Meet the newest St. Clair, Allison Aurora!
She arrived a little earlier than expected. We were supposed to be in labor on Labor Day this year. But Allie knew better. Last Friday, Luke and I went to the doctor, who was concerned about possible preeclampsia for me. I mean, just look at these ankles...
We were a little excited, because Dr. Cox had told me earlier in the week if anything was out of the ordinary, we'd be inducing labor. We even packed the car so we'd be ready to go straight to the hospital with our bags if that should be the situation. So after checking me out, the answer we got: no baby today. Essentially my blood pressure was just a few off from being too high. She told us if there had been one more thing wrong, she'd be saying I have preeclampsia. The next step: get more information. After a blood test, we were sent to LDS Hospital for a non-stress test. Ironically, the maternal fetal medicine department is right next door to labor and delivery. So close! And yet so far.
The good news was Allie was safe and sound, just not ready to make her debut. We went home, where we decided a long nap was a good idea. Neither Luke or me slept well the night before and were major sleep deprived (little did we REALLY know what that means!) So after a five hour nap, I got up and started doing normal things. Just about the time I was feeding the dogs, I leaned over to grab their bowls and boom! Well, not boom, maybe trickle. My water broke! On to the hospital for real this time!
We checked in to labor and delivery right around 10pm. Contractions hadn't started yet, so we hung out in happy anticipation that this was finally happening.
The rooms were great, very big and comfortable. Finally the nurses came in to hook me up to the fetal and contraction monitors. Right about this time, I started feeling really bad pain, like a giant gas bubble. The nurses dismissed it, because contractions aren't that low. But this was "I'm going to cry because this hurts so bad" pain. About this time, they told me the contraction monitor wasn't picking up anything, so we needed to start Pitocin. Also mentioned: "You can get the epidural any time you want." I didn't wait.
The anesthesiologist was one of my favorite people that night. He came right away and was great about explaining everything and how it all works. The procedure itself was quick and painless. The only weird part was it made me shake all over while the drugs took effect. The result: me looking like a burrito wrapped in warm blankets.
At this point, the epidural was working great. I could feel the contractions, but it was more like a firm pressure than any pain. This meant I got to sleep. I say sleep, but it was really more like a deep meditative state. Luke also got some sleep. He'd been a champ running to get me ice chips, popsicles, and holding my hand when the epidural drugs just weren't cutting it anymore. Sometime early Saturday morning, we got a re-dose with a higher concentration of the drugs and we were good again. Which meant more sleeping.
We woke up to the most beautiful sunrise that morning, as our windows faced East toward the mountains. This sunrise was a big reason for me to give Aurora as Allie's middle name. About 9am, we were at about 9cm. We started to get excited that Allie would be here soon! Like, around noon! But things slowed way down at this point. We discovered I had a fever, and wasn't releasing much urine. Fearing a uterine infection, the doctor on call decided we should probably get some antibiotics in me to protect Allie and I. But we never got that far.
About 1pm, we started pushing. Things were great, as the epidural was still working at this point, and pushing actually felt really good, relieving some of that contraction pressure. The nurse asked me if I wanted a re-dose on my epidural, since it was starting to lose its potency somewhat, and the fool I am said, "no, I can handle this." And I did, until about an hour into pushing. Then things got very real, and there was pain. Pushing got more exhausting. Dr. Cox arrived for delivery about 1:45pm, and about 10 minutes later we were crowning. The TV was on for background noise for me, and she joked Allie needed to be here by the time Friends was over.
Before we went to the hospital, we had planned that Luke would stay up at the head of the bed with me, we weren't going to do any mirrors, anything like that. Yes it's a miracle, but there are just some images that never leave you. But for Luke, the nurses had him holding my leg as we pushed, throwing him right into the action the whole time. He tells me it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be, and actually kinda cool to see her crown and watch her be born.
Once she crowned, the pain was absolutely mind-altering. I say that because you can't think of anything else. You can't comprehend what people are saying. I'm trying so hard to concentrate and stay calm and relaxed to make things go easier, but your body is on fire. We finally got her head out, and I had pretty much had it. I don't really know what happened at that point. I remember being told to push, and I was crying, and trying to gather the strength for that final push. Apparently that wasn't fast enough, because the doctor said something, and my legs went up in the air and suddenly Allie was here at 3:02pm. I still don't know what happened or why.
Where we had initially had just 3 medical professionals in the room, suddenly there were about 10. Luke told me later when Allie was born, she was so white he was terrified. He didn't get to cut the cord. The doctor wanted to get Allie checked out immediately because of the infection risk. He did get to take some pics of her getting cleaned up, weighed, measured, and checked out. We had a 7 pound 10 ounce baby girl measuring 20 inches long. She was a 7 and then a 10 on the Apgar scale, mostly for her skin taking a little time to pink up.
