The Whole Story

First of all, an update. Sydney is doing quite well! She's no longer on IV fluids and nutrition, and I was actually able to breastfeed her this morning. From weighing her, she took in about 12 mLs. She then consumed about 18 mLs from a bottle that Nathan gave her. The only issue is that she keeps falling asleep while she's eating, and has to constantly be woken up and reminded that she needs to keep going. But still, she's doing great for a baby that was five weeks premature.

Also, today is her one week birthday! It's hard to believe that it's been that long. On the other hand, I feel like I've been in this hospital for an eternity.

I have a few minutes right now, so I thought I'd tell a bit more about the chain of events that led to Sydney arriving earlier than expected. I'm on a computer just outside the NICU, and could get called in to feed her at any moment, so I may have to post and continue the story later.

Sometime in the weekend before Thanksgiving, Sydney dropped into position to start heading out into the world. I panicked, so I grabbed one of my pregnancy books, and it said that this typically happens many weeks before birth in first time mothers. So, that made me feel better. My doctor confirmed this at my routine appointment on Tuesday, Nov 20th. I figured I still had several weeks to go.

At 1:00 A.M. on Wednesday morning, I seriously thought that I had just been unable to make it to the bathroom on time. I had consumed a ridiculous amount of water and lemonade at childbirth class the night before, and assumed that it was coming back to haunt me. I also was having severe pain in my lower abdomen that I attributed to my meal from Taco Bell. It wasn't until nearly dawn that things started clicking in my head. I didn't wet the bed due to drinking too much with a weak pregnant bladder, nor was I having bad gas pains from eating at Taco Bell. My water had broken, and I was having contractions. But, it was still too early, and I took some of the medication (Terbutaline) that my doctor had prescribed to ward off premature labor. I probably should have gone to the hospital then, but it was almost time for the doctor to open, so I just lied back down.

At 8:00 A.M. when the doctor's office opened, I left Dr. Meyer a message asking what to do. His nurse called me back immediately, telling me to come in. I was still clinging to the hope that I just had poor bladder control and Taco Bell induced GI distress, so I went in assuming that I wouldn't even be there all day. I got dressed and threw on a baseball cap, not even taking the time to find a headband.

My doctor examined me, then sent me to the hospital for monitoring and tests. At first they thought that I was just low on amniotic fluid, and intended to keep me overnight on IV Fluids to attempt to rebuild the fluid volume. The idea of spending the night in the hospital distressed me. If I only knew! An hour later, I lost more fluid, and the tests came back that the amniotic sac truly was broken. So, I then knew that I was headed to Sioux Falls, SD to deliver, as nothing earlier than 36 weeks gestation is delivered in Spencer. I asked if I could run home to get things before we drove over, and to take the dogs to my work. The nurse informed me that I would be taken by ambulance. I called Nathan to tell him to start rounding up bags for us and to get the dogs to the clinic. Then my doctor came in and informed me that the helicopter would be there for me in about a half hour. HELICOPTER?????

Unfortunately, I was so bundled up and strapped down on the helicopter to really look around, so that was kind of disappointing. Not that it would have mattered much anyway. I had a mild contraction shortly after takeoff. By the time we reached Sioux Falls, I was having extremely painful contractions about five minutes apart.

I'd had visions of attempting this without pain relief before going into this. That went out the door shortly after arriving, and I asked the nurses for some sort of pain relief. They told me that I couldn't have anything until the doctor examined me. But unfortunately, she was in surgery, so I would have to wait. I think I called Nathan a few times asking if he was here yet at this point in time.

The doctor finally arrived, about two hours after I had gotten there. She examined me and determined that I was in labor. I could have told them that! She authorized an epidural, but I needed more fluids first. I think Nathan arrived sometime around then, and they moved me to another room to deliver.

They wanted to give me a 600 cc bolus of fluids, but I kept occluding my line by curling up into the fetal position whenever I had a contraction, which were coming at one to three minutes apart. So, I didn't get my epidural for another 2 to 2.5 hours. By this time, I was exhausted and pretty much out of it.

After the epidural, things went much more smoothly. Even still, when it came time to push, I was exhausted. I was falling asleep between contractions, even though they were only a minute or two apart. I felt that I had been asleep for much longer, however, and was surprised to find everybody hovered over me each time I woke up.

Sydney finally arrived around 5:40 A.M. on Thanksgiving morning. Right after she was born, I got extremely nauseated and started vomiting, so I did not get to hold her right away. I held her for a minute or two before they took her away for blood testing and an exam. That was the last time I saw her outside the NICU. While they were checking her over, she started showing signs of respiratory distress, as her lungs were just not mature enough to function properly without assistance.

I think the rest of the blog tells the rest of the story. Sydney continues to improve, and I am hopeful that we will get to go home sometime early next week. I am enormously grateful to my husband, Nathan, who has been nothing but wonderful through this entire experience. I couldn't have asked for a better labor coach during the birth, and he continues to be immensely supportive when it all starts getting to me. My mother flew in on Sunday, and keeps me busy when Nathan has to return home to attend to things. Nathan's family has also been extremely supportive. I don't think I could have handled this without so much caring and support around me.

I guess I had better take off. I've spent a long time writing this post, and it's about time to go try to feed Sydney again.