Last Belly shot 39 weeks.
Elliana Faith Ha-eun (Gods Grace)
8 lbs. 6 oz. 21 inches, head 13 3/4
I was 39 weeks pregnant and I had it all planned out. I had one more week left of my pregnancy but I was feeling well over done. In my previous pregnancies I have taken castor oil and it always jump started my labor, but I never taken it a week earlier than my due date. But I was determined! Not only was I feeling well over done, but the only time my little sister could be there for the delivery was on a monday, tuesday or wednesday because that was her husbands days off and he had to watch their son since children were not allowed to be on the maternity ward (due to the H1N1).
So, we left T. or C. on Monday, and after dinner I took 2 0z. of Castor oil mixed with Fruit Punch. How did it taste you asked???? Well it tasted like I was drinking oily Fruit juice. It wasn't so bad, but it made me queasy and the texture makes me want to barf just thinking about it!
ok on with my story...
Well, here is the problem, you are suppose to take CO on a empty stomach because if you take it on a full stomach like I did, your food absorbs most of it and it wont really work. However it did help push all my food out of me and 2 hours later (midnight) I was ready to take another CO cocktail. *remember I was determined* So I did and about 4 hours later it started to do its think. Thenver I wasn't really contracting that bad, not bad at all. I started to get nervous because by this time Tabitha and PJ were already down in Albuquerque waiting and hoping this was going to IT. I started to pray and ask God to intervene since He obviously knew the situation and I obviously couldn't get it done on my own. I ended up sleeping for about four good hours, all of a sudden I felt a small gush. "What in the world" I thought. Okay maybe I accidently peed so I got up and went to the bathroom and more fluid came out. Not a lot but enough to make me think I just peed. But when I stould up more fluid dripped out. So I was confused I never had my water brake on it's own. I went and told Miguel that I thought my water broke, but I wasn't sure so Iwas going to call the hospital. While I was on the phone with the midwife, I had a short contraction and suddenly GUSH! at that point I knew my water broke. Excited and ready I woke up my husband and woke up my sister. The funny thing was that I wasn't even having strong contraction, no back pain or anything. In fact it just felt like braxton hick contractions.
The Race Begins
I arrive at the hospital, and they don't want to check me since my contractions weren't that strong just yet and they didn't want to risk infection. They hooked me up a IV for fluids and my antibiotics (for my strep b) and things were on their way. My husband, sister and I were talking and laughing about stupid things, obviously excited about what was going to take place. I asked them how much they thought Ellie would weigh. Miguel said 8 lbs 2 oz., Tabitha said 8 lbs. 6 oz and I hoping for a 7 lb. 10 oz. little girl! After a while my contractions started to pick up nicely. I was still gushing everywhere! I kept saying "how much fluid is really in there?" because I was gushing non stop and I couldn't believe it! It's nothing like the movies! And I never knew this with my other ones because I always had my water broken for me and I was never walking around when it was broken. So this was a whole new experience for me! Finally it was time to be checked, I was at a good 5 almost 6 cm dilated. ACTIVE LABOR WHOO HOO! The pain was so much more intense by this point. Still I wasn't having horrible back labor and so I was able to tolerate each contraction better. My sister was such a big help during this stage. She was massaging my shoulders and my legs trying to losen me up and keep the circulation going in my legs. My husband was holding my hand and helping me breathe, he would tell me when it was almost over. In the mean time I needed to have a focal point. Something to just concentrate on and not focus on the pain. Abby, my daughter, drew a picture for me with markers. The colors were bright and the picture was full of detail. Tabitha put it in front of me and I would stare at that picture. In my heart I was so sad that my little girl couldn't be there for her sister's birth, but staring into this peice of art made me feel as if she was still there helping me.
The midwife came in and told me that I had the option to completely labor on my own or I can receive some pitocin to help me out. She explained the benefits of both and we chose to be hooked up to the pitocin. Usually when I receive pitocin, I also receive an epidural because I know that Pit makes your contractions so much stronger and I chicken out. But this time I wanted to do it, I wanted to labor and deliver without the epidural. So I pressed on. They steadily increased the pitocin every 20 minutes, and every time my contractions would get stronger and closer together. I began to get tired, my eyes were heavy and there were times when my husband had to remind me to breathe and try to relax. The midwife dropped the bottom part of my bed down for me and i was able to labor on my knees. This helped pull the baby off my back, but the contractions were more intense and I could feel more preasure on the front of my cervix. At this point I was a good 6 to 7 cm.... and I was hurting pretty bad. I was so tired. I had been up late and then awoken by my water breaking at 4:15 am. So I was low on energy and food. My husband snuck me a hot pocket while I was in labor, I think I ate an apple as well. Anyhow, I was struggling. The contractions were taking my breath away. My husband suggested taking the epidural a couple of times. He just mentioned how, I wouldn't be hurting anymore and I could rest before it was time to push. With each contraction I thought about it. So finally I said "ok" I was tired, I was hurting and I felt like I couldn't go any further. The nurse came in and we told her we wanted the epidural. She said it would be about and hour and a half, because I need to receive certain fluids. I couldn't believe it... how was I going to make it? I asked to get into the jet tub, but since I was hooked up to the Pit they wanted to continue to monitor me. That upset me a bit. I wanted to be in the water and I was being told "no" well whatever, I probably wouldn't like it anyways. right??? >:x
Well time continued to pass and I continued to labor. I noticed at some point my breathing had changed. It went from "hee hee hooo" to "inhale.... mmmmmmmm" humming noises. My head was heavy and my eyes were heavier. I was completely zoned out. I couldn't hear what others were saying and I couldn't focus on anything. I would just lean into my husbands chest and intoxicate myself with the smell of his cologne and then I would hum away. The midwife wanted to check me and I said no. I didn't want anyone touching me down there with all the pressure and pain I was feeling. I didn't know it at the time but I was in transition. Finally the epidural came and once I received it I thought all would be happy and swell, but it's always funny how things don't work out according to OUR OWN plans. It started to take the edge off, I was able to talk, relax just a little. with each contraction I had to continue to breathe. The midwife was able to check me and I was at 8 cm , when I heard that I was almost disappointed that I received the epidural. I had made it almost to the finish line, about 5 min.'s after she checked me, my pain increased and I kept saying I feel like there is a lot of pressure, is it just the epidural making me more numb? I kept saying it over and over, I felt pressure. So the midwife checked me and sure enough Ellie was ready to be born.
