Wow! I can't believe that it's been almost four months since Addison came into our lives. It's been a whirlwind so far and I feel horribly that I haven't had a chance to update you all on how she made her way into the world!
When in my last post you read about her arrival, but no details. Well here I am to fill you in! I had elevated blood pressure from 33 weeks and up and was just waiting for the inevitable. Luckily my doctor gave me the go ahead to start my leave and to fully prep for her arrival. He wanted to deliver her at 36w7d and I just wasn't prepared. I went through my last week of pregnancy preparing for her arrival. Washing and putting away clothes. Installing the car seat, cleaning the house, and most importantly spending time with Emma and relishing our last days as a family of three.
Sunday night came and I packed three bags. One for Emma as she would be staying with my in-laws, because I knew my mom would be with me, one for Addison and one for myself. I made sure to have my nursing pillow and just tried to stay calm. I knew in my mind that I was going to be induced the next day.
The next morning I awoke and took a shower to prep myself for the inevitable. I had hopes that having a week off of work would drop my blood pressure and we could keep her cooking a little longer, but I wanted to be prepared just in case. #shavealltheparts. My mom and I loaded everything into the car, plus Emma and off we went.
When I arrived at the doctors office, we did the standard pee, weight and blood pressure. Of course the bp was still elevated. Not as high, but still higher than he wanted. I got into the room and the non-stress test machine was in the room and I knew. I was having an induction that day. The doctor came in and said "are we ready to have a baby today?" I responded with "are we going to do that today?" He told me yes and that we would be and it's important to make sure everyone is healthy. He told me that I would receive the same medications as I had with Emma because I responded to them so well last time. Checked me, I was 3-4 cm dilated and 80% effaced already. So my body was preparing for a delivery already. He told me to head over to the hospital, but that I could have lunch first. We left the office, I called the hubby and my M.I.L. to let them know what was happening and so that Darin could be ready to come. He had already packed a bag and just needed to shower and he would be on his way.
My mom, Emma and I headed to get brunch and it was SWAMPED. I guess that's what happens when you give birth the week of Thanksgiving. We ate our fill and I snuggled with my big girl before we took her to my in-laws to meet Darin. I relished my big girl, snuggled her and gave her loads of kisses. Once we were finally on our way to the hospital I got nervous. Even if you have done it once or a dozen times, you still get nervous. I get right into my room, set up our insurance and get put on Pitocin. I was surprised by this and the nurse told me that because I was already past 3cm dilated that Cytotec wasn't an option for me and that we would just use the drip. Once settled into the bed it was 2pm and the meds were flowing. We chatted and joked with the nurses. Talked about music and funny things and about 4pm my contractions were getting strong and regular. My nurse told me that she wasn't going to give me any more doses because I was already contracting good enough to warrant it. At 4:45 my doctor showed up to check on me because he was scheduled for a C-section at 5. He said he would return at 6 to break my water because of how fast I was progressing and said his goodbyes. 5:30 rolls around and during mid conversation my water breaks naturally......and the contractions get STRONG!
They are close together and really intense. I look at Darin and ask "how long do I torture myself before I ask for the epidural?" A couple minutes later the nurse comes in and I state my potential epidural desires. She tells me that the anesthesiologist is on the floor so it would be really fast. I look at her and say "then lets get him in here!" She puts a bag of fluids up and pages him to my room. Once there he preps my back and Darin prepares to watch the insertion of the needle. I get the numbing shot and all of a sudden feel sick. The nurse grabs a bag and out comes what's left of my lunch. Once the epidural is in and I start to feel better, my father-in-law comes in. He's checking on us and then takes Darin to get dinner. Things are progressing well. I roll to my side and try to rest with my mom by my side. I rest for a bit and then my husbands siblings arrive to check on me. They had brought their son in as well so I had a distraction. While they were in, I started to feel pain in my right side so the next time the nurse came in I told her that I was uncomfortable, and she had noticed the alarms on my babies monitor going off and the baby was behaving strange. She asked family to leave to check me. Apparently it was go time. I was fully dilated at 8pm. An hour and a half post epidural. CRAZY.
Darin finally made it back from getting dinner and was shocked that I was ready. The room was a buzz and the doctor was being called in. During this my mother-in-law brought over Emma so we could give her smooches and told her she would be a big sissy soon! At 8:30 it was time to push. I spent about 15 minutes pushing and the room was silent. I mean just the heart rate monitor was making noise......well and me. Lol. I looked at Darin and asked him to put on music because it was far too quiet in there. He put on the country station and I hummed in between pushes. I kept pushing hard and they were telling me that I was making progress but that she wasn't moving down. "A Pretty Little Girl" came on the radio and I had tears streaming down my face. I just wanted her to be here. Once the song was over, because it would have been so poetic if she would have been born during that song, I looked at the nurse and said "she's face up isn't she?" Nobody would answer my question. I knew full well that she was face up and pushed and pushed for 30 minutes before she finally adjusted, tearing me in the process, and I was able to push her into the world. She came out pretty purple with a huge side cone, but she was here. Darin cut the cord and they took her to the warmer for weight. She was born at 9:31pm on November 21st. 6lbs 1oz and 19.25" long. Pure perfection.
