Me just a couple days before delivery.
When I first found out I was pregnant, I thought for sure we would have a nine-pound baby boy. Instead, we have a preemie baby girl!
On Thursday, February 28, my boss took the whole company on a shopping trip. He split us into teams, gave us each $50 and said we had to spend every penny. I'd seen a French bulldog on a shirt in the window of one of those stores where they play really loud music and the models on the walls are almost naked. I thought it would be several months until I could wear it.
After a bathroom break, I rejoined my group. We were walking past Tommy Bahama and I was about to suggest we head to Tiffany's when . . . oh!
"Either I just totally peed my pants, or my water broke," I told my coworker Melissa. Her eyes got very big and we headed back to the bathroom, where I called my doctor and was told to head to the hospital.
My boss and his wife waited with me while Melissa ran to get her car and I paged Alan at work. I was very convinced that I'd just had a bladder accident because I wasn't having contractions. But, it seemed odd to pee my pants given I'd just been to the restroom.
At the hospital, the nurse confirmed it was indeed the amniotic fluid bag, but enough remained that the baby was still comfortable. Because I was just 33 weeks pregnant, the doctor said the goal was to keep me pregnant as long as possible so she could develop further. I thought once the water broke, you were having the baby, but as long as there is enough left for the baby to float around in, you can stay pregnant as long as an infection doesn't develop or until labor begins on its own.
I settled in to spend the next few weeks in bed in the hospital. They put me on monitors and an IV of antibiotic to ward off infection. Alan joked with the nurse that if the baby was born February 29, we could tell her that she would only have a birthday if she was good all year! Actually, the nurse said several woman had scheduled delivery on Leap Day — interesting.
About 11:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1, I had another big rush of water. This time, I was sure the rest of the water had broken. I began having very sporadic contractions and was given pain medicine. It made me loopy. Every time I closed my eyes I saw psychedelic shapes and patterns.
warning — labor and birth story below!
I feel asleep at 1.5 cm dilated. At 6:30 a.m. Sunday, March 2, I woke up having intense, but sporadic contractions. I was 6 cm dilated — I'd slept through centimeters 2 through 5! I was moved into a labor and delivery room and they called the doctor and anesthesiologist. I remember asking how long it would take for him to get there — I wanted my epidural! Thankfully, he was already at the hospital and arrived quickly.
"I hear you are interested in an epidural," he said.
Yeah! Very interested!
I have to say, for all the talk about how big the needle is, the epidural was one of the most painless shots I've ever received. Love it.
The nurses had to tell me how to push — hold your breath rather than exhaling — because our birth and baby classes were supposed to begin this week. Too late!
After about 15 minutes of pushing, baby Kaitlyn made her grant entry at 8:19 a.m. She came in at 3 pounds, 11.5 ounces and 17 inches long. The neonatal intensive care nurses put her in a basket right beside me and began their tests and assessments. Before they took her away, they held her near my chest and I got to give her a kiss. She was so soft and little.
We waited two hours before we heard any news. Alan was pacing the room. Finally we were able to go see her.
She looked like a little kid in the 'hood with that cap pulled low over her eyes. They wanted to protect them from the bright lights in the nursery.
She started off with a little oxygen tube, monitors and an IV. She received a clean bill of health — everything is good with the exception of being premature. They don't like to estimate when she will be able to go home because it all depends on how fast she grows and progresses, but it will probably be three to four weeks.
At first, I fed her my milk just 1 ml at a time.
She looks different every day.
Daddy burping baby.
One day she had to "sunbathe" to get rid of a touch of jaundice. Then she needed to lay on a light blanket for a few days.
She is doing great breastfeeding (no pictures of that!) but we also feed her with a bottle so the nurses can track how much she is eating.
I think Alan's proudest moment to date was when we discovered Kaitlyn has a talent for projectile pooping. She did it several time in the hospital, but I've learned counteroffensive tactics since the last time, when she squirted me, the wall, floor and her isolette, which was so thoroughly coated the nurses had to take it apart to clean!
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