Labor, delivery, and... Zoie Elizabeth!!!

We made it! Zoie Elizabeth is here!

Born at 9:49pm on Wednesday, July 17th, our little girl weighed 6lb 4oz and measured 18.25 inches. What an intense experience labor and delivery was! Definitely not the natural birth I was hoping for, but everything turned out okay.

Our little Zoie!

As I mentioned in my last post, my doctor was concerned about Zoie's dropping growth rate. I had ultrasounds every few weeks to check her measurements and weight (all estimations), and it appeared that she was in as low as the 2nd percentile! Worried that Zoie's growth was restricted by an early-aging placenta, my doctor told us we needed to get this baby out ASAP. The next evening, James and I checked into the hospital for a scheduled induction. I received Cervidil, was placed on a fetal monitor for a few hours, and then James and I were left to sleep until early morning, when I would start Pitocin.

The nurse woke us up at 5:30am, and got things ready for my IV drip of Pitocin and saline solution. She strapped me back onto the fetal monitor, added a blood pressure cuff, and I laid in bed while Pitocin started dripping. I couldn't even feel the contractions, but we watched them rise and fall on the computer screen. I remember thinking, wow, labor isn't so bad! That is, until my doctor came in at 8:30am to break my water. After the cushion of my amniotic sac was broken, every contraction pushed baby's head directly against my cervix. Ouch!

Often times, a women's body will take over labor and continue contracting after a kick-start of Pitocin and/or other labor drugs. Mine didn't. I stayed on Pitocin for 15 hours until Zoie was born! Being hooked up to an IV pole, fetal monitors, and a blood pressure cuff limited my movement to a few feet of space next to my bed. Every bathroom trip was quite an ordeal of unplugging wires and draping them around my neck. And I was so looking forward to the hot tub and soothing hot showers! Oh well...

As my nurse slowly increased the concentration of Pitocin in my IV, my contractions started to get wild. It's amazing how your primal brain takes over in active labor. I couldn't think straight, couldn't answer questions, and I could barely tell the ceiling from the floor! All I could do was focus on getting through each sharp, painful contraction so I could rest for a brief minute in between.

Proud new daddy!

James was such an amazing support during labor! He stayed with me every minute, letting me collapse onto him during rests (he literally held my entire body weight), and cheering me on during contractions. He pretty much saved my life when I had an anxiety attack when the nurse attempted a cervical exam during a contraction (James dove in and scooped me up from laying back in bed, and soothed my panic so I could breathe again).

The most painful position during labor was in bed. Luckily, I only needed to lay in bed briefly for cervical exams every 1-2 hours. I spent my entire labor on my yoga mat (which we rolled out next to the bed) either swaying in a type of Warrior pose, or sitting on the birth ball (exercise ball). During contractions on the ball, I would grab the squat bar attached to the bed and hang off the side. It felt good to hang onto something! During rests, I would collapse onto James, who was sitting behind me on a stool.

This lasted for endless hours, and it was exhausting! There was no way I could relax my body during these sharp, intense contractions (which is the best way to dilate your cervix!). Sometime around 6pm, the nurse checked my cervix again. Still only 3cm! I wasn't dilating any further. At this point, my contractions were completely overwhelming me. I had reached my breaking point, and knew that an epidural would be the only way I could possibly continue.

After the epidural was in place, James and I both settled down in our room and tried to sleep. It was definitely a relief, but I felt pretty sad about ruining my natural birth plan. However, the epidural ended up being a blessing! About 2 hours later, the nurse checked on me again. I was dilated to 9.5cm! It was almost push time!

Our baby Zoie, shortly after birth

The nurse ran to tell my doctor, but my doctor was about to begin a c-section on another patient. So, I labored for another hour, trying my best to relax through contractions. This extra hour was actually super beneficial, because Zoie started making her way lower and lower in my birth canal. When my doctor finally suited up and came in, I pushed Zoie out in two pushes! It literally took seconds.

What a beautiful moment when James cut the cord and the nurses placed my beautiful slimy blue baby on my chest! She felt sooo warm. I couldn't believe that she had been inside me just seconds before. It was the best moment of my life.

Zoie Elizabeth, we love you so much! We're so happy to have such a healthy, darling little girl.

Welcome to the world, Zoie!

39 weeks - It's GO TIME!

This is my last pregnancy post!

39 weeks!

We're checking into the hospital tonight! We're going to have a baby tomorrow! It's crazy how fast things are happening, and we're trying our best to keep up with all the changes.

Our ultrasound yesterday evening showed that Zoie's growth rate is still dropping off. She's now in the 10th and 2nd percentiles for her measurements, and her weight is estimated to be 5lb 12oz. Fortunately, she's still healthy, kicking a ton, and has a great heartbeat! There's plenty of amniotic fluid, good blood flow through the umbilical cord, but the placenta is degrading. We could see signs of the placenta aging and calcification on the ultrasound! At this point, we can care for Zoie better outside my womb than inside. Time to kick start labor and meet our daughter!

