Meet Caroline Grace!

After 18 hours of labor Caroline is here! She was born last night (August 5th) at 8:06PM (we were sort of hoping for 8:05 on 8/05 but I couldn't push that fast!). She weighed in a 3 pounds, 14 ounces and was maybe 16 inches long. It only took 30 minutes of pushing to get her here, but she decided to arrive with her head sideways which made her almost 4 pound little body incredibly difficult to push out!

Here is short summary of the craziness from the last couple of days:

• Water broke Thursday morning (exactly 32 weeks - 4 weeks from our pre-term labor incident) at 8:30 while leaning over to cuddle with Fred; was at North Country by 10AM with bags packed ready for Dartmouth. They checked and tested everything they could there before loading me up on the ambulance for the ride to Dartmouth... Tyler followed behind in the car.
• Once admitted at Dartmouth we were surprised to learn that despite what we had read, I did not have to deliver within 24 hours. In fact, they wanted me to stay pregnant until 34 weeks - another full 2 weeks! I was to be in bed at all times keeping baby baking.
• At 2AM Thursday morning Caroline had another idea. I had not been able to sleep yet so when the contractions started I knew exactly what was happening. Tyler, on the other hand, was doing his best to sleep so he was sort of unaware until morning.
• Around 5AM Caroline's heartbeat slowed down to the 60s and then stopped altogether. I was rushed (in 2 minutes flat!) to the OR for an emergency c-section (while Tyler was trying to figure out what the heck had just happened!). I couldn't and still cannot believe how fast they were. I already had the IV in but was catheterized (no pain meds - yikes!) and strapped to the table for general anesthesia.  Again, Caroline had other plans and decided as soon as we were all ready for surgery that she was completely fine. Back to the room we went to wait some more.
• Back in our room I requested an epidural - soooo not in my birth plan - because the pain from the catheter and the internal fetal monitor was killing me. I got the epi but it only impacted my left leg from my hip to my knee. Around 10:30AM they checked me and decided I was ready to push... we were again rushed to the OR and I gave it a try. However, Caroline decided instead to be a turtle and to sneak back up higher into my uterus to hide for a while. They gave me pitocin to kick start contractions again but it immediately caused her heart rate to drop... talk of an emergency section began again, only to stop once baby decided she was fine. Back to our room we went.
• I was left alone to contract and wait until about 3:30 when it was decided that they would try pitocin again, but give me less and keep me on oxygen. Anytime her heart rate started dropping I would turn over to the other side and she would be fine. Contractions got longer and stronger and at this point I knew that dang epidural wasn't working. (And with each inhale I would say to myself, "You can do anything for one minute." My friend Lianne gave me this advice on my way to the hospital and it helped keep me calm and breathing.)
• I had only dilated to about a 7 when the doctors again brought up a c-section. They said it didn't seem that my body wanted to dilate anymore and they were afraid baby and mom would tire out. I had the anesthesiologists come in and attempt to fix my epi to no avail. Within an hour contractions were horrible, but I was told I'd get the chance to push for an hour or two. Yikes! I needed another epi to deal with that! So the anesthesiologist had to come back and completely re-do the epidural while I was having these serious contractions - no fun. (At this point I also had an internal monitor for my uterus placed... something I learned about in child birth class and said "No way will I ever have that!")
• By 7:30PM I was back in the OR completely numb and able to begin the work of pushing. And man oh man is that work! Today I feel like I was hit by a truck... arms, legs, stomach - all tired. I love all of the nurses and doctors but they sure are good liars. "One more push Aimee you are doing so well!" Really meant I had like 12 pushes left! However, I did believe the docs when they said I was a good pusher - because I did deliver her even though her head was sideways (and now really lopsided and bruised!). At one point they pulled out the plunger thing to help pull her out, but after a lovely episiotomy instead Caroline was born at 8:06PM.
• Tyler got to follow Caroline to the NICU's Panda Room (connected to the OR) and take pictures while she got cleaned up. Once she was ready, she was deemed healthy enough for me to see too. So exciting since I thought I'd have to wait 3-4 hours! (We also had a few moments to look at the placenta with the doctor which was pretty fascinating.)

After she was born I had to pee and walk before I could visit her. The former was a piece of cake but that first epidural took a toll on my left leg and I couldn't move it at all. After two hours I could stumble into a wheelchair to go visit - and man is my little girl adorable! I really thought she'd come out looking like an alien or a naked mole rat, but instead she is just a miniature little baby! I got to give nursing a try, and she did a great job of rooting around. It will probably be a few days before she understands how to suck. In the meantime I have a wonderful hospital-grade pump that I am using every three hours (with some success!) to get her some nourishment and to get my body ready. (The nurses and docs have said that after spending more time with her today my milk should really start doing its job.)

Caroline has an IV in the NICU and some pretty nasty bruising on her head, but is currently breathing on her own and showing no signs of any sort of health problems. We are so blessed!

This morning I had the last equipment removed from my body - the IV - and sent Tyler to the NICU to take Caroline some drops of milk and a "Lovey" - a piece of fabric that I slept with on my chest for her to cuddle with today. I plan to have breakfast (any minute now I hope) and nap until its time to pump, maybe try taking a shower, and then hang with my beautiful baby all day. No more bed rest for me!

Some pics from yesterday:

Big fat contractions with non-working epi = no fun!

But Caroline is tolerating the pitocin well!

Here she is!

My feisty little wiggle-worm!

I get to hold her way earlier than I thought! Still in OR!

LOVE!

We can't believe we are parents!

Daddy with his little girl

Dennis stopped by to give kisses

Susie even got to hold her!

Practicing some kangaroo care in the NICU last night

She is so much bigger than I expected!