CiCi Arrives!
The arrival of our little girl is quite a tale starting on November 24th. We went into labor and delivery for the second or third time to be monitored because my blood pressure was high. We had been there before for the same reason and because I was having contractions...course I had been having those since week 29! Anywho, BP was still high and contractions were about 3-5 minutes apart but doing nothing....still only dilated to about 2cm and 25% effaced. So, they got the BP down and sent me home. The day after Thanksgiving we went out and walked around. Contractions got stronger so we headed back in...BP was high again, contractions were 2 minutes apart, but I was still only 2cm dilated and about 50% effaced. So, they got my BP down and sent me home.
Monday, November 29th, the docs nurse called because he wanted to see me to check on me right away. We got in there and there had been no cervical change, but my BP was way up again....so back to labor and delivery we went....with the hopes of everyone that they would just induce me this time. So, after some blood work and an hour of monitoring, I was admitted to be induced. Jerry got me situated in my room and then headed home to get everything. The kids and my parents came and everything got under way. Noone expected things to take very long...or turn out the way they did.
By 1pm I was hooked up to everything and on Pitocin. They checked and rechecked and there were no cervical changes. The contractions were getting stronger...and more painful...there was just nothing happening. My water broke around 5pm. At 11pm, I was only about 5cm. I gave in and got an epidural so I could get some rest. The initial shot was great, but a few hours later it was gone. I was having intense pain in my lower left abdomin, unlike anything I had ever felt. It was instant tears and I just knew something was wrong. But all the numbers were fine, so they gave me another shot to try to keep going. An hour later...the relief was gone and the intense pain was back. My BP was high again, but she was fine, so another shot to keep going.
At 5am on November 30th my doctor came in to check on me. I was about 9 1/2cm so he had me try to push because the only thing stopping me was a little part of my cervix. The more I pushed, the more pain I was in, the higher my BP went, and the lower her heart rate got. At one point Jerry said it got down to 17BPM. After an hour of this, that is when they got worried. My doctor looked at me and said he thought we may have to do a cesarean. I said that I didnt care as long as our little girl was going to be okay. That was just after 6am. At 630 am my doctor walked in and said we were in fact going to do a cesarean. It was the last thing I wanted, and I got scared because I knew at this point that it meant something was wrong.....and I was in a TON of pain.
I dont really remember the details of the next 28 minutes. I vaguely remember having to sign some papers. I remember being wheeled into the OR. I remember FINALLY getting my spinal and feeling no pain. I remember Jerry coming in and seeing the anesthsiologist above me. I remember hearing one of the student nurses getting sick. I remember shaking so badly that I thought I was doing something wrong and being assured that it was normal from the meds and adrenaline. I remember hearing my daughter cry for the first time, the nurse telling Jerry she was okay, Jerry telling me she was beautiful...and then feeling tears roll down my face. I remember Jerry leaving to go to the NICU with our daughter "just to be sure"...and my heart sinking. I remember hearing the surgeon and my doctor saying they needed to get the bleeding under control and the student nurse getting sick again. It seemed to take forever...longer than my sisters. Then it was over and they were wheeling me out...and I remember looking at the room when we were leaving and seeing all the blood. It was everywhere and that scared me to death.
But then I was in the recovery room and there was Jerry...holding our daughter and she was perfect! She was totally healthy! They took her to the NICU because she wasnt as "perky" as they would have liked. They had to pump a ton of blood from her stomach and they were sure if it was hers or mine...it was mine. We spent a while in the recovery room being watched and checked. Cici got her first bath and her official measurements. She was 20inches and 6lbs 9.8oz. Born at 658am. It was nice to get out of there and into our normal room again.
I spent more time in the hospital after the cesarean than I would have liked and they wanted to keep me in there even longer than they did. It turns out the pain I was feeling was from the placenta tearing away from the uterine wall. My doctor thinks it started before Thanksgiving and that is what was causing my contractions to start. We didnt know because there was no bleeding at that point. But, by the time I was in labor it was tearing so bad that it was a good thing we did the cesarean when we did. Not only could we have lost the baby, but I could have died as well. I ended up losing about half my blood volume. In turn, I had a blood transfusion... two full pints.
In the end, I may have been a little worse for wear....and the delivery may not have gone as any of us had imagined....but we have an amazing, beautiful, healthy little girl. Constance-Marie Nichole is a wonderful addition to our family and we are so thankful and blessed that she is here!
