffcult on top of everything else) we were ready! They gave me a cervadil (spelling) to help soften my cervix and make my body ready for pitocion (spelling again) the next day. Dan and I tried to get a good nights rest...as much as you can during a hospital stay.

They got my IV in!!!

I could feel contractions starting during the night after the cervadil, but they were not strong or consitant enough to actually start labor. So that morning around 6 or so they started me on an IV of pitocion! At first it was not too bad. The contractions came, but I could breathe through them and not think about it too much.

Dan and I after they started the pitocion!!

My mother and mother in law came in and stayed with us. They were a great distraction and provided Dan with some support too! Well by noon or so, my contractions were getting VERY strong. I was having very bad back labor because she was facing the wrong way and was still dialated to a 2. Discouragement started kicking in. The nurse suggested I take something to take the edge off. They could put it in my iv and it would feel like I was drunk. I really didn't want to have an epidural so I considered it. But then I realized I don't like the feeling of being drunk I want to be aware. So I tried to push through a few more contractions and decided after some good suggestions that I get an epidural.


The epidrual process wasn't what I expected, but it went quickly. It was sometime between 12:30 and 1. I was down on myself at first because I felt like a failure...I wanted to do it naturally. I made it to a dialation of 2. PATHETIC. But then I started to not feel the pain anymore and those thoughts went right out of the window! I was in heaven. I asked my mom if I was still having contractions...she said, "oh ya you are". Sweet, wonderful bliss. I felt so relieved as did Dan and the moms.


Since I was no longer in pain my mom and Karen (mother in law) thought they would go get a quick bite to eat and bring it back to the room for the 3 of them. (Yes I was so jealous...I was starving)! While they were gone the baby's heart rate started to change a bit. The nurse was not concerned, she said sometimes if you are dialating it can do that. So she checked me and I was at an 8! WHAT?!?! Within an hour or so of getting my epidural I dialated to that...wow!


When Mom and Karen came back they were surprised to say the least!!! Soon after that I started shaking really really bad. I felt like throwing up. I remembered this as the transition stage in my childbirth class so I knew delivery must be getting close! Around 3 or so I started to feel some strange pressure. I asked the nurse to check me and I was at a 10!!! Time to get ready to push.

Me and my throw up bucket...LOL! I didn't need it though :)

I started puhsing around 3:30 or so. By 4 my wonderul OB arrived and then I did some serious pushing. She stayed "sunny side up" and at 4:20 our beautiful daughter Saffryn Mary Mahoney arrived!!! The moment they put her on my tummy after coming out I will NEVER forget. She is real and she is here!!!! She was screaming and very upset...poor baby! She weighed 7 lbs 5 oz and she was 19.5 inches long. Born on November 12, 2009 at Wesley Hospital in Wichita, KS.

She's HERE!!!!

One proud and happy daddy!

The sweetest baby!

Daddy and baby together!

Daddy and I love you Saffryn!!! You are such an amazing person. We love seeing your personality develop and shine! We love getting to know you and sharing this life with you! You are and will always be our beautiful baby girl. Happy Birth Day!