Our little Lexi arrived on Thursday, May 12th at 12:18 pm. She was 6 lbs 15 ounces and 18 1/2 inches long.
She has completely won me over. Number Six just might be the sweetest!
Here's how her story began:
The Tuesday before she was born I was at the hospital being monitored for decreased fetal movement. On the monitor the baby looked great, but because I had an anterior placenta I wasn't feeling her move very often. It had been about 17 LONG hours that I had last felt her move, so the doctor wanted to make sure she was doing okay. Luckily the monitor was showing a strong heartbeat and FINALLY while at the hospital I felt her move.
After that little scare I told Jared that I could hang in there until the 18th (if you know me-you know I struggle a teensy bit mentally at the end of a pregnancy). No problem as long as she was doing good, but to my SURPRISE my doctor (Dr. N) didn't want me to have to come in every other day and be monitored. So he asked if I wanted to be induced on Thursday. Hmmm... let me think about it.. . . OF COURSE!
So Thursday morning bright and early (and 6 days before my due date) Jared and I headed off to the hospital. And I didn't even have to get my blood pressure high to make my induction happen!
We got to the hospital about six in the morning and finally at around 7:45 I was being dripped with my miracle drug. (Whoever invented pitocin is going to get a BIG high five from me in heaven!)
Things were going just like my other five labors:* Water broken--CHECK!
* IV in--CHECK!
*Antibiotics for Strep B being dripped into that IV--CHECK!
*Pitocin doing its thing--CHECK!
*Epidural in--CHECK!
*Waiting for the epidural magic to kick in-- umm... not to much.
At first it seemed like all was well. That incredible feeling of total numbness was working its way on up and then it just stopped. I kept thinking -- "it's going to start working better any minute now" - "It's not too bad-I can handle this for a little bit longer."
However, my amazing nurse (Emily) realized that not all was well and grabbed the anaesthesiologist for me before he went in for a C Section. And bless his soul he really wanted to make sure I felt NOTHING! Which is pretty much what happened as far as my legs were concerned. A "little" overdosed, but hey I'm not complaining!
Just a few minutes after my overdose Emily (my nurse remember) came hurrying in.
And that is where the chaos began.
Emily had just checked me a few minutes earlier (I was a 5 and everything was okay) But the next thing I knew was I was being put on oxygen, the baby was getting an internal monitor put on, and I was being told to move from side to side (easier said than done when you've just been paralyzed and can move as well as a beached whale). Lexi's heart rate was DROPPING, dropping with each contraction and I could tell Emily was a little panicked.
When she went to put the monitor on Lexi's head she said no wonder your epidural wasn't working you're dilating FAST! I was a 9 almost a 10 and Lexi was ready to come out. Emily's panic turned from baby not doing well to I hope the doctor can get here in time. At that point I started to relax knowing things were turning out just like my other labors.
*Baby is coming now!--CHECK!
*Don't push!--CHECK!
*Wait for the doctor--CHECK!
Dr. N walked into the room just then. Got his gown on and told me I could push in just a second. I laughed and told him I really hoped I could (remember-me & my temporarily paralysis). Luckily half of a push later (if even that) and our little lady Lexi made her grand entrance into the world.
