I had a regular doctors appointment on Wednesday February 6th in the morning and they ended up keeping me for more tests because they thought she was too small- but it turned out she was just really low and doing fine. We did get another ultrasound and got to see her a little bit again, which was always fun. Very relieved that everything was ok, I went back to work for the afternoon, and I stayed late getting things finalized for my long-term sub. I knew Lily would be coming within a few days (as I was due on the 9th). At 4:45 I checked my voicemail and found I had a message from our midwife, Laura, stating that my fluid levels were low around the baby and I was supposed to go home and rest until I had another ultrasound on Friday. I tried calling back to see if that meant I couldn't work the next day, but she was already gone, so I ended up taking Thursday off to "rest" and drink a lot of fluids as directed. I kind of figured that teaching 4 year olds wouldn't fall under her category of resting....though I was tempted to go into work. Instead, I spent the day sleeping in and finishing things on my computer for work and finishing up last minute things at home before the baby arrived. I got little wood button holes glued over the screws on our stair railing.....got baby toys washed and put away...cleaned some furniture that had just been brought by Dad and Christopher from my storage shed the day before and some things that weren't needed put into my container outside....fed the birds, etc. I did feel little contractions throughout the day, but nothing regular and I had been feeling some all week. My mom came out for a bit, and I was feeling a few more, but still not much. By the time Jim got home I was feeling a few more, but I still didn't think too much of it....though I felt my time was getting closer. When Jim talked about going into work the next day I told him he might not be going. By 10 at night I was getting quite a few contractions, but they were still a bit irregular, however I felt they were regular enough to start recording when they were, to see what was happening. They very quickly went from 7 minutes to 5 minutes to 3 minutes apart- at which point we decided to go in! Jim helped me get a few last minute things together and then packed up the car and we were off! On the way we decided to start talking about middle names. We had just picked a first name 2 weeks before and were relieved to finally have decided on that-so we put off thinking about a middle name. I mentioned that I liked the middle name May, like the month that we were married, and Lily first came about....in my head I had been calling her Lily May already. Luckily, Jim also liked May, and we were set! We arrived at the hospital at 12:19 in the morning and I was wheeled up to a delivery room (because after walking in I am suddenly incapable of walking on my own). After they checked me they said I was only dialated a little bit and talked about sending me home...Jim and I decided that with a 45 minute drive one way we weren't going home that night. If anything, we would get a hotel- but then my water broke so they decided to keep me. I had tested positive for GBS, so would need antibiotics pumped into me at least 4 hours before delivery. We then began a long wait....Jim slept a little on a very uncomfortable pullout chair, and I tried to sleep in the bed, but with contractions every 3 minutes waking me up, and needing to pee about every 20-30 minutes I don't think I got all that much. Mostly I just watched the clock, knowing that with each hour that passed I was getting closer to holding my baby....so I was a bit anxious. My mom and Wayne arrived that night, and spent the night in the waiting room....and waited throughout the morning. A couple times Jim and I got up and walked the halls and stopped to say hi. It wasn't until about noon that things really started to change though....and I did ask for a couple shots of something, which helped a lot....they said it would last an hour, and it did....almost exactly. It wore off as quick as it kicked in. They say I pushed for 45 minutes, which is good for a first born. I can't imagine pushing for 4 hours like some people do....I would have been exhausted...I was exhausted! When they said they could see the top of her head I thought I was almost done, and they kept telling me I was- I think just to keep me motivated- but it took about another half hour. All of a sudden they were yelling at me to look down, and there was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen- with tons of dark hair!! They let me hold her right away and I felt so great- a good distraction from everything else that was still going on. I needed some extra stitching and apparently I lost a lot of blood, but I didn't really care- she was there- and I could tell she was healthy. Lily opened her eyes very wide- I was amazed with how alert she was- and she stayed that way for quite awhile. She was born at 2:50 in the afternoon, weighing 7 pounds 13 oz., was 20 inches long and had a head circumference of 14 inches. After getting to hold her for quite awhile, Jim and a nurse took her for her first bath while I went to take one as well. I could hear her crying a bit and didn't like having her where I couldn't see her, but was glad Jim was with her. We then went out to meet "Grandma and Grandpa Dosier" and traded to a post delivery room. I started getting dizzy on the walk down the hall and needed to be wheeled in the rest of the way, but felt ok. It was really nice getting our own private room with a double bed, so that Jim could be right there with me. He didn't let me up too much that first day, and was quick to grab Lily- I think he was just so excited he wanted to hold her a lot....I pretty much only got to hold her for nursing that first day! =) I got to hold her much more the 2nd day....I think Jim realized that I wanted to hold her more too!
No comments:
Post a Comment