Kendall Morgan has arrived!

Our little miracle daughter Kendall Morgan entered into the world on 10/25/08 at 9:16 am. I went into the hospital on the Wed night before, stayed over night, and was sent home late Thursday morning. We were scheduled for induction on Friday 10/24. I woke up at 6:20am, called the Labor &Delivery unit at our hospital, and they told us to arrive anytime after 7am. We got showered, and ready, and as we were leaving the house at 7:15 I felt a huge gush....It was my water breaking. We got to the hospital, and the fluid was tested, and came back as positive, we were joking that of course this would happen to us. Meaning my water breaking the morning of the induction. I was hooked up to my IV, and Pitocin was started. I started feeling some good cramping about an hour into it. My contractions were manageable, and I thought so far so good wow this isn't as bad as I had imagined after all. My Dr came in to check me that morning and I was between 1-2 cm dilated. Pitocin was given all day, and my Dr came back at about 6pm to recheck me. No change, and he found my water had to be ruptured completely again. Apparently, the fluid keeps replenishing it's self, so he finished the rupture, to try and get things moving. He said it was my forwaters that had broken earlier in the day. At this point I told Bob to go ahead with his mom, and our best friends to grab a bite to eat, b/c it was going to be a long night. My sister, and my aunt stayed with me, and no sooner did Bob leave I had my first strong intolerable, untalkable, painful gut ripping contraction....they kept coming stronger and harder about every 1-3 minutes. THANK GOD for my Auntie Donna who caught on immediately as to what was occurring and fast, and started helping me breath thru all of my contractions!! She was a live saver!! I had my Sister call Bob, Mamma Heck, Ant and Ellen and asked for them to get back to the hospital I needed Bob, and the contractions were extremely painful. By 7:45pm I asked for my epidural. We were told b/c it was a Friday night there is only one Dr. on call, and the sooner the better to get it. The Dr. on call arrived to give the epidural, by this time I was in tears, and couldn't focus on anything but breathing thru, and answering the questions in between. He then gets a page on his beeper and has to rush to the ER, he returned 20 mins later. We get things started..He washes my back, numbs it or so I thought, puts the Epidural needle in ( I just about jumped off the table b/c you can feel the needle not piercing your skin but very unpleasant pressure in your back) and then he gets ANOTHER page. He returns it, and says “I am sorry I have to get to the OR, I'm taking the needle out" He pulls out the needle, and he is off....I am beyond beying comforted at this point. All I remember is lying on my side begging for the pain to stop...the contractions were every 2 mins, and STRONG. My nurse was very apologetic, and said in all her years working, she has never seen this happen. About 20 mins later he still had not returned, so she called downstairs to OR to get the status, and I heard her say "I want to be able to tell my patient something, b/c she's laying here in agony, he got halfway thru, and had to leave" I was then given Stadol per my Dr after she called him b/c of the time I had been waiting... Apparently, they had to call another Dr in, and it would be about 30 mins for him to arrive..It felt like an eternity! He arrives, and we have to restart the whole epidural process AGAIN obviously.....He gets the epidural in, (Not a pleasant experience at all) and my BP drops, so now they are giving me medicine in my IV to stabilize my BP, I am very sick to my stomach at this point as well, which the Dr said was caused by my low BP. Finally some 45 mins later I am stabilized, and my nurse gives me Nubain to help me sleep, and relax. At 10 pm she comes back to check me....no dilation change, and she can feel "molding" of the head. She explains that she is going to call my Dr. and advise him of this b/c apparently molding tells them at that point, that the baby may be too big to fit thru the pelvis, and rather put me, and baby thru a long labor it would be best to just go right to a C-Section. My Dr. tells her to up my pitocin, and recheck me in an hour, and we'd go from there. 11pm comes she rechecks, and I am now 3-4 cm's and the molding is getting less apparent, and her head is coming down nice. My Dr. at this point says ok lets let her go and see what happens. I labor overnight, at about 400am I start feeling my contractions again...not so much in the tummy but down low, and the pressure is so painful I have to breathe thru them, and I am in tears yet again. They recheck me and I am just at 4 maybe 5 cm's., so they decide to change my anesthesia, to a different dose etc.. That works up 6:00 am. I start feeling pressure again, and am now at 7 cm's. My Dr was called and he said he'd be in at 730. He was technically done being on call at 730 but the Dr coming on I didn't feel comfortable with, and we really wanted our Dr to deliver Kendall, as he and his assistant were so wonderful to us during our entire pregnancy...so my Dr said he was going to see this thru, and come in to deliver me. My D arrives at 730 cks me I am now about 9cm, but there is a lip of the cervix that is stopping her from coming down more. He said I'll be back in 20 mins and that I'd probably be pushing, 15 mins later I had that strong urge to push, and he came right back and I did a couple practice pushes. I started pushing at about 8:15 or so...it was by far the hardest