Birth of Paige Alexandria

It's true what they say about kids born after the first get shafted.  I haven't taken nearly as many pictures of Paige as I did with Ahlyssa in the first few weeks and so I am here to apologize to Paige.  (I will be printing this off and putting it in her "journal".)

May 29, 2012--I went to my regular scheduled doctors appointment, did the non-stress test, they re-took my blood pressure (as they always have to) and I waited for the receptionist to call me to checkout.  My doctor comes around the corner and she pulls me into an exam room and says, "Well I'm sending you in to have the little one." I couldn't have been more excited!!  Doctor was concerned about my blood pressure because at this point it was 150/96.  This would make Paige 26 days early.

She ordered me to be at the hospital at 10 p.m. and they would get me hooked up to something that would thin my cervix. 

May 30, 2012--6 a.m.--They started me on pitocin and magnesium sulfate (so I wouldn't seizure), an antibiotic (I think this was because she was so early but I'm not sure), and saline.  They had given me a drug that was to help with contractions but it wasn't an epidural. I guess its to hold one over until the anesthesiologist can get to you.  That drug was pretty dang good.  Although luckily I didn't have to wait long.  Unfortunately, with all the fluids I had going into me, the epidural didn't work.  I had so many fluids going into my body that I had to have two of those IV poles to hold all the bags.  That made it fun to go potty and as you can imagine I had to OFTEN!

We hung out for awhile and they came in at about 10:30 a.m. and broke my water.  Because I had so much extra fluid, I was leaking fluid for a LONG time (TMI--sorry!).  A little while after, the anesthesiologist came and poked me twice for the epidural.  I was ok for a little while.  I could feel a little bit and the nurses kept checking how much I was actually feeling my scratching my stomach.  And at a certain point I couldn't feel the scratching on my stomach, BUT I could feel lots of pressure.  I kept telling them that but they said there wasn't much that could be done.  At this point I was still doing ok.  About 1:15 p.m. was when I thought I was going to die (seriously-I did).  A nurse came and checked my cervix and she told me I was at a 5 cm.  I couldn't believe it.  I was thinking to myself if the contractions are like this at a 5 how the heck am I going to survive them at 8-10?!?!

I was in so much pain I told Brian I wanted a c-section.  He called the nurse in and I asked, "What do I do to get a c-section?"  I can't remember exactly what she said, but basically I heard probably not gonna happen.  She checked me at about 1:40 ish p.m. and she said, "Oh honey you are at a 9."  Oh happy day not much longer!  She left and I told Brian to go back and get her because I really need to push.  And he kept saying "don't push babe."  The nurse came hurrying back in with all kinds of other people and I kept telling them I need to push. Finally there was my doctor and I went to pushing and less than 5 minutes later Paige entered.  I pushed like my life depended on it because I really felt it did because it was a killer.  I was determined that if it was going to hurt this bad then I am going to push like no other and get her OUT and out she came at 1:52 p.m at 7 pounds 10 ounces and 19.75 inches long.

She came to the world not crying and blue. Brian wasn't allowed to cut the cord and they immediately started the things to get her worked up.  I didn't really know what was going on.  All I saw was Brian in tears (although I thought it was tears of happiness--really he was freaked out) and all the nurses looking at Paige (again I thought they just thought she was so cute or something--although she is--that wasn't why).  Anyway they got her screaming and a decent pink color.  Her temperature was low so she stayed under the warmer for a long while.  Her cord was in a knot and the nurse called the placenta "fried".  Not sure what that means exactly?

I got to stay on magnesium for awhile after and they had to continue to check my reflexes.  But all is well and we both are doing so good.  I just couldn't imagine if Paige was born at her due date (June 24) the size she could have been!  We all love her to pieces.