Lauren's Birth Story - The Short Version

I'd wanted to use this as my journaling of the weekend long events leading up to Lauren's birth, but it's taking forever and I want to get SOMETHING written down before I forget everything. Plus i can't believe she's already 3 weeks old and I haven't blogged about her yet! So here's the condensed version of what happened:

Friday, March 2 - I went to labor and delivery for my second scheduled non stress test at 11am. They tested my blood pressure and protein and found a high level of protein, so they had me hang out in a triage bed while they ran blood work and got a specific protein count. The lab messed up a little, so I sat there til almost 3pm, hooked up to fetal monitors and a blood pressure cuff, waiting for the results. Luckily I'd brought my kindle! Protein was over 4 (at 0.2 or 0.3 they start to worry about preeclampsia)! So there was no choice but to admit me and induce labor! I didn't even get to go home and get a change of clothes or anything, I went right into a labor room.  It was pretty surreal to call Chris and my dad (who called my mom at work) to tell them I was being admitted to have the baby! They let me have dinner and then put in the cervidil to soften my cervix. At that point I was only allowed to get up to use the bathroom and had to unhook myself from the monitors and drag an IV pole (for fluids) with me - lots of fun!

Saturday, March 3 - They checked me in the morning, but I was only 1cm and not really effaced at all, so they monitored me for most of the day with no change, so they took the cervidil out, let me get up and walk around and have dinner (I'd only been allowed clear liquids all day - I've never eaten so much jello!) and then put in another cervidil, hoping for better results. It was a long, boring day, but luckily people came to visit me. It was the day of my family baby shower - which they had without me since the food had already been paid for! Most people didn't go, but the ones who did had fun playing the games and eating. Afterwards my mom and my cousin brought my presents to the hospital for me to open.

Sunday, March 4 - A little after midnight I got up to use the bathroom, when I got back into bed I felt more liquid leaking out and in my tired mind I first thought I was still peeing! After a minute I realized it was probably my water breaking, so I woke up Chris and got to say something I'd been dreaming of saying for months, "Um, I think my water just broke!" He didn't believe me, but it kept gushing, so I called the nurse and sure enough, it was my water! I was pretty grossed out by how much was gushing out, so I went and sat on the toilet while the nurse changed the bed sheets. I had a hard time falling back asleep, I was so excited that it broke on it's own and I was really hopeful that things would progress a little without the Pitocin. Nope. Morning came and I was only 2cm. But I was effaced enough that they could start the Pitocin. Before that they had to give me an IV of magnesium, because of the preeclampsia. This meant I was on total bedrest, complete with a catheder. I HATED the magnesium and it's side effects. The day wore on and contractions got more steady. They checked me mid morning and I was at 5cm, I was having a hard time telling if I could deal with labor pains without the epidural. Then I started having back labor. At first I could deal with it, Chris was great about rubbing my back and applying pressure during contractions. So I thought I could make it, until I thought he was slacking off on applying pressure because it hurt more, but when I said something to him he said he was pushing so hard he was afraid he was going to break my back. At that point I realized I probably should get the epidural. I'd already asked for it when a couple of contractions hit me so hard that I couldn't help but scream, so I was glad I opted for the epidural. It wasn't quite as horrible as I'd expected, the doctor did a good job. At 1pm I was fully dialated so they had me start trying to push. It was hard figuring out how to push correctly and I was already so exhausted I was falling asleep between contractions. They brought a mirror out, hoping that would motivate me, but all it did was distract me and keep me from pushing correctly. After two and a half hours (which went by wuickly for me) the doctor let me take a break. I instantly fell asleep except for a couple of contractions that woke me up. At 4:45 the doctor woke me up, had the epidural turned down to help me push better, and told me I had to get the baby out now. She had moved lower and I was a little more rested and could concentrate on pushing and at 5:02 she was born! I didn't ask for the mirror back, I didn't want to risk being distracted again. Because of her being premature (by 1 day) and the concerns during the pregnancy, the doctor cut the cord right away and a pediatrician examined her before anyone could hold her. Her APGAR was 5, 9 and 9, they had to give her a little oxygen for a couple minutes, but then she was fine and I got to hold her for a minute before they put her in the warmer. Nobody else got to hold her until a couple hours later. Because of the magnesium she was the most chill newborn I've ever seen! Her eyes were wide open and looking all around, it was so cute!

4lbs 8.5oz!

The MOST horrible picture of me I've ever seen!  But it's okay

because I'd been on bedrest all weekend, and have my cute baby

in my arms!



 Our first family picture (I'm still doped up on magnesium)

  I wasn't released from bedrest until Monday night and was so incredibly weak! It was almost two weeks before I felt normal. We went home Wednesday night with a bili blanket strapped to Lauren for her jaundice. Chris had to run out that morning for a preemie outfit to dress her in and he'd only bought the carseat the day before! I had been waiting for my baby shower on the 3rd to finish buying things!

It was a crazy, insane five days and even crazier when we came home and had to still get stuff! Life is now sort of settling down and she's finally starting to gain weight!

I know that was still a lot to read, I kept it as basic as I could! I hopefully will be able to blog more frequently now that I've got this one done!