I went in for our 39 week appt on Tuesday the 20th and was still only 1cm dilated, but was 90% effaced! Dr. said we could wait until 40 weeks then discuss an induction or she could schedule one for as soon as L&D could take me. I opted for the later! She came back into the room and informed me that I could just go over right then because they were bored. We thought it might be better if we decline that one because we were still trying to get moved into our new house. We set the induction for Friday May 23, 2008 and I left her office with her saying, “I’ll see you on Friday morning unless I see you before!”
That night we had friends over for dinner, we’d moved 95% of our things over from the old house that day. Everyone said goodbye after some Chineese take-out around 1145. Earlier in the day I had lost my mucous plug and had some bloody show so I figured Friday would be cuttin git close…well I was on my way in to go to the bathroom and get ready for bed and I felt a little gush. Very little. More than a “trickle” though. I went in to go potty and had another little gush, then a minute later another one. I hollered at Cory and told him I thought my water had broke. When I finished I called L&D and they told me to pack a bag and head in just to be sure. So I did. Cory was rushing around and couldn’t figure out why I was so calm! LOL! We’d managed to role reverse for the time being I guess ;o)
We got to L&D around 1230 or so and the nurse tested the fluid to see if it was amniotic fluid or not. She did about 8 tests and they were all negative but I KNEW I was NOT peeing myself THAT much! LOL! Finally she said, “Let me go get a new package of these, maybe they’re bad or something.” She came back and tested and the strip turned SO bright blue (means it WAS amniotic fluid). So they admitted me! I was 90% effaced and only 1.5 cm dilated. I labored through the night having contractions every 2 to 3 minutes. By 530am I’d had my second bag of water broken (didn’t even know there was more than one…) and was dilated to 3.5cm and decided it was time for an epidural because contractions were getting stronger and closer together. Had the epi by 615, rolled from side to side and drifted in and out of sleep until I was a full 10am and started pushing at 330pm. I pushed for and hour and a half and in the end they had to use the suction cup thing on her twice to help her out. She was born, with a FULL head of BLACK hair at 517pm! She weighed 8lbs. 1.8oz. and was 22.5” long. Her apgars were 8/9.
Turns out she was stuck sideways so most of the pushing I was doing wasn’t even really helping. She was a little bigger than anyone thought. Because they had to pump up the vaccum so much to do any good, Ellie was born with a sub dural hematoma and it was so big that it filled with fluid. Her pediatrician assured us that the "bruise" would go away and the fluid would turn into calcium and absorb back into her system within the first month or so. Otherwise a very healthy girl! The labor caused my blood pressure to go up (I’d had NO problems with this during pregnancy) so I was put on Magnesium for 24 hours and let me tell ya, NOT FUN! Recovery was slow at first because I was stuck in bed the entire time I was in the hospital. We came home at 300pm on Friday the 23rd and were welcomed with lots of decorations and balloons and a house that was all unpacked and put together so we actually got to come HOME! :o)
Ellie developed a little jaundice due to her hematoma absorbing back into her system so quickly, but after a few days of mild sunbathing it cleared up! At her 2 weeks checkup she was back up to her birth weight (she dropped to 7lbs. 9oz.) and was doing great! I went in for a blood pressure check the next day and although it wasn't back down to it's normal level, it was a lot better than while I was in the hospital. Dr. Eberhardt said she could live with it at 130/86 for now! So...I have Pregnancy-induced Hyper Tension and it's expected to go away with the hormones (could take up to 3 months).
We’re adjusting very well to all the changes…all 3 of us! Ellie is a VERY good baby and although I have nothing to compare it to, I feel like life could be A LOT more difficult than she’s making it!! She sleeps anywhere from 4-6 hours at a time during the night so I’ve been able to actually catch up on lost sleep! Cory is in LOVE with his baby girl, as am I, and we are enjoying every single second of parenthood! I feel like life couldn't get much better than this!
Feel free to email us anytime and I’ll post pictures as soon as I find our camera cables!
Ellie's 1 month checkup: June 27, 2008