Monday, November 29th, the docs nurse called because he wanted to see me to check on me right away. We got in there and there had been no cervical change, but my BP was way up again....so back to labor and delivery we went....with the hopes of everyone that they would just induce me this time. So, after some blood work and an hour of monitoring, I was admitted to be induced. Jerry got me situated in my room and then headed home to get everything. The kids and my parents came and everything got under way. Noone expected things to take very long...or turn out the way they did.
By 1pm I was hooked up to everything and on Pitocin. They checked and rechecked and there were no cervical changes. The contractions were getting stronger...and more painful...there was just nothing happening. My water broke around 5pm. At 11pm, I was only about 5cm. I gave in and got an epidural so I could get some rest. The initial shot was great, but a few hours later it was gone. I was having intense pain in my lower left abdomin, unlike anything I had ever felt. It was instant tears and I just knew something was wrong. But all the numbers were fine, so they gave me another shot to try to keep going. An hour later...the relief was gone and the intense pain was back. My BP was high again, but she was fine, so another shot to keep going.
At 5am on November 30th my doctor came in to check on me. I was about 9 1/2cm so he had me try to push because the only thing stopping me was a little part of my cervix. The more I pushed, the more pain I was in, the higher my BP went, and the lower her heart rate got. At one point Jerry said it got down to 17BPM. After an hour of this, that is when they got worried. My doctor looked at me and said he thought we may have to do a cesarean. I said that I didnt care as long as our little girl was going to be okay. That was just after 6am. At 630 am my doctor walked in and said we were in fact going to do a cesarean. It was the last thing I wanted, and I got scared because I knew at this point that it meant something was wrong.....and I was in a TON of pain.
I dont really remember the details of the next 28 minutes. I vaguely remember having to sign some papers. I remember being wheeled into the OR. I remember FINALLY getting my spinal and feeling no pain. I remember Jerry coming in and seeing the anesthsiologist above me. I remember hearing one of the student nurses getting sick. I remember shaking so badly that I thought I was doing something wrong and being assured that it was normal from the meds and adrenaline. I remember hearing my daughter cry for the first time, the nurse telling Jerry she was okay, Jerry telling me she was beautiful...and then feeling tears roll down my face. I remember Jerry leaving to go to the NICU with our daughter "just to be sure"...and my heart sinking. I remember hearing the surgeon and my doctor saying they needed to get the bleeding under control and the student nurse getting sick again. It seemed to take forever...longer than my sisters. Then it was over and they were wheeling me out...and I remember looking at the room when we were leaving and seeing all the blood. It was everywhere and that scared me to death.
But then I was in the recovery room and there was Jerry...holding our daughter and she was perfect! She was totally healthy! They took her to the NICU because she wasnt as "perky" as they would have liked. They had to pump a ton of blood from her stomach and they were sure if it was hers or mine...it was mine. We spent a while in the recovery room being watched and checked. Cici got her first bath and her official measurements. She was 20inches and 6lbs 9.8oz. Born at 658am. It was nice to get out of there and into our normal room again.
I spent more time in the hospital after the cesarean than I would have liked and they wanted to keep me in there even longer than they did. It turns out the pain I was feeling was from the placenta tearing away from the uterine wall. My doctor thinks it started before Thanksgiving and that is what was causing my contractions to start. We didnt know because there was no bleeding at that point. But, by the time I was in labor it was tearing so bad that it was a good thing we did the cesarean when we did. Not only could we have lost the baby, but I could have died as well. I ended up losing about half my blood volume. In turn, I had a blood transfusion... two full pints.
In the end, I may have been a little worse for wear....and the delivery may not have gone as any of us had imagined....but we have an amazing, beautiful, healthy little girl. Constance-Marie Nichole is a wonderful addition to our family and we are so thankful and blessed that she is here!
CiCi's Room
Our little girls room is a mix of girly and Native American to celebrate her heritage thanks to her father...We believe that it is important for her to know her roots. Its quite different...but we think it is gorgeous! There is Jerrys flag on the wall. My mom gave us some dolls and mocossans, a ladder, and a basket for her blankets. Then, we hung Jerrys breastplate above her crib and two of my dads pictures. The other walls have pictures, etc from other members of the family. She also has a wood toy chest for later and lots and lots of shelving with baskets for storage.....