Wow, we are sooo excited to have baby Elise Addison here with us! A few of you have asked for more details so here goes.
I switched OB's at 34 weeks, looking for someone who's style was more like mine. I found Dr. Eid, and fell in love with her style immediately! Dr Eid is from Lebanon, and is new in the area here. She is also pregnant herself, and as I found out yesterday in only 3 years she has delivered over 1000 babies!
When I met with her, I knew that she specialized in high risk deliveries, since Ehre was a C-section, I fit into this category. She kept track of my progress, and reviewed my health history. She concluded that it would be best if I didn't carry this baby full term, and hoped that we could get "it" here around 38 weeks and 2 days. ( Which in the end is exactly what she was!)
So at 38 and 1 day I went in for my 38 week appointment, she stripped my membranes and stretched me out a bit (ouch!) and then sent me home. I had a good friend who also had this done within the past few weeks but it didn't put her into labor, so I "hoped" that this would work, but realistically accepted the fact that it wouldn't.
All through out the day I had small contractions but nothing significant, since that morning I had only been a 3 and 75% effaced, I was sure that I would be going back next Tuesday for a repeat appointment. That evening I had my "one more before the baby comes" girls night out. 15 friends got together with me at 9 Irish and we enjoyed good company and great food.
Friday morning, Jeff and I got up for scripture study and breakfast and I was feeling normal, but tired. When he left for school I decided to go back to bed. Within a 1/2 hour I had a strong contraction, followed 10 minutes later by another one. I was sure this was just false labor and kept on trying to sleep. At 8 I woke up my kids so that we could get ready to go to Playgroup at a pumpkin patch. By 8:30 the contractions hadn't stoped so I called my doctor, since the time intervals and the intensity varied I wanted to confirm that this was most likely false labor. Dr Eid recommended that I wait another 1-2 hours to see what would happen when I drinked more fluids.
Jeff and I had an agreement, he would work on writing his prelims in the library but would keep his email up so that I could reach him, since he didn't get cell reception. So I emailed him...no response. I emailed him a 1/2 hour later...no response. All I wanted to tell him was that I was having contractions, FYI who knows what is going to happen. I called the library and they were kind enough to request that Jeff take my phone call over the PA system. I told Jeff not to worry that we'd just watch things and I'd call him after playgroup.
We were supposed to leave for playgroup at 10 and that's when I realized, these contractions were too uncomfortable to wait out. A good friend agreed (Thank you!) to watch our kids and I called to pick up Jeff. In the 20 minutes to get to the hospital we had 6 strong contractions, and I couldn't figure out still if this was real or not. I could talk through the contractions, but they hurt. We checked in via the ER, and headed up to Labor and Delivery. According to my admission RN she was sure that this was false labor as well, I just didn't look like I was hurting enough. She checked me and lo and behold I was a 6 and they let us stay! What a relief!
This whole pregnancy I've talked about how I wanted to do this labor without an epidural, was I stupid or what?! By the time I was at a 7 I quickly changed my mind, and as soon as that numbing relief came I enjoyed the rest of my labor. We checked in at 10:30, and delivered Elise at 2:59 pm. Dr Eid had me wait to push for a while, and in the end I only had to push through 4 contractions. I hardly have any micro tearing and a small "abrasion" but no tearing. Elise has a perfectly round head too!
The whole family got together last night for a picnic in mom's room. The kids gave Elise her birthday presents and held her for the first time (pictures coming soon) I am sure they'll be back in a few times to day as well. Ben is amazed with her tiny Ears, and Ehre is a proud big sister. When Ehre found out that we had delivered a girl, she told her friends that she felt bad that Jeff was going to feel sad over not having a baby boy. But Jeff isn't sad, he's a proud dad and loves his little girls. Its so cute to watch him hold Elise, or for that matter its wonderful seeing him interact and care for our children, he is such a wonderful father!
Elise at birth weighed 6 lbs 6.3 oz and as 19 inches long. She has a cute dk brown mullet, from sitting head down so long in my pelvis, but since my kids loose their hair its not going to last long that way. 10 fingers 10 toes, she is perfect. She has turned blue once, and had some problems with clearing mucus from her stomach and lungs, this is because I didn't push long enough to help her clear it...but she is improving fast and doing well. She had her first bottle feeding today, we are trying to get one in a day. She surprised us all when she at 20 oz, instead of the recommended 15 and wanted more. :)
We will stay here today and tomorrow, and probably get discharged around 5 pm Sunday afternoon. I got a shower in today, and a yummy breakfast, so other than needing some more sleep things are going really well. We are excited to have Jeff's little sister come stay with us for a few weeks, she will come on Tuesday. The kids are so excited to have someone "cool" to play with.
Oh and yes the countdown has started 6 more weeks and I can return to Tuesday Night Volleyball!