thing I have ever had to do. My MIL, my Aunt, DH, my nurses, and my Dr. were all very encouraging. I started to feel tons of pain and after laboring all night long and pushing for 40 mins I was beginning to get exhausted, and I was just saying over and over please just get her out. I gave another 2 or 3 pushes, and all of the sudden I remember my Dr saying, Jen...don't push her heart rate is at 190 so I am going to have to get the forceps set up, we have to get her out now. I was relieved, but so SCARED I knew this was going to hurt worse than pushing, and it was urgent we get her out. They got set up, and I pushed with the forceps, at this point everything is a blur. Bob and family told me after the fact her heart rate jumped to the 200's, and all I remember is the Dr saying come on Jen push sweetie...and the searing pain...which stalled for what seemed like FOREVER. Next thing I know my Dr has two nurses take my legs, change postion, and has one I think pressing on my stomach, apparently her shoulders got stuck!! I found this out after the fact, b/c I was so out of it and in so much pain. At 9:16 am I felt her come out, and she was placed on my stomach, and the room erupted in cheers. I looked at Bob and naturally a wave of emotion came over us. Everyone was in tears! Our Dr. came around to my side while the resident worked on me, and said "You did awesome,. , she's beautiful, and you’re miracle baby is finally here you did it Congrats" I did end up with a 3rd/2nd degree tear...b/c of the delivery....Let me just say despite how much pain I felt, the 26 hours of labor, and the downfalls we had...and still a week late I feel that no words can explain our love and amazement of this little girl. She has a full head of dark hair, Bob's eyes, my lips and pout, Bob's nose (I think), and when she sleeps she looks just like him. I can see just how much in love he his with his daughter, it brings me to tears every time I see him holding her b/c he's just in awe and amazement with her. The love we feel for her is just beyond words, and we just look at her and say over and over she was worth every step of this journey.....every needle stick, every surgery, everything she was WORTH every BIT of it!We were finally released from the Hospital on Wed b/c she has jaundice, and it was SO hard not being able to hold our baby girl b/c of she had to be in the Billi blanket. I also suffered a bad bout of baby blues while in the hospital. My wonderful mother in law stayed with us up until yesterday, and is coming back Sunday and suddenly the anxiety is flooding back....I am up at every sound she makes, checking on her constantly, and am so NERVOUS. Is she still breathing? Is she warm enough? Does she need to be changed? Is she hungry? Is she going to get flat head if she sleeps all the time? All of these constant questions go thru my head NON stop. it will get easier, but the hormones after having a baby are not fun, not to mention the sleep deprivation, but again SHE'S WORTH IT!!Well that is about it for now. Sorry it took me so long to post but we've been so busy I just haven't had a chance to post much this last week. =0) Thank you all for your kind words, congrats etc..I just haven't had a chance to get back to everyone individually. It's taken me bits and pieces over the course of 3 days just to write this blog all out =0)Thank you to all of our friends & family who sat in the waiting room for HOURS literally during my Labor and Delivery...those who came in during Labor, and offered comfort...thank you for coming to see us in the Hospital, and for helping us get thru our rough spots!! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! Your kindness and outpouring of support, and love for that we are forever grateful!Thank you to Mom and Auntie Donna for being SO wonderful, and supportive of Bob and me during the Labor and Delivery!! I know it wasn’t easy, and we appreciate everything so much!My wonderful mother in law has been out here for the last week, and we are so lucky to have her, and I couldn't have been blessed with a more caring, loving, patient, compassionate, beautiful mother & father in law, and brother in laws. Someone up there was watching out for me that I am sure of!Most of all Thank you Bob...hunny you were my rock thru everything during this.you were my hero, you comforted me, you encouraged me, you supported me, but most of all you love me and your daughter very much and that is the best gift ever!!! I know it wasn't easy for you to see me in so much pain, and what Kendall had to go thru but thank you so much for being you, and for loving us as much as you do!Thank's everyone again!!Jen, Bob, and Baby Girl Kendall

32 Days left...give or take

We had our 35 week appt today
Baby Kendall is doing great..She has dropped for sure!! My BP is ok, and swelling has gone down alot! My Dr. is still measuring me bigger, bigger by a few weeks! I have only gained 1/2 lb since my last appt 2 weeks ago!! So we are very happy with that...and the biggest news I am 1 cm dialated!! At this point in time if I go into full blown labor he'll just let me deliver. He explained babies born spontaneously at 35/36 weeks do pretty well as far as lung maturity goes vs. a baby that is induced. We go for another u/s tommorrow to get another weight on baby girl =0) As I am measuring so far ahead. So that is it for now! Next appt next wed =0) I am so estatic there is some change it means the end is in sight! =0) Additionally, Group B Strep was negative, and I got my flu shot per dr's rec b/c flu can be so dangerous to Baby and Mom =0)
She's almost here everyone!! =0)