Elise Birth Story

{WARNING: Long post and picture overload!}

My mom flew in on the 17th, thinking for sure we would be close to having this baby! I had been so antsy for SUCH a long time, and was ready to get this baby here.  What pregnant mother isn't at 3 days before her due date? Well we woke up the next morning and Bennett was not breathing very well.  {He had never been "officially diagnosed" with asthma, but he got bad coughs CONSTANTLY.  It seemed like he would get over a cold and then the next week he would have another one... I unofficially blame this on nursery! There are always sick kids in there and sure enough! Every tuesday morning he wakes up with a runny nose and a cold... gah! What can you do?} I called my pediatrician because Bennett was just moaning and really struggling to breathe.  He didn't want to do anything but cuddle in my lap.  So they told me to bring him right in.  

We got there and they checked his pulse-oxygen level and it was really low-- he wasn't getting enough oxygen. They said: "We need to get him to the hospital RIGHT now.  Normally we call the ambulance if it's like this, but if you leave right now and go straight there, you can just take him." Poor thing! We went straight to the ER and they had to put an oxygen mask on him with a breathing treatment and he did NOT like that.  He didn't really like anything to do with the doctors or the hospital! He really was exhausted at this point, and I was trying to find anything to keep him entertained.  They came in and told us that he was going to be admitted and staying at LEAST overnight, possibly two or three nights, and also that he tested positive for RSV.  WHAT? I was due in two days! And delivering at a different hospital! Of course I was concerned about Bennett and wanted to get him better, but I was also thinking about bringing a new baby home to a toddler with RSV.  Not to mention the stress of having Bennett and I both in the hospital at the same time! Can you say CRAZY? Bennett was about to fall asleep so I told my mom that I would run home and grab stuff for Bennett and for overnight, and my mom stayed with him in the ER bed while he slept.  

That was a hard two days.  Bryan stayed overnight with him at the hospital and stayed home from school on Friday the 19th.  Luckily he only had a quiz that could be made up.  My mom and I ran some errands Friday while they were still hanging out at the hospital.  She was SO SO SO sweet and thoughtful and got so many things for us... clothes and outfits for Bennett and Elise and got our garden started with vegetable plants and flowers and garden tools.  Bennett got to come home friday night, but I was still stressing out about having a newborn around the RSV.  

Saturday rolled around {my due date} and still no baby! After lounging a bit in the morning, we decided to head to the Zoo for a bit.  Poor Grandma Porter had gotten a cold {probably what Bennett had} and was not feeling super great. 

We explored the new little playground they had at the Zoo.  It was nice for Bennett to get out and get some fresh air!

Someone had to stay home with Bennett from church on Sunday and I READILY volunteered... I did not want to go to church a day overdue and have everyone say "You're still pregnant?" "When's that baby coming?" and all the above.  

SIDE NOTE: I had had a doc appt on the 17th and convinced them to  consent to an induction before the standard one-week-overdue period {totally different from Utah!}.  They set me up for Tuesday morning, the 23rd, if I hadn't had the baby before then. I would go in Monday night to prep and they would start the pitocin in the morning. I had been having LOTS of braxton hicks for weeks, some of them VERY consistent, but nothing that was putting me into labor. 

Monday the 22nd, Bryan went back to school and my mom and I went shopping again. She needed to get some things for my two sisters who's birthday's are on the 23rd and 25th, AND I needed to take my mind off the fact that the baby still wasn't here! Bryan came home from school Monday afternoon and we made dinner and got all ready to go to the hospital! I was so relieved to know this baby would be in my arms so soon.  

Empty carseat on the way to the induction!

Reading my Grandma Bangerter's biography while waiting for the nurses

When I got there, they checked me and said I was at a 3 and 80% effaced. They came and gave me a little pill... I don't even remember what it is called.  It was just supposed to soften the cervix.  They said it usually doesn't put people into labor, but just preps your body to dilate faster when the pitocin is given. My contractions were worsening, but every time they came and checked me, I hadn't dilated anymore.  A male resident whom I had never met came and said that he thought this was going to end in a C-section because my body just wasn't ready and said that we could cancel the induction if I wanted to.  Um NO THANK YOU! He was not very nice or personable at all.  He didn't want to start my epidural because he thought I would just be going home, so he would only give me morphine, although I COULD NOT SLEEP because of the pain.  Narcotics make me super nauseous, and I don't do well on them at all, so I was throwing up alot.  It was a miserable night... The morphine made me really loopy and drowsy, but it wasn't knocking off ANY of the pain.   

Me with my throw up bucket :D

Come 6 a.m. I was so relieved to see my familiar resident, Dr. Hood, the one who approved my induction.  She told me they would go ahead and start the pitocin and take it from there.  I was still at a 3.  Gah! Well they came in an hour later and said I could get my epidural, so it was around 7:30 a.m. that they finally came in to do that.  Hallelujah! I love that thing.  At about 8:30 they came and broke my water, and I was at a 5.  

Bryan went down to get some breakfast and to meet my mom there and bring her up to my room.  My friend Annalisa came and watched Bennett and brought my mom to the hospital so she could be there for the birth.  Well at about 10:15 my mom and Bryan walked in and I said, "I am feeling a lot of pressure down there, I think I need to push." So I called the nurse and told her, and she sent a nurse practitioner student and a resident in.  The resident asked if the NP could check me for practice.  She said, "Oh, I would say a 5 and 90% effaced." What? I was at a 5 almost two hours ago! I said, "Really? That's it?" and the resident said, "Let me just confirm that..." She came over and checked me and said, "Oh no, I just felt your baby's head! You are crowning and ready to push!" Thank heavens!! The NP was a little embarrassed after that and kind of backed away... :) Well they got everything set up and three contractions later at 10:41 a.m. we had this:

A BEAUTIFUL baby girl!

We love this sweet girl so much!