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New Mom Series | Hospital Experience Feat. Jen Frick 

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Hey babes! I am SO excited to be kicking off the ‘New Mom Series’ here on Ruthie’s blog! A loving mom, wife, friend, and all around human being, Ruthie is the real deal so when she asked me to be a part of this series, I couldn’t say yes fast enough! And you guys, the lineup she has is seriously incredible – I feel so honored to be guest blogging alongside each and every one of these mamas!

This week, we’re talking all about the hospital experience! Of course every personal journey is different. I’m sharing mine to give you mamas-to-be an idea of what to expect as well as some tips to help you prepare for your little one’s arrival. I can tell you right now as a new mom to a now 2-month old, nothing fully prepares you for birth, but hearing experiences from others can certainly help mentally 🙂

First, let me preface by saying that by the grace of God I had a healthy pregnancy all the way through – thank you, Jesus! And on Sunday, July 31, 2016 at 5:04pm, Cameran Wynne Frick was born. She weighed 6lbs and was 19 inches long. I was 38 weeks and 5 days when I went into labor – my water broke in the middle of the night and I was off to the hospital very soon after.
I can’t stress enough how essential it is to schedule a hospital tour prior to your due date. This helped SO much putting my nerves at ease. With Cameran being my first baby, the last thing I wanted was to walk into a building, unsure of where to go and who to speak with. I’m telling you, a little planning makes all the difference! Once I was all checked in, they brought me to triage where I was hooked up to a monitor to see how far apart my contractions were. To my surprise, I was only a centimeter dilated – this meant I had a little ways to go!
In labor and delivery, I was told by my nurse that I would be getting a small dose of pitocin to help induce labor. Since my water broke and I was only a centimeter dilated, they wanted to make sure I was moving along accordingly. Be aware though, this will cause contractions to become stronger, more quickly. My original plan was to get an epidural and let me tell you, I’m so glad I did! I remember asking the anesthesiologist when “the right time would be” and he responded with “You’ll know.” HAHA Needless to say, he was right! Contractions are as painful as they say and personally, I couldn’t handle it without some help. The decision, however, to go natural or not is completelyup to you!

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From the start, all the nurses and technicians were amazing. Kind, warm, and attentive – I couldn’t ask for a better group! At around 10amthe epidural kicked in and I felt so much better. I even slept for several hours – praise God! From this point on, everything had gone pretty smoothly, switching sides every so often to ensure the epidural was flowing properly. The doctor who delivered me checked in a few times to see how I was doing and I was so surprised at how fast everything was going. By 2pm, I was already 9cm dilated and not far from starting to push. And by 4pm I was ready to go! I have to say, pushing was probably my least favorite part. My nurse mentioned it could take anywhere from 1-3 hours, but once I started I knew I wanted it to end sooner rather than later (it took me an hour!). Seeing Cameran for the first time was by far the best feeling I’ve ever had, yet so surreal at the same time. My heart completely melted and we were so in love.
As soon as Cameran was born, we immediately had skin-to-skin contact before she was taken to get cleaned up. I couldn’t believe I was holding my sweet baby girl – God is so good! During recovery, I was able to breastfeed before we headed off to our Mother/Baby suite.
The rest of the night was a complete blur and sleepless nights became immediate to say the least. We had nurses come in probably every few hours to check in on both Cameran and myself, making sure we were recovering well. Oh and don’t be alarmed by all the blood you see, haha! It’s completely normal and will probably last for at least a few weeks. After all, your body did go through something pretty major 🙂

 

We stayed in the hospital for two nights and several things were required from us before we could leave like the birth certificate, social security, and pediatrician information. It was also required for Cameran to pass a newborn hearing test as well as have a certain number of wet/dirty diapers to ensure she was getting proper nutrition. Once all of that was taken care of and I was feeling up to it, we were good to go! I have to say, I had the most incredible experience at St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital here in Tampa, FL. The nurses really made us feel special and I couldn’t ask for a better place to have my first child. I would highly recommend to do your research – finding what’s best for you and baby, and feeling absolutely comfortable is essential, making the entire experience all the more worth it 🙂
If you have any other questions about my hospital experience, I’d love to hear from you! Send me an email to [email protected].
Last, but not least, Ruthie and I have partnered up with Mon Petit Shoes (as seen on Cameran!) for an amazing giveaway! Head over to our Instagram (@mrsjenfrick and @ruthieridley) and see how you can win your own pair of these adorable handmade shoes!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kristin says

    I’m SO excited for this series & Jen was the best way to kick it off! I love hearing new mom stories and can’t wait until I get to join the mom club with all you fabulous women! Jen–Cameran is absolutely ADORABLE. So glad your experience was so positive and way to be a champ through an hour of pushing, that sounds insane!

    xox,
    Kristin

  10. April says

    Congratulations! She is beautiful. I am so glad that you had a great birth experience. I always have found the Catholic hospitals to be a very supportive environment for a new mother.

  20. Gail says

    This is such a great series and this was the sweetest post. I kept saying “awww.” Jen is such an amazing person and I’m sure a great mom. Childbirth is such a great experience and what a great way to inspire new moms or moms-to-be. Loved this so much! Xx

  24. Jessica Sheppard says

    Ruthie, what a great series! Jen, I loved getting to peak in on what to expect with the first baby…I’m still single but an gonna be much better prepared when it’s my turn, with your precious post and wisdom experience! What a sweet little miracle Cameran is-such a gift from God! Can hardly wait for your next blog Ruthie!

  30. darlingdearestblog says

    What a beautiful post! It sounds like she was abundantly blessed throughout the process. And what cute little shoes! That’s always what gets me out of infant clothing, the shoes are too precious for words!
    Emily
    http://darlingdearestblog.com

  33. lorrin sell | photographer of wild things says

    your little sweetie is just adorable! i love hearing birth stories. it’s the most empowering experience. i’m happy to hear you were blessed with an easy delivery, and a healthy baby. God is good!

  34. Janna Doan says

    LOVE the feature of JEN! she’s one of my faves, and i cannot wait to meet Cameran one day. i’m so glad you planned ahead which made for a better/less stressful experience. and goodness labor can go on for hours. urgh. never sign me up for that. also, of course i haven’t had a baby but i’ve heard countless times to ALWAYS TAKE THE EPIDURAL!!!! 😀 xoxo,

    janna | http://www.jannadoan.com

  35. Tara says

    I’m excited for this series! You do such a great job of brining woman together. Jen’s post was the perfect start to kick things off! Makes me want to have another baby ASAP.
    Xo, Tara

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