Ava's first couple of days

Welcome to your family Ava Dawn Gunderson!

Ava Dawn Gunderson was born September 5, 2009 at 4:31 pm.
6 lbs 13 oz and 19 1/2 inches

Ava's first bath

She's such an alert little girl checking out her new world!

Our first picture of the 5 of us.

My midwife, Machel, Ava and mommy

Sept 5th - Induction Day

I went to sleep Friday night the 4th with alot of anxiety. Anxiety for having to be induced and good excited anxiety knowing that I would meet my little girl tomorrow.

Lucas and I woke up early because we needed to be to the hospital a little before 7am. We woke the kids up to say goodbye to them and then headed to the hospital. When we arrived it was sooo quiet. They had had several deliveries the night before, but I was the only one on the L&D floor that morning.

We settled in to our room and I think we were both excited and ready for the process to begin. We were old hands at this, right?

My nurse started the Pitocin around 8am, my mom brought the kids up around 9am and my brothers Dallas and Dylan and Dylan's fiance Danae came to visit too. Around 10 am the Pitocin really started to create some strong contractions so everyone left. My midwife broke my water shortly after and then I was in labor. Long story short - it was a difficult labor with really strong contractions but I was not progressing (dilating) like I should have been. Although my hope was for a non-medicated delivery like I had experienced with both Emma and Nathan , I finally decided to have an epidural around 3 pm because I could feel my body fighting the contractions instead of working with them - and I knew my body was too tense to progress. Although it was a very hard decision, I now know it was the right one because as soon as the epidural started to work and my body relaxed, dilation progressed.

Lots of monitoring.............

The week before Ava arrived I spent lots of time at the Dr.'s office on the monitor. Ava's movements had slowed down considerably. It seemed like every day I was counting fetal movements several times a day and having to try all the tricks to get this little girl to move.....orange juice and laying on my left side etc.

I was supposed to be induced on the 5th at McKay Dee Hospital, but after a mix up at that hospital they tried to push my induction date to the 7th. Neither my midwife or Lucas and I were comfortable waiting a couple more days due to Ava's inadequate movement so we decided to deliver at a different hospital (Davis Hospital).

Here is a picture September 5th at 6:30 am just before we left for the hospital.