Since Zoie's growth has been dropping so quickly, we need to induce labor very soon. Tonight we're checking into the hospital around 8pm, I'll get Cervidil to help with dilation, and we'll hopefully sleep through the night (at least they have nice double beds!). By early morning, my body should be responding to the drug with stronger contractions, and I'll likely get some Pitocin to keep labor progressing.

We'll see how long I can hold out without getting an epidural (who knows what these contractions will feel like?), but if it's a long, painful, exhausting labor, I'm guessing I'll probably need one.

This is definitely not the way I imagined labor and birth going, but I'm so thankful that Zoie is still healthy and we're doing everything we can to keep her that way! Time to put aside our own desires and focus on what's best for Zoie.

At this point I've gotten over my shock, and I'm moving on to being excited (and nervous) about meeting our little girl! We're gonna have a BABY!!!

Wish us luck, maybe a little prayer, and stay tuned for NEWBORN PHOTOS soon!

Cheers,

Martha

38 weeks - Only 2 weeks away!

Hey everyone!

38 weeks!

We're at the two-week countdown until our due date! Since due dates are really just an estimate, I didn't think due dates were that significant. However, due dates matter when your doctor wants to induce you at 40 weeks because your baby looks small!

At our 26 week ultrasound, Zoie's estimated measurements put her in the 33rd percentile. At our 36 week ultrasound, Zoie's estimated measurements dropped her to the 12th percentile. Has her growth rate really dropped that much? Not necessarily. My doctor explained that the two different ultrasound technicians might have measured her slightly differently, and in general, accurate ultrasound measurements are more difficult to obtain as the baby gets bigger. BUT, if Zoie's 39 week ultrasound measurements put her as low as the 5th percentile, my doctor said that's a good indication that Zoie will thrive better outside my womb than inside.

It's sad to think that my body might not be providing Zoie what she needs to grow normally. I've been eating nutritious food, getting plenty of calories, taking my prenatal vitamins and DHA, exercising every day, getting enough sleep and staying stress-free. What more can I do?

On the other hand, there's a good chance that Zoie is growing exactly the way she is supposed to be growing. The great news is that her growth is symmetrically proportioned: she's just petite! Some babies are just smaller than others, just like some people are smaller than other people. And maybe the estimated measurements from the ultrasounds are completely off - it happens pretty regularly (just ask my sister-in-law - her "10lb" baby turned out to be a 7lb baby!).

We're anxious for Monday the 15th - our 39th week ultrasound that will determine Zoie's latest growth percentile. Above the 5th percentile? We can let labor start naturally up to 42 weeks. Below the 5th percentile? My doctor will want to induce labor on my due date. Come on Zoie, grow!!!

In other news, my group B strep test results were negative, yay! No IV of antibiotics during labor for me. Also at Wednesday's appointment, I had my first NST (a "non-stress test" - 10-30 minutes of laying down with a belly monitor measuring baby's movement and corresponding increasing/decreasing heart rate). My doctor was very pleased with Zoie's strong movements and healthy heartbeat patterns.

I'm optimistic and happy that we have a healthy baby, but we just need a little reassurance that her small size is not indicative of a problem. Now... I wonder if any of those methods of inducing labor naturally actually work? Might be time to try :-) Except castor oil, gross!

Here's what an average baby at 38 weeks of development looks like:




How far along are you? 38 weeks today - only 2 weeks until our due date!
 
How big is Baby? At 38 weeks, babies average about 6.8lb and measure 19.5 inches in length. I'm sure Zoie is a bit smaller than that, but who really knows... Maybe she'll surprise us all and be 10lb at birth!

Weight Gain? This morning's weight was 155.5lb, total weight gain = 24 pounds.

Gender? Little baby GIRL!

Maternity Clothes? Yes indeed. Only a few more weeks! I wonder how quickly I'll be able to wear my normal clothes (and look good in them!)?

Sleep? Sleep hasn't been too bad. Except for going to the bathroom 3-6 times each night, and some pretty wild dreams (my latest one involved getting stranded in a big city with George Bush!).

Movement? Zoie continues to wiggle all the time! She's getting so big and strong- it's funny to watch my belly jerk around. She still tickles me down by my hips (maybe she's practicing grasping with her hands?), and pokes out her tush above my belly button.

Food Cravings? Chocolate, citrus, and dairy.

Labor Signs? I think I might have started feeling some Braxton-Hicks contractions this week. No sensations of muscle cramping, but sometimes I can feel with my hands that my whole belly hardens for like a minute. Then my belly softens to where I could massage it with my hands.

Belly Button in or out? Hasn't poked out any further lately, yay!

What I miss? Well, I continue to miss my old body. My balance is off, I'm heavy, and because of my diastasis recti, I have literally no strength in my abdominal muscles!

Best moment(s) of the week? What a wonderful long weekend! It felt great to have so much free time to do whatever we wanted. On the 4th, we enjoyed a BBQ and a local fireworks show. James and I also saw Despicable Me 2 (great movie!), brought a picnic to park, took our puppy on some long walks, and enjoyed lots of sleeping in. Gotta get in all the relaxing we can before baby comes!

What I am looking forward to? This is James' last week of work before taking some vacation time. We're so anxious for Zoie to arrive!

