I guess I will post Olivia's birth story here too-- it was perfect and short and just like I wanted it. Last Sunday, I was SOOOO uncomfortable. I had tons of pelvic pressure and my lower back was aching a lot. I tried to ignore it because I knew that I technically had a whole month to go before my due date, but by the afternoon, I started to think twice about it. I wasn't in pain at all, just a degree more uncomfortable than I had been for weeks. I thought I had been having contractions on and off, every day and night for about 3 weeks, but nothing regular-- nothing that I could really time or anything. I figured they were BH ctx and were more pronounced b/c this is my 3rd and I am all stretched out and whatnot. So, uncomfortable but not unbearable. We had planned on going to Walmart to do weekly grocery shopping and I was going to just suck it up and go, but I kept whining about my discomfort. We all probably know this feeling by now about not wanting to go to L&D and have it be a false alarm and that's right where I was-- either go to Walmart or go to L&D, probably just to be sent home. I was torn so DH convinced me to go to L&D and good thing I did.

When I got there, they hooked me up to the moniters and, sure enough, I was contracting like every 3 minutes-- again, nothing painful, just uncomfortable. When the nurse checked me I was already 4 cm and had my amniotic sac was bulging almost out of my cervix. No wonder I felt pressure. So they admitted me at around 4pm. It went quickly and exactly how I wanted after that. Got the epidural and it took on the first try. They then gave me pitocin to intensify the contractions but I never felt them-- WOOHOO! They broke my water around 7:15 and I swore I would have the baby within 2 hours b/c that was how my other 2 kids were. I called people and chatted-- my DD was hilarious when I told her we were having the baby then. She was like "I thought you were just going to Walmart!"-- I promised her that I would bring her home something far better than anything from Walmart. When I got off the phone, the nurse checked me and asked, "Do you want to have a baby?" LOL. After a mad scramble for the baby stuff and the doctor, I pushed 3 times and out comes Miss Olivia at 9:11-- 6 hours after we got there and just under 2 hours after they broke my water. I was never in pain at all, just a bit uncomfortable, exactly the way I wanted it. Except a month early.

She was bruised all over from the quick delivery (that was a bit disturbing) and needed a quick suction before she wailed (but my other 2 kids were slow to cry at first too). That is such a panicky and unsure time, though, when you are waiting to hear a cry and there are people crowded around the bassinet, doing all the stuff they do right after birth. I swear I didn't breathe for a full 5 minutes until I got the word that she was ok. Her apgars were 8 & 9, but we were all pleased with her size: 7lbs 7oz and 19 3/4" long. Not bad for a "preemie". Everything was looking good and then the next day, her blood count came back with elevated levels of white blood cells and hematocrit. She wasn't jaundiced yet but they were all expecting it, and they were right. I got discharged on Tuesday evening and had to leave my baby there. What a terrible terrible TERRIBLE thing. We were so pathetic-looking, leaving the hospital with an empty car seat and I was a total wreck. I feel for all you mamas who have had preemies or sick babies and had to do the same thing. Nothing can prepare you for how crappy it feels, but, of course, you want to do what's best for the baby. She was in there for 2 nights and we finally got to take her home on Thursday night. Since then, though, her blood count remains a bit elevated and her jaundice has returned with a vengeance. She is on a biliblanket at home for now and has had daily heel pricks to check her levels. Her bilirubin was at 11.3 when she left the hospital, 16 on Friday and yesterday it rose to 17.3. We go this morning to get another heel prick and if it has gone up again, she goes back to the hospital for the heavy-duty lights. What a roller coaster ride so far and it's only been one week!!

I have breastfed my other 2 kids with great success so I totally took for granted that I would BF this one too. I started in the hospital but when she had to stay, I let them supplement with formula. I have been solely BF since she has been home but I think I am also going to supplement with formula now. I can't help but think that there must be some correlation between her levels and the formula, since the bilirubin count had gone down in the hospital. I am still going to BF too but I will do whatever it takes to get her well! It's a little sad, though, when you have these expectations that don't get met but that is the story of parenthood, really: do what you can do but surrender to the experience.

Thanks for listening, ladies. Wish us luck today and let's hope her counts are all good!

Also a big CONGRATS to all the other mamas who have already had their babies!!! I can't believe how many of us had February babies. And to all you ladies still waiting, not much longer until we get to read YOUR birth stories!! Hang in there-- your time is right around the corner and of course it will all be worth the wait!

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