Welcome Reagan Ashley Rana to the World!

Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to introduce you to our precious baby girl, Reagan Ashley Rana! Here is our own "Birth Day" story:

Justin and I visited the doctor this past Friday afternoon.  We were able to have another sonogram to check her weight and position.  Two requests were answered; 1. She was "head down." and 2. her weight was predicted to be anywhere from 6.5 to 7.5 lbs.  With a little less than 2 weeks until our due date, we were relieved when the doctor thought she would be on the lighter end of that scale.  I was still only slightly dilated and barely effaced. We and the doc were sure we'd be good for another week yet again.  

However, I woke up at 4:30 am on Saturday morning with contractions that felt different from the other Braxton Hicks contractions I'd been experiencing.  I tossed and turned all morning and new that something was starting to happen.  By about 10:00 that morning, I began timing the regularity of the contractions.  They started about 12 minutes apart and by 2:00pm we were down to 6 minutes!  Justin was working so I called him and he made his way home.  We continued to keep track and by about 7:30 pm, I knew we needed to go to the hospital to at least get checked out.  

Justin wasn't quite convinced this was "the real thing" yet, given the outlook the doctor presented only a day earlier. But after the nurse started asking us what we were wanting for pain management he realized we were there to stay for the long haul! After a quick exam the nurse said that I was now dilated to a 2 and to our surprise 90% effaced! Within a few hours of breathing through contractions, receiving fluids through IV and having some blood taken, I was able to get the epidural. Justin and I were both able to sleep through the remainder of the night once I had that.  

I continued to make very good progress through the night, but then was stuck at 8cm for about 4 hours! By about 6:00am, the nurse came in and visited with Justin and I about possibly needing/considering a C-section to deliver Reagan. We both had known since about our six month that a C-section could possibly be needed dependent on Reagan’s size. However, now that there were several other factors in play, the doctor on call was pretty sure a C-section would be the best way to go. After prayer and perseverance, I began progressing more and more and finally made it to a full 10 cm by about 10:30am!  

The nurses began to prepare the room for delivery and Justin and I geared up for the final stage. The nurses were amazing and did so much of the work before the doctor actually got to the room. As Reagan was making her way out, the doctor was so shocked at how much hair she had! He asked me in the middle of everything if we should “stop so he could braid it!” I told him “after she’s all the way out!” We spent about 45 minutes pushing before Reagan made her big debut!  

Reagan Ashley Rana was born on Sunday, April 19th at 11:46 am. She weighed 7 lbs. 6 oz. and was 18 ¼ inches long. Thank God for our first little miracle!