She's Here...

Eden Elizabeth Uglum

December 14, 2011

10:30 AM

5lbs. 15.5oz.

~19.5" long

I am as shocked as anybody!!  She's 3 weeks early!!

Me at 37 weeks!!  The day before she was born!!

Yesterday we came to Iowa City for our initial consultation. At first, when we got there, I was examined by a resident.  She said I was about 1-2cm dilated and my belly was only measuring at 35 weeks (she thought that was strange being that just days before I measured at 37 weeks).  She also told us right off the bat that she would not schedule me a c-section before 39 weeks.  I was really upset about this because I knew the risk of me going into labor before that (Adah was born at 38.5 weeks) and I also knew my history of delivering quickly (Keziah was born 3.5 hours after my first contraction).  With the weather unpredictable too, we were feeling really frustrated.  I was told that if I went into labor that my hometown doctor would have to do a c-section and then the baby would be airlifted to Iowa City and I would catch up to her later.  I really didn't like this idea of us being in separate places so this resident was not my favorite person!  After the resident discussed this with a doctor, the doctor came in and basically said the opposite of what the resident was saying.  Knowing all that about my labor history and with the weather unpredictable this time of year, she said we would probably be scheduling the c-section soon.  I was relieved!  After that apt. and after talking with a couple other areas (genetics, etc.) we went in for our ultrasound.  They right away measured the fluid and said both ventricles were just above 32mm.  We didn't know if we should be happy that the one ventricle hadn't grown much or if we should be sad that the other ventricle had grown a lot!  The sonographer told us not to think about the numbers and that it could just be a difference in the way they were measured.  The sonographer left the room and told us the doctors would be in shortly to look themselves and to talk to us.  I was able to take a nap it took so long.  I think it ended up being close to 40 minutes.  Finally a group of 5 or 6 people came in and one of the doctors was the doctor that Emily (my sister) loved so much when she delivered Bennett in Iowa City. I knew her right away and felt such a relief to know she was going to be a part of the decision making process.  She took over the ultrasound wand and started looking all over.  She first of all told us we were definitely going to be delivering naturally and that her head was the size of a normal baby her age.  I started clapping like a little girl!  Then she showed me how squished the baby's face was...She said this was not good and that the amniotic fluid was below the lowest that they like to see (hence the reason I was measuring at 35 weeks).  They asked me if I thought I had been leaking fluid and I said I wasn't sure but didn't think so.  Then she proceeded to ask if we wanted to have a baby today!  We were shocked.  The night before this appointment I was packing my hospital bag to bring with me and I could just tell Brian was laughing inside because he thought I was ridiculous.  I was the one laughing now because I could relax and know I had what I needed!  They told us to go get my bag and head to labor and delivery when we were ready.  We didn't rush to labor and delivery because we were really just trying to process everything.  Brian seemed a little hesitant.  I had to remind him that just because they stated it as a question, it wasn't like we really had a choice with the amnio fluid so low!  Sooo off we went!

We got checked into our room around 5:15.  Around 5:30pm a nurse came in and started me on an IV of pitocin.  They didn't up it very quickly and I feel like that made it take longer.  My cervix didn't progress for a long time.  I got my epidural (yes, I gave in...Brian really wanted me to have one this time) around 1:30AM because they wanted to break my water and they claimed that if they did that that things were going to start going really fast.  They were wrong!!  Around 5:45 they checked me and I was only at 3cm...not good.  The whole night is a blur, but I will never forget how I felt that night.  I was so alone.  I cried.  A LOT!  I couldn't sleep.  Brian could.  He even managed to snore.  I kept yelling his name in between snores but he wasn't hearing me.  I thought about throwing my pillow at him but then again, I didn't want that to fail too and then be without a pillow!  I was scared and frustrated that in the end she could end up being delivered by c-section.  I rarely saw a doctor.  Everyone was a stranger to me.  I was freaking out about the days following her birth.  And yet had nobody to talk to.  Periodically I would manage to wake Brian up to ask for a hug!  He would oblige and then go back to sleep.  One thing I did that comforted me was I prayed.  I would lay there with my eyes closed and try to fall asleep and I would just talk to God.  I won't lie, I never felt full peace amongst my anxious mind, but I kept feeling like everything was going to be ok.  I didn't feel so alone.  About every half hour the nurse would come in to 'up' my pitocin but they rarely had much to say.  One nurse was comfortable with upping it 2 points at a time, another would only do one.  It seemed like it was taking forever!  Through it all the baby was doing so great so they said we'd just keep going with it!  Around 8 AM this morning I was in a lot of pain and feeling so upset that I hadn't been examined in a while.  The nurse came in and I was certain the position I was in was putting a crick in my back.  I was sitting up with my legs buddha style and the nurse thought it might help if I lay down.  Well, I knew that sitting up was better to help get the baby out then laying down so I declined.  Finally I realized it was actually contractions and that my epidural had wore off on my left side.  I quickly remembered what it felt like to not have an epidural!  Around 9:30 the anesthesiologist came in to put in a bodice to try and get it working on the left side again.  He finished, walked out and I right away said, "I think I am actually ready to push".  The doctor came in and checked me and said I was fully dilated.  I gave a couple pushes while the docs and nurses got everything ready and then they told me to stop.  The epidural still wasn't working.  It was time to push again and after a long hard push I stopped to gain my strength.  All the sudden I opened my eyes and said, "Oh, the epidural just started working!"  I gave a couple more pushes...and voila!  Eden Elizabeth was born!  I got to hold her right away!  She was breathing on her own, pink like she should be and screaming like a baby!  She is perfect!  God has blessed us once again!