Just realized tomorrow was my due date...but we always had a feeling our little one would not wait that long to join us. It has been a whirlwind since Wednesday early evening...but here is the story of how little Annette came to join us.
My Mom came to visit Wednesday. We planned to go to a knitting store in Chestnut Hill to return some needles she bought the week before. (also planned to make a side trip to Night Kitchen Bakery down the road - who made our wedding cake) We were in the car, and Mom mentioned that she wanted to make a practice drive to the hospital as she was nervous to drive there when the time would come. We made the dry run and then headed to Pei Wei for a late lunch before running our errands. We never made it to the knitting store. After eating a ridiculously large lunch, I figured I better use the restroom before heading out again.
3:45pm And then my water broke...and broke...and broke again! Every time I stood up, more! What a feeling. I called Ian and told him the news. He was on his way to Temple to get his H1N1 vaccine - since it is so scarce, I told him to go ahead and get it and then head back to Pennsylvania Hospital to meet us. We figured I had a bit of time, so Mom and I headed home to pick up some things. Boy did I wish we had packed a bag!
~4:45pm Checked into the hospital to the PETU (an evaluation unit to determine whether you would be transferred to labor and delivery)...where they told me I was not in active labor but needed to be induced as my membrane prematurely broke. Ha, funny because I could definitely feel some contractions start - basically, I had what is called back labor...painful. Also, the baby had tachycardia (rapid heart rate) and needed to be monitored for some time before induction could begin. My heart rate was rather high as well. About 1cm dilated (basically nothing!).
~9:30pm Baby and I calmed down somewhat, and they induced me with a cervical "ripening" drug- I was confined to the bed for 2 hours while the medication was administered. After about 1 hour of this, I started to experience the most excruciating back pain that morphed into full blown contractions.
~11-11:30pm I couldn't handle it - I had never felt such strong uncontrollable pain before and practically begged the nurses repeatedly to page the doctors to check me out and get me transferred to labor and delivery (actually, poor Ian nagged them for me - I was practically at my wits end the pain was so bad).
~12am They begrudgingly obliged, as they were convinced that I couldn't have progressed enough in such a short time. Well, I had! 4 cm dilated. The wait for the transport was pure hell. I couldn't even walk into the delivery suite...just down the hall.
~12:30am Fortunately, I did not have to wait too terribly long for the anesthesiologist. The epidural was pure bliss. I had never expected it to make such a difference for me. I could not have endured the pain without it (at least from an induced labor).
~3-3:30am Still about 4-5 cm dilated. Started pitocin to speed things along.
~4-4:30am Started feeling massive pressure...as if baby barely waiting to come out. A very uncomfortable feeling...something the epidural could not relieve.
~5:30am Started feeling as if I might not be able to stop myself from pushing. Nurses and staff kept saying way too early to have progressed that far. In essence, suck it up...and wait. We kept asking them to just check me.
~6:30am The medical resident finally checked me. 7-8cm at first, however, at very next contraction, 9cm. Almost there...baby descended. I could tell they were surprised that I was actually nearing the pushing phase.
~7am Magically the attending physician appeared (only saw the doctor that delivered my daughter twice throughout the entire experience). 10 cm. Baby practically crowning...ready to push. People started appearing out of the woodwork. 7am nursing shift change created a mass rush to the delivery room...everyone seemed ready for a baby to be born! Exciting!
7:05-7:18 4 sets of contractions, 10-12 pushes (like I actually kept count!) total: little baby Annette Soleil Hildebrandt Musselman was born. The doctors and residents told me the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck - that may have explained why it even took 4 contractions for her to be born, as she was practically crowning with the very first push. I was nervous at first because she wasn't much of a crier..she just needed some suctioning. Ian cut the cord, well, he just trimmed it because it had to be cut upon crowning, and monitored the care of the little one while the doctors attended to me. I needed quite a bit of attention, as the rapid labor and delivery created some stress to my body. I suffered (and am still suffering!) from third degree tears...I'll let you look into that in greater detail if you would like... I did get to hold little Annette eventually. What a beautiful gorgeous sweet little girl...how amazing that she is mine!
Recovery in the hospital for 48 hours was at times rocky. I was in much pain, suffering from zero (and I mean ZERO) sleep, and very stressed due to difficulties breast feeding the baby. I never imagined so many things could be so difficult to do! I was feeling very low about things and not looking forward to feeding formula to her (not the best for her health and very expensive!) until an amazing lactation consultant came to help me hours before discharge. She really helped me troubleshoot - helped my confidence and self-esteem. She has since helped me to minimize and relieve my already damaged body...I could never thank her enough!
On discharge, we were told Annette's bilirubin levels are high (she is looking a little yellow), and we have returned once already to have the levels checked and will have to go back again on Tuesday. We have a plan to alternate formula (bottle) feedings with breast pumping and breast feeding. The goal is to get some nutrition into her and to get her GI tract moving along and break down that bilirubin. We spent a little time outside in the natural sunlight - an old fashioned way to help things.
Since leaving the hospital, we have been working to do the best for the little one, been trying to get at least a few hours of sleep a day, and have been trying to get a little bit of physical activity so that things can eventually return to normal. Wow, what a journey...how emotional...how physically stressful...but ultimately, how rewarding.
Today is the first day that I have had the confidence that we will be able to handle all these new challenges and responsibilities. Ian has been absolutely amazing today...really helping around the house and taking care of our little one. I have not changed a single diaper! He also seems to relish dressing little Annette and feeding her with the bottle. I was a bit nervous watching him handle the tiny baby at first - he seemed so unsure of himself- but now he seems to be a pro. It is so cute to see the two of them. What a great thing!
Each day will be a challenge (like the pediatrician appointment tomorrow)...but each day I will get to look into her beautiful (blue for now) eyes. My little Annette Soleil.
-Marie
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