Caroline's Birth Story (Early and NICU stay)
jcsntms06
member
This was my second pregnancy and I was being monitored weekly for high blood pressure and pre-term labor. I was receiving the 17p shots since 16 weeks. At my 32 week appointment my blood pressure was up, which landed me a night in the L&D. We dropped off my first daughter at a friends place and headed to the hospital. I got my blood taken, urine tested (no protein, no sugar), and we got to listen to the baby's heart beat (love). It was during the monitoring that I learned that I was contracting as well. Was 1 cm and 50% effaced at 32w 6d. I was given two shots of terb and two doses of procadia. I also received one steroid shot that evening and was told to return the following night for the second shot. I was sent on my way home. The following evening we returned to the hospital for the second steroid shot and I was officially put on bedrest at least until 35 weeks.
On March 9 I started feeling the contractions, and I called the doctor on-call about my contractions, was told to just drink lots of water and lay on my left, call if the contractions continue. Saturday the contractions were not bad, but I mainly rested all day.
On Sunday March 11, I noticed that my contractions were much stronger. That morning I felt off, had diaherra, and at 3, I noticed that my contractions were on top of each other. I called the on-call doctor who, told me to head to L&D. At this point was 34w 4d, and was not ready to have this baby. When we got to the hospital, was checked and was now at 2.5 and 80% effaced. Three nurses tried to get an iv in my arm (I became the human pin cushion). Finally the doctor got the iv in and they started to give me fluids. At 1a.m. nothing had changed, still have contractions, terb and procadia were not working. I was toId I was staying for the evening. At 2a.m. I remember asking for something for the pain. They gave me ambein to help with the sleep issue and staydol for the pain. I fell asleep for a few hours (maybe) and at 4, I was woken by the Triage doctor, who was checked me, now I'm 6 or 7 cm. I was then rushed down to L&D. I remember asking the nurse for an epidural and she told me I was on the list. The on-call doctor with my practice (who I never meet) walks into the room, and I remember asking him for an epidural too. Things were a little fuzzy because of the staydol made me feel very loopy. My DH ran out to our car and got our bags, along with the baby book. I believe he had just made it back in time before the room was prep for the birth.
I remember the doctor walking in, suited up and me asking for an epidural. He says, "you can wait 45 minutes or have the baby now". At that moment, I felt the urged to push. I pushed two times and Caroline Vivian was born at 4:57 a.m. weighing 5lbs 5oz and 19 1/4 inches long (she was born at 34w 5days). She came out screaming and the NICU started to take her measurements. I got to hold her for one minute before they rushed her down to the NICU.
Caroline spent 14 days in the NICU for Apena's and Brady's. She is now 2 months old and the light of our lives.
Re: Caroline's Birth Story (Early and NICU stay)
Thank you!