A little behind on this announcement, but I didn't have access to the internet at the hosp. We went for a growth scan Monday the 2nd to find out she had not grown in the past 3 weeks. She was still at 3lb 12oz per ultrasound. My blood presure had been 200/120 for most of two weeks as well. So Maternal Fetal Medicine decided she needed to be born. As we had been planning a home birth this was dissapointing, but obviosly needed. Also not having planned on birthing that day we were totally unprepared and an hour from home. We initially started to head to the hosp my prior ob was at, but upon them calling and finding out that the baby would likely transfer to a bigger hosp (the one mfm was located at and we had just left) we decided to go back there. Upon arrival and triage the Dr. came in and disscussed our options with us pushing strongly for a c-section due to the baby's size and gest. age (35weeks 7 days). After disscussing the pros and cons with her and the neonatologist, and my midwife we chose to do a trial labor as long as she could handle it. I did have one of my midwife's labor asst. there the whole time so that was nice. I was put on Magnesium and pitocin around 6pm on Nov second. We labored all through the night, on no sleep from the night before due to a hosp stay for blood pressure. At around 6am I was exhausted as was my husband, and being unable to even sit up, or any other position but lying down in bed do again to my bp, I decided to get anepidural, things were not progressing very quickly and didn't seem to go well at this point... Upon getting the epidural my bp bottomed out, I almost passed out, and her heart rate was affected. The Maternal Fetal Med Dr. just coming on duty strongly recommended c-section, and would not turn pitocin back on due to her stress, although she had regulated with it off. I chose to see what happened with it off and after a short time my contracts continued to space out and I still was 5 cent and only 50%. I elected for the c-section as I knew the best effort had been given and didn't want to stress her more. This did terrify me as when I had my prior c-section I felt the entire surgery and I voiced this to the anesthesiologist. I told him I would do it all over again that way rather than go to sleep. The next hurdle to cross was the fact that I was on Mag, and would be on a different floor, High Risk, than the baby upon bitrh. She would not have to go to NICU barring complications, but would be in Continuos care nursery. The policy was mother had to come there for feedings etc. And of course I was bed bound for at least 24 hrs post delivery. I did fight and convinced them to bring her to me for feedings and let her nurse in recovery as well. All this barring complications of course.
The c-section went smooth and very quick. She came out screaming and in great shape. her apgar scores wer 8 and 9. She did not need oxygen or any other initial intervention. She was born at 10:15am at 3lbs 9oz and 17.5 inches long. As soon as I got to recovery the tough little cowgirl she is latched and nursed 5-10 mins!!!! They let her stay with me for about an hour anda half before taking her to CCN. They then moved me to high risk. She was great that day and into evening, although the neonatologist did put her on Iv fluids for sugar regulation and she was in an Isolet for temp maintainance. The neo also wanted me to supplement my breast milk with ahuman milk fortifier made by similac which I refused as I wanted no foriegn substances in her and felt my milk was best thing for her and could sustain her. I did pump and feed with a bottle at times to ensure my milk came in as fast as possible and she got as much as possible. The neo didn't seem to have any faith at all in breastmilk sustaining preemie babies and continued to show concern and daily pushed for some type of supplementing. I however stood my ground as she was continuing to thrive and shock all. By Saturday I was scheduled to be released and she was thriving and gaining wieght. She did have one Apnea spell, but self recoveredd. The Neo said we were running out of Iv sites for the fluids and since my milk was in and she was doing way above how they expected her to she was going to stop iv. So much for breast milk not being good enoughhuh! She maintained her sugar levels well and as long as I could get her to maintain a minimum volume to sustain her 3lb 9oz wieght they would not intervien with a supp or feed tube.
10 mins beforeI was to be released my blood pressure again spiked and I was having visual disturbances so back down to high risk and a second dose of magnesium. That hit me hard and made me feel horrible, but we plugged on. She continued to nurse well taking less and less from the bottle and I was throwing milk pumped away left and right! By sunday even they were weaning her isolet temps down. and by monday she was out and in room temp thriving! I was released monday and parent overnight room was avail so I stayed at the hosp with her. She was allowed to spend a good chunk of the time in my room at this point and continued to amaze the staff. They finally were giving her and me some credit for her toughness and her achieving things much faster than most babies like her and still purley on breast milk!!!! Even the lactaion consultants there were pushing for some type of intervention, it amazed me how little faith the staff had in the bosy of mother and baby working together.
She was release yesterday, 11-11 at a wieght of 3lb 13 oz and eight days of age. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!! Statistically she should have spent another week there!
We are doing great at home and loving her to bits!!
Zane has been a great great support through all of this!! It has been so much different than my previous births when I had no support. He has not only been there for Saffron and I but has also been home with the boys when they have needed him and done it all without one complaint!!!
I also want to thank my mom and dad for keeping the boys for us the first week so we could focus on what we needed to do to get Saffron and I home as quickly as possible! We couldn't have done it without you! THANKYOU
Also want to thak Pop for driving most of the night to get here for labor and birth even though he would have to return to Missouri on Wed.
Also a big thank you goes out to Penny Lane and her birth assistance for all their great care and support, without them things would not have turned out as they did. I recommend them to anyone wanting great care and the best birth possible!!!!!!!!! Thanks so much Penny, Paula, Dana, and Amy!!!
You are such a joy! It was our pleasure.
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