Cheers,

Martha

37 weeks - FULL TERM!

Hello y'all!

37 weeks!

Today we're officially full term at 37 weeks (and I think we've gone through a belly growth spurt). Zoie could potentially arrive any day! My little bun should stay in the oven for another 3 weeks, but things would be okay if she came now. Hopefully she's packing on some baby fat since she measured a little small during the ultrasounds - she needs a little extra weight since breastfed newborns lose 7-10% of their body weight during the first 5-7 days.

We've been putting together our hospital duffel bag- just in case! Here's what's on our packing list:

Toiletries:
-toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss
-shampoo, conditioner, soap, razor, deodorant, moisturizer
-makeup and face wipes
-toilet paper (I don't want cheap crumbly paper the hospital might have!)
-nursing pads and maxi pads

Clothing:
-yoga pants and athletic shorts
-tee shirt and tank top
-short lightweight robe
-regular nursing bra and sports nursing bra, and several pairs of underwear
-2 pairs of swim trunks (in case James wants to join me in the hot tub!)
-flip flops

Electronics:
-Bose SoundLink (My playlist involves a lot of Florence + the Machine) and charger
-iPad and charger
-camera, memory card, and charger
-cell phones and chargers

Comfort items:
-snacks (granola bars, dried fruit, squeezable packets of honey peanut butter)
-gum, mints, and hard candy
-CamelBak/Nalgene bottles
-yoga mat (so I can stretch and kneel on the floor if I'd like to during labor)
-my own pillow with a waterproof cover
-some type of aromatherapy

For Zoie:
-2 outfits (for photos?) and 2 onesies
-lightweight hat and mittens
-diapers and wipes (although the hospital usually provides these)
-swaddle blankets
-burp cloths and bibs
-Boppy nursing pillow (with water-resistant cover)
-Maya Wrap baby carrier
-Mamascarf nursing cover
-car seat

Other:
-box of chocolates for the nurses
-printed copies of our birth plan

We're starting to feel more prepared for labor. Funny how it's such a waiting game - it could happen now, or 5 weeks from now! I've been working on a brief birth plan to bring to the hospital - mostly just asking the medical team to help us achieve a natural birth. I'm worried about making the hospital staff upset if I get too defensive about non-emergency interventions they might potentially pressure on me. I don't want to turn anyone against me, but I'm very particular about what is going to happen to my body and my baby.

Did you know that fear and adrenaline can actually pause the progression of labor? I'll need to find ways to stay relaxed, feel safe, and keep my mind focused during labor. James is going to be a huge help talking to the staff for me, and being my support through everything. I'm pretty excited for everything to start happening, I can't wait to meet our daughter!

Here's our girl at 37 weeks of development:



How far along are you? 37 weeks today - we're having a baby this month! (I hope!)
 
How big is Baby? This week, Zoie's average weight should be about 6 and 1/3 pounds and should measure about 19 inches long, but I'm guessing she's still smaller than average based on her ultrasounds.

Weight Gain? Morning weight was 154.8 - WHEW! Gained almost 2 pounds this week. I think Zoie is going through a growth spurt! My belly is feeling huge and heavy. Total weight gain = 23.3lb

Gender? We're having a girl!

Maternity Clothes? Yep! I have to do laundry more frequently to make sure my limited maternity wardrobe is clean. I resorted to stealing one of James' t-shirts the other day...

Sleep? Actually pretty decent! Except... Leg cramps are still an issue. Even though we've discovered that pointing my toes triggers the muscle cramps, it's hard to control flexing/pointing/stretching when I'm half-asleep dreaming. A moment before my latest cramp occurred, I was coming out of a dream and stretched my legs, and then snapped awake when I realized I was pointing my left toes. I knew I was doomed. A split second later, a searing cramp burned its way into my left calf! GAH! Dumb sleepy brain, don't let me do that!

Movement? As usual, Zoie is moving all the time. It's borderline-painful sometimes when she's shifting around and stretching out my abdomen. It feels like she's trying to knock down walls and expand her house!

Food Cravings? Citrus and dairy have continued to be favorites.

Labor Signs? Still no Braxton-Hicks contractions that I've noticed, but Zoie is dropping lower in my abdomen. Her legs still reach up and kick my ribs, but her head is super low in my pelvis.

Belly Button in or out? Still looks about the same as previous weeks.

What I miss? Starting to miss my old body more and more - it's no fun being so heavy! I can't wait to shed weight and become more limber, agile, and regain strength in my core.

Best moment(s) of the week? Going out for dinner and drinks with friends during a hurricane-like lightening storm (thanks Nate for the shot of lemonade, haha!), buying fresh produce at the farmers market, going to World War Z (intense!), watching our little 12lb puppy outrun every other dog at the dog park, shopping and lunch with my mother-in-law in the cute historic town of Abilene, and fishing on the lake (and catching a little white bass!).

What I am looking forward to? Of course, the 4th of July weekend! James has Thursday and Friday off, so we're looking forward to a long weekend of fireworks, BBQs, and family.

Cheers,

Martha