A Mother's Day Gift

Well, my countdown ended much sooner than anticipated. At seven weeks early, our little nugget decided she was bored with life in the womb and needed to make her appearance. I had just had a doctor's appointment on Wednesday and everything seemed normal - baby was growing well and I was about to start having appointments two weeks apart. The next day I had a few cramps and a little bleeding, but a call to the doctor's office assured me I was just fine and just needed to rest for the day. So...I did. Friday continued much in the same fashion and I began to have some more pain in the evening. Little did I know these were contractions and I was in labor! I sent my husband off to watch the baseball game with some friends and spent the evening on the computer, annoyed by the twinges, but sure I simply needed a little more sleep.

Sleep was sparse that night. When 5:30 rolled around and the pains only seemed worse, I began to pray a rosary to pass the time until it was decent to call my mom (a nurse). This is when I realized that the pains had become rather regular - they were each a decade apart. After calling my mom, I called my doctor. After listening to my explanations, she said I could come in and get checked out or try to wait it out (really, these "contractions" didn't seem like contractions to me - I assumed my whole belly would be loosening and tightening, but not in this case!). I immediately requested to come in - if only to get some pain medicine and be sent packing. So, I took a shower and ate some breakfast, jokingly telling my husband that at least if I went into labor, I had started out clean and with some food (food is generally forbidden once in labor in hospitals).

So... get to the hospital get gowned and checked over by a nurse. Her face said it all. She informed me I was at 5 cm and this baby was coming. Um...what?! I was pretty shocked, but didn't really process what was going on. My mother immediately hopped a plane and our doctor began to do whatever she could to get our nugget ready to join the world ex-utero. I was immediately placed on an IV cocktail of magnesium sulfate (to slow the contractions and keep baby inside as long as possible), general nutrients and antibiotics. I was also given a shot of steroids in hopes that I could hold off long enough for the medicine to help her lungs develop. I also was given a catheter as I was not allowed to move from the bed once I had the magnesium in my system... I wasn't thrilled. All this happened before 8 am. Our birthing and parenting class was supposed to begin the coming Tuesday. We had very little clue what was going on. A wonderful NICU nurse came and discussed what we should expect for a 33 week old preemie. Daniel's parents arrived and left to pick up my mother from the airport. 1:30. Daniel showed his the depth of his character. He didn't complain once, but let me squeeze his hand into a pulp, prayed with me, got me water, sponged my face and pretty much just rocked being my labor coach.

My mom arrived and what seemed like an interminable day rolled onward. Prayers and love rolled in from everywhere. I truly believe that those prayers are what kept Nugget in utero longer than anyone thought was possible. The night was filled with contractions and very little sleep. I watched Nugget's heartrate, so grateful that she seemed unconcerned as she kicked herself around as happily as if nothing was going on. The upside to the night was discovering I was allowed clear liquids. A blue popsicle tasted like absolute heaven. Seriously. (The magnesium sulfate...or "mag" as the nurses call it, made me really hot as well as gave me the worst case of cotton mouth ever). I spent the night finding ways to roll over and try to relieve the pressure of being in the same bed for nearly 24 hours. Women who have to be on bed rest for months are amazing. I have no idea how they do it, but they all deserve medals. Lots of them. By morning, my contractions were starting to get worse and they decided it was time to check my progress. 9 cm. The nurse told me she would be calling the doctor, I had very little time. They kicked my mag to as high as was safe and gave me one more shot of steroids, hoping I could eke out one more hour to develop Nugget's lungs.

I hate that medicine. At first I thought I was just tired and attempted to nap in between contractions (everyone else in the room watched my monitors like a great TV show and discussed it as such). I attempted to lift my head at one point and discovered the nasty side effects of the mag. It was impossible to focus on anyone's face and my darling husband had three heads. Seriously. It was so disorienting, I begged to the nurse to see if there was anything she could do. I was so worried that I wouldn't be able to get through labor and wouldn't be able to even hold my baby when she came. My desperation was enough for her to ask the doctor who said they could dial it down a little, with the understanding that if the contractions began to speed up, worsen or get at all more regular, I was back up where I began. I almost cried in relief when they turned it down. While I was still extremely dizzy had a hard time focusing, people returned to having the correct amount of body parts and very soon after I didn't care as the contractions began to hit a higher level. If I haven't mentioned it, this entire experience has put me in awe of all mothers, especially my own. Labor is painful and I am so glad my mommy loved me and my siblings enough to go through it (6 times!) to give us our wonderful family.

Daniel and my mom were wonderfully attentive. They wiped my face, squeezed my hand, rubbed my sore legs - everything. Daniel's parents were awesome! They are wonderful in-laws and took care of anything possible. We told stories and bet on how much nugget would weigh (Daniel's mom ended up winning this btw). Finally sometime in midafternoon, the doctor told the nurses that the baby was coming and it was time to turn off the magnesium. I was grateful (lifting my head never felt so good) and slightly horrified as I realized the contractions were going to just get worse. Somehow - we managed to hold Nugget off and I prayed and sweat through another couple hours of contractions. Finally, sometime around 5 pm, the doctor put me out of some of my misery and broke my membranes so I could push. I have never experienced anything more intense - all I wanted was to get my little girl out and taken care of. Luckily, she seemed more than pleased to make her grand entrance (minus the several extra pushes because her teeny tiny little ears were stuck!).

Daniel and I welcomed our little daughter into the world outside the womb at 5:43 pm. She was 4 lbs, 2 oz, 17 3/4 inches long and had a little thatch of blonde hair to boot. The most relieving thing of all was when I they told me she was breathing just fine on her own. I got to hold her several times before they took her off to the NICU (as did Daniel and the proud, proud grandparents. I was so glad!). The doctors and nurses worked me over and got my IV restarted (supposedly I accidentally ripped it out while pushing...). The entire experience was completely surreal. Even a day and a half later, I am only beginning to process that our daughter is here. I think both Daniel and I felt (and still feel somewhat) entirely unprepared. However, the nearly two days of labor showed us how many people love and support us. We will not be lacking help as we make our way through the parenthood. I will be officially discharged tomorrow (er...today), and my heart might break a little. I hate the idea of moving any further than a few feet away from the NICU and my daughter's bed. Luckily, she has been doing wonderfully. She has had no need for extra oxygen, weighed a good amount and has had no real distress. The long haul begins now as she learns how to eat. I love her so much. My husband is amazing. I am so tired. I think I'll go work on a few more hours of sleep.