Sunday night came and I packed three bags. One for Emma as she would be staying with my in-laws, because I knew my mom would be with me, one for Addison and one for myself. I made sure to have my nursing pillow and just tried to stay calm. I knew in my mind that I was going to be induced the next day.
The next morning I awoke and took a shower to prep myself for the inevitable. I had hopes that having a week off of work would drop my blood pressure and we could keep her cooking a little longer, but I wanted to be prepared just in case. #shavealltheparts. My mom and I loaded everything into the car, plus Emma and off we went.
When I arrived at the doctors office, we did the standard pee, weight and blood pressure. Of course the bp was still elevated. Not as high, but still higher than he wanted. I got into the room and the non-stress test machine was in the room and I knew. I was having an induction that day. The doctor came in and said "are we ready to have a baby today?" I responded with "are we going to do that today?" He told me yes and that we would be and it's important to make sure everyone is healthy. He told me that I would receive the same medications as I had with Emma because I responded to them so well last time. Checked me, I was 3-4 cm dilated and 80% effaced already. So my body was preparing for a delivery already. He told me to head over to the hospital, but that I could have lunch first. We left the office, I called the hubby and my M.I.L. to let them know what was happening and so that Darin could be ready to come. He had already packed a bag and just needed to shower and he would be on his way.
My mom, Emma and I headed to get brunch and it was SWAMPED. I guess that's what happens when you give birth the week of Thanksgiving. We ate our fill and I snuggled with my big girl before we took her to my in-laws to meet Darin. I relished my big girl, snuggled her and gave her loads of kisses. Once we were finally on our way to the hospital I got nervous. Even if you have done it once or a dozen times, you still get nervous. I get right into my room, set up our insurance and get put on Pitocin. I was surprised by this and the nurse told me that because I was already past 3cm dilated that Cytotec wasn't an option for me and that we would just use the drip. Once settled into the bed it was 2pm and the meds were flowing. We chatted and joked with the nurses. Talked about music and funny things and about 4pm my contractions were getting strong and regular. My nurse told me that she wasn't going to give me any more doses because I was already contracting good enough to warrant it. At 4:45 my doctor showed up to check on me because he was scheduled for a C-section at 5. He said he would return at 6 to break my water because of how fast I was progressing and said his goodbyes. 5:30 rolls around and during mid conversation my water breaks naturally......and the contractions get STRONG!
They are close together and really intense. I look at Darin and ask "how long do I torture myself before I ask for the epidural?" A couple minutes later the nurse comes in and I state my potential epidural desires. She tells me that the anesthesiologist is on the floor so it would be really fast. I look at her and say "then lets get him in here!" She puts a bag of fluids up and pages him to my room. Once there he preps my back and Darin prepares to watch the insertion of the needle. I get the numbing shot and all of a sudden feel sick. The nurse grabs a bag and out comes what's left of my lunch. Once the epidural is in and I start to feel better, my father-in-law comes in. He's checking on us and then takes Darin to get dinner. Things are progressing well. I roll to my side and try to rest with my mom by my side. I rest for a bit and then my husbands siblings arrive to check on me. They had brought their son in as well so I had a distraction. While they were in, I started to feel pain in my right side so the next time the nurse came in I told her that I was uncomfortable, and she had noticed the alarms on my babies monitor going off and the baby was behaving strange. She asked family to leave to check me. Apparently it was go time. I was fully dilated at 8pm. An hour and a half post epidural. CRAZY.
Darin finally made it back from getting dinner and was shocked that I was ready. The room was a buzz and the doctor was being called in. During this my mother-in-law brought over Emma so we could give her smooches and told her she would be a big sissy soon! At 8:30 it was time to push. I spent about 15 minutes pushing and the room was silent. I mean just the heart rate monitor was making noise......well and me. Lol. I looked at Darin and asked him to put on music because it was far too quiet in there. He put on the country station and I hummed in between pushes. I kept pushing hard and they were telling me that I was making progress but that she wasn't moving down. "A Pretty Little Girl" came on the radio and I had tears streaming down my face. I just wanted her to be here. Once the song was over, because it would have been so poetic if she would have been born during that song, I looked at the nurse and said "she's face up isn't she?" Nobody would answer my question. I knew full well that she was face up and pushed and pushed for 30 minutes before she finally adjusted, tearing me in the process, and I was able to push her into the world. She came out pretty purple with a huge side cone, but she was here. Darin cut the cord and they took her to the warmer for weight. She was born at 9:31pm on November 21st. 6lbs 1oz and 19.25" long. Pure perfection.
Once she cleared her tests they placed her on my chest and Darin sent the texts out announcing her arrival. Shortly after the family made it's way in to meet our newest member. First in came my mother in law with Emma. She jumped into the bed with me and looked at Addison! "It's a baby!" she exclaimed. Then Addison began crying and Emma started singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to her. Addison immediately stopped crying and relaxed with her sister by her side. It was by far the most special moment of my life! We are blessed with our family of four and our newest member. Addison Rae.
