Now I Really AM a Momma.
Posted by The PuppyMomma at 8/9/2011 2:34 PM 
Categories: head shoulders knees and toes, Current Events, Fambly
Categories: head shoulders knees and toes, Current Events, Fambly
My beautiful baby girl, Mahalia Ruth. Born on July 22, 2011 weighing 8 lbs 10.4 oz and 21 inches long. She's healthy and fully cooked, even though she came about 12 days early. I lucked out, she's calm and strong and inquisitive. And look at those eyes!
So here's the story...
On Thursday, July 21st I went for my 38 week doctor's appointment and they did a non-stress test which came out fine, but my blood pressure was a little high and I think there was a bit of protein in my urine, so they wanted me to go to labor and delivery to have some testing done, just to be safe. I'd had high blood pressure a few weeks earlier, but it resolved itself when they had me lie on my side, so until this time there was no reason to be worried. Even my doctor said she thought they'd send me home that night, worst case probably keep me overnight for observation. So I went home and changed clothes and grabbed my hospital bag, just in case, figuring that Murphy's Law would mean that way I'd DEFINITELY get to go home that night. They did some blood work on me at the hospital and when it came back they found my blood platelet count was dropping and I actually was becoming pre-eclampsic. So they decided to induce me that night. So I called in the troops. That would be my parents and my neighbor Peggy, who was my birthing coach. Everyone got there as quickly as possible (my parents had an hour drive) and I was induced around 7pm that night. Because my platelet count kept dropping (though not horrifically, but enough to worry that it might cause issues later) it was suggested that I allow them to put in an epidural catheter early, but they wouldn't start the epidural until I actually asked for it. Not a common occurrence, normally they want to start the epidural medication once the line is in and not stop it until everything is done. I had planned on having a natural birth without an epidural if possible, but in this case, knowing that Pitocin makes for more intense contractions, ultimately I let them do it, after a little wavering on my part. I'm glad I did, because I was laboring for 24 hours and some of those contractions left my entire body shaking uncontrollably. Thats when I said it was ok to juice me up. It made the remaining hours much more bearable. But by Friday evening I was still only about 6-8 cm dialated and about 85% effaced. And then the baby turned face up (they're supposed to come out face down) and my cervix started swelling up. Which was when it was decided that the best course of action would be a c-section.
I don't remember much about the c-section, because when they amped up the epidural medication it made me rather loopy, plus when they draped me my face was covered too, but my mom and Peg were there the whole time, holding my hands and talking to me, and trying to get a look at what the doctors were doing. I guess it helps that my mother has a strong gut and Peggy used to be a NICU nurse, huh? Because they watched the whole thing and even held the barf bowl while I vomited while the doctors were inside me. I do remember when the baby was pulled out my mother and Peg both telling me how perfect and beautiful she was, and the baby being whisked in front of my eyes for a second, but I also remember that I was really uncomfortable and I allowed myself to be sedated so the doctors could sew me up. Apparently there was a lot of internal swelling which made that kind of difficult, so it took a while.
After being in recovery I was taken BACK to labor and delivery because I was hooked up to Magnesium Sulfate for 24 hours to counteract the effects of pre-eclampsia. Which meant being on my back, in bed for another 24 hours, without any food or drink (I hadn't eaten anything since about 11 am on Thursday, stupid me). Its a pretty miserable treatment by the way. Thank goodness I was on Dilaudid for the whole time.
In all we spent 5 days in the hospital. And then a week at my parents' recuperating. We've been home for about a week now. Everyone still in one piece. Even the dogs. They're doing amazingly well with her. Though every time she has a poop-splosion poor Charlie downright levitates. And my kid can pee and poop like a champion, let me tell you.
Send diapers.
She's beautiful! Great job, Mom.
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She is the cutest little gal ever!! But that doesn't surprise me since she's yours!! I can't wait to meet her!
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