First things first...WE HAD A BABY!!!
Peanut is finally here, and Jeff and I are elated. Every single day we look at this little wonder with amazement. We MADE that. This sweet, beautiful, precious thing is here in our arms and we MADE her. It's surreal and crazy and awesome at the same time.
Since I've been gone so long, I obviously have quite a bit to catch you up on. It's been more than three weeks since Caleigh was born (and more than that since I made my last post) and if I tried to write down everything that's happened since then, we'd be here for the next few weeks. So I'll give you the brief overview.
MONDAY, JULY 28TH
I was admitted to the hospital on Sunday the 27th in the evening, and given Cervidil, a medication that prepares your cervix for induction/labor. After a restless night of attempting to sleep on a terrible hospital bed, my 5:00 am wake up call came pretty early. I was allowed to shower and have breakfast before we got things stated, which I appreciated. Nice to feel clean and freshly showered since I knew it would be a while. Around 7:15 Monday morning the doctors started Pitocin, a medication that mimics oxytocin, the chemical naturally produced by your brain that starts labor. I started feeling contractions almost immediately, although they were reasonably bearable. Having heard horror stories about how much worse contractions are when you're given Pitocin, I requested an epidural almost immediately after my Pitocin was started. Lesson to the future mommies interested in epidurals: they are administered by an anesthesiologist who may (or may not) be available when requested. In my case, it wasn't until 10:30 that the anesthesiologist arrived, and by then I was beyond ready to not be in pain anymore. After the excruciating process of having my water broken (I don't think it's this bad for everyone, Caleigh was a special case) and the increasing pain of the contractions, I was nearing a breaking point by the time I was given the epidural.
The good news? Once the IV is hooked up, the medication starts and you feel better almost instantly. Huge sigh of relief. As my lower body started to go numb, I relaxed and was able to nod off for little periods of time. Thank goodness.
Fast-forward about eight hours, I'd dilated only three of four centimeters and Caleigh wasn't moving down into the birth canal like she was supposed to. At 7:00 pm, after increasing the amount of Pitocin I was getting, our doctor informed us she'd be back in a half hour to check our progress. If we hadn't made significant change, we'd likely be headed for a cesarean delivery. Our nurses started to scrub down and prepare themselves and me for the surgery. Although I knew this was a possibility, the reality of having major surgery was overwhelming and I cried a bit thinking about it, trying to prepare myself. When the doc came back at 7:30, she checked me again, and despite minimal progress decided they'd increase the Pitocin once more and give me about 30 more minutes, then it was REALLY time for a c-section. This little baby did not seem to want to come out.
When 8:00 finally rolled around and our AMAZING doctor checked us once again, she decided things had moved along enough that we could start pushing. Wait, what? I'd been mentally preparing myself to deliver this baby via c-section, and now I'm being told it's time to start pushing? Wowzer. That threw me for a loop, for sure, although I was glad to be able to at least attempt avoiding the surgery.
So I pushed. And pushed. And pushed. And in a room full of doctors and nurses, a random high school student (don't ask...or do - another time), with the love of my life helping me every step of the way, we managed to bring this beautiful little miracle into the world. It didn't take long to discover why she'd been so shy, poor Caleigh had her umbilical cord wrapped around her little neck THREE times. Active little wiggler had really gotten herself caught up in my tummy!!
The nurses took her to the warmer to check her, under Jeff's watchful eye, while the doc finished up with me. The look on his face was priceless. There is something about dads and their daughters that is innately precious, especially when that man is your husband and that girl is your daughter. My heart was already so full of love for Jeff and the little life that the two of us shared, and it's darn-near exploded with the love I feel for our daughter and this new reality we're growing in to.
Those first couple of days at the hospital were rough, more because someone is ALWAYS in your room checking on mama or baby, so nobody gets much sleep even if they wanted to. Being at home has been easier, and we've been blessed with so much help and support from our families, friends, and even perfect strangers in our squadron. We've got nights of not much sleep, and nights where we feel a little more rested, but every single minute looking at her sweet face is completely worth it.
Here's more good news: she's really cute! I've talked all along about how you were all just going to have to lie to us if she was ugly, because Jeff and I wouldn't know the difference. But, at least as far as we can tell (and unless you're all EXCEPTIONAL liars) she is actually, legitimately adorable. We are so proud.
I think I'll leave it at that for today's update, but I'll try and be back more often with other random updates and tidbits. Not to leave you wanting, here are some sweet pics of our cute girl:
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Caleigh Marie
Monday, July 28th, 2014
9:33 pm
6 pounds 7.5 ounces
19.5 inches long
Absolutely perfect
