Hailey LuAnn Benson
Feb. 28, 2012
5:15pm
5lbs 10oz
19" long
Born at 37 weeks
I am sure you guys have been anxiously awaiting this long awaited story. I shall now tell it to you.
It all began on Wed. Feb. 22 at what I thought was going to be my normal 36 week appointment. I had been very healthy throughout my whole pregnancy, so you can imagine my shock/surprise when the dr said my blood pressure was up. He said he wanted me on bed rest and if I couldn't keep my blood pressure down, he'd have to induce me next week. He also sent me to Timp Hospital lab to get my blood drawn and do a 24 hr urine collection. How fun.
I called into work on Wednesday just because going to work while trying to collect your urine and refrigerate it just isn't the most convenient thing. I still had the intention of working Thurs and Fri though.
I turned in my pee on Thurs morning and went to work Thurs afternoon, all the while monitoring my blood pressure. Dr called me Thurs evening to check up on me and to tell me about my blood test results. Platelets were fine, but liver enzymes were