The Final Lap
I told Miguel that I wanted him to catch the baby. I could tell this made him nervous. He was scared that he would hurt his little girl or drop her. But he said okay and decided to do it. Tabitha came and was holding my leg and thankfully the head midwife was willing to video tape the whole thing! I don't know how long it took me to push, I think about 15 minutes. While I'm pushing you could see all of this long dark hair. I couldn't believe what they were telling me. Both of my other kids were bald, and now this one has long black hair? and a lot of it? What is it with these third pregnancies/kids? The midwife asked me if I wanted to reach down and feel her head, so I did and instantly the emotions began to flow. My little girl was gonna be here real soon. I would soon be the mother of three kids, 2 girls and 1 boy! It almost seemed surreal to me. Like finally it was setting in that I was indeed truly pregnant and we were indeed having another child! So after my tears started flowing, my sister's tears started flowing and I'm pretty sure my husband even got choked up =) I couldn't even push because of my emotions so I took a moment to breathe and gather myself together with the next contraction. During this time I want you to know that my epidural started to kick in and it was harder to feel when I was having a contraction, but because it wasn't a 100% numb I was still able to push correctly and with the help of my contractions. Then all of a sudden Elliana Faith was lying on my chest, trying to breathe, trying to cry. She was purplish and I began to rub her little body to get the circulation going. My first thought was "oh my goodness she is so small" and then we heard it, her first cry. She was beautiful. She had so much hair, I told my husband later that I thought she looked kind of funny because she had so much hair. I just wasn't use to it. She looked like a doll. (btw he didn't like me saying his little princess looked funny LOL) I kept staring into her eyes, trying to see who she resembled. I didn't see much of anyone in her face. She was her own person. I was still crying and when I looked up even the midwife and the nurses were teary eyed. They kept telling me how wonderful I did, but in my heart I praised God for giving me the strength to do it.
The After Math
Because I usually bleed a lot they had the blood bank ready to deliver some blood for me just in case. But I had very little bleeding. It really did surprise me because I was so anemic throughout my whole pregnancy and no I didn't take my iron pills because they would make me sick, I did however eat a lot of pumpkin seeds and seaweed. Anyhow, I was great. Minimal bleeding , little swelling and no tears! Praise God. And that's what we did. We bowed our heads and we thanked God that everything turned out okay and our perfect little girl was now here.
Later that evening I was put into the recovery room, I had a few visitors but they didn't get a chance to see the baby because she was getting a bath. After they left the baby was brought into the room and my husband and I just stared and stared at our little doll. It was now about midnight and the nurse came in to take Ellie for some routine tests. While she was doing them she noticed that her breathing seemed kind of fast. But the tests all came back fine, so she just figured it was her way of transitioning from water to air. I fed my little girl, she latched on fairly well. But at 11:35 p.m. I was watching her sleep, and I noticed still that her breathing just wasn't exactly right. I called in my nurse and she ran some more tests. an hour later or so, she came in and told me that her white blood cell count was off the charts high. They thought maybe she had an infection so they where going to do some blood work, but for now she'll have to be in the NICU. I was shocked.... What was this you were trying to tell me? I don't understand. But there it was, our little girl wasn't 100% healthy, something was wrong and she wouldn't be coming home the next day either. Instead she ended up staying a full 7 days in the NICU. Even though her blood tests showed she didn't have any infection and her blood cell count was dropping they wanted to be extra careful and finish the 7 day antibiotic. Things started off rough, my milk wasn't in yet and she was being fed the bottle. I didn't want her to be fed the bottle, I wanted to feed her. But because I wasn't staying at the hospital anymore, I couldn't be there for each feeding. I tried, but even then she wasn't getting enough from me. She struggled now with latching on and it was an on going battle. Eventually my milk ducts got swollen and clogged and my nipples were getting small blisters. Inspite all of that I was still determined. I prayed and prayed that God would help me out, and He did. Ellie is now nursing very well. I'm able to pump enough milk out for when I'm not there at the hospital. She is healthy and shows no signs of any kind of infection. And on Tuesday we will be bringing her home. Praise God.