Even as a ghostly cone-head she's cute! I pretty much laid there recovering, mostly stunned and exhausted. I really am a wimp about pain, and I had just given birth, pretty much naturally. I was actually really proud of myself. Finally they brought Allie to me and laid her on my chest. It was beautiful. I wouldn't say there was that love at first sight you see in the movies, because I was so overwhelmed with the experience that this baby was mine. I'd carried her for 9 months and now she was here. It was more surreal than anything. We only got about 40 minutes with her before she was taken to the special care nursery for antibiotics. We just admired our new baby girl while the doctor stitched up a small internal tear and someone put antibiotics in my IV drip.
All during the last few hours of labor, I was craving a huge, cold Sprite like no one's business. I hadn't eaten or drank anything for about 24 hours and I was parched. I gave the nurses a laugh when I told them multiple times I wanted a Sprite after Allie arrived, and that at one point, that Sprite became my focal point while pushing. I got three :)
Luke went down to special care with Allie while I got the monitors removed and the nurse got my things together. We wheeled down to the recovery room, which felt like a closet after that labor and delivery room. When Luke finally came back, he came with Allie, who was now cleaned up, sporting an IV and a beautiful full head of hair!
As we spent time recovering, this was when I really fell in love with my daughter. Getting to hold her, feed her, interact with her was just perfect. We only ran into trouble when we tried feeding. For some reason, she was a slow learner on sucking. Even if you put your finger in her mouth, she wouldn't do anything with it. We had several nurses, specialists, and pediatricians check on her throughout our stay trying to figure out what was wrong. Turns out she just needed a little more time to learn, though she is a little tongue tied. For a while, we were worried she'd have to stay in special care after we were discharged, because she wasn't eating enough. But after she and I had a heart to heart, she got with the game and we were able to go home.
Recovering at the hospital was not the best. The nurses and staff were all great, and even the food was pretty good. But when you're trying to sleep and heal, it's not the best thing to have someone coming in your room every hour to check on you or the baby. I remember one night being woken up at 4am by some nurse wanting to take my blood. I was so tired, and she missed me on one arm. It was getting frustrating at this point because all Luke and I wanted to do was sleep. Allie roomed with us most of the time. Whenever they would take her for more antibiotics, they would take her for a few hours, so we could get uninterrupted sleep. But we liked having her with us, bonding as a family.
Finally we were able to go home. Allie actually liked her car seat once we got her strapped in.
Our first night at home was a little rough. I learned if a doctor asks if you want narcotic pain medication, you take them! I hadn't realized just how much pain I was really in after giving birth, because they'd kept me hopped up on Motrin 800s the entire time. Dumb Cindy didn't get her prescription filled that day, and so by 2am, my back was on fire. I mean, I felt like I was in labor again. I couldn't lie down, I couldn't sit, I couldn't take care of my baby. I woke Luke up from his nap and tearfully asked him to watch Allie. I found some Ibuprofen and tried to lie down while they kicked in. I woke up three hours later, frantic because I had left Luke hanging so long. He was only too happy to take care of Lil' Bear, saying she slept on his lap as he watched TV.
That's really been the worst of it. We've been up together, because it took a while for my milk to come in. So feeding Allie was a two-man job with a method called SNS, which is where you use a nipple shield, a tiny tube and a syringe full of formula. I think Luke's been more worried about it than me, keeping a better eye on the clock for feeding time and doing great about prepping and washing all the supplies every time. It's been so fun to watch him become a loving and supportive dad.
Today was Allie's first doctor's appointment, and Dr. Burton was super happy. Allie was eating great, looked great, no sign of jaundice, and cooperated as they snipped her tied tongue. It was definitely a lesson in going anywhere with a baby, though. We were about 10 minutes late for our appointment, and then getting anywhere the rest of the day was a struggle. I took Allie to see John for his birthday, and what was supposed to be a 2pm arrival time became a 3pm drop-in. Not to mention I have a lot more to remember now, with a diaper bag and car seat in addition to my purse. I totally forgot to even take my purse to her doctor visit.
It's been an absolute joy getting to know this little girl for both of us. Even the dogs are thrilled, they're both protective and loving with her, giving her kisses and running to her nursery when she cries. Luke and I could sit forever just staring at her when she's awake, as she stares and the world around her. She's a good baby so far, only crying when she needs something, and once that need is satisfied, she quietly looks around or goes back to sleep. Hopefully that continues.
She already brings so much joy into our lives than I think either of us thought possible. I'm really going to make a good effort to post photos and updates here, not just for family, but for my own record keeping as well. This time is already flying by, I don't want to forget how special it is.
Love, Cindy
PS: A huge thanks to everyone who has sent gifts and brought food! I am working on thank you notes this week in between Allie Bear feedings, but I just wanted to make sure you all know your thoughtful gifts have not gone unappreciated. We are so lucky to have such awesome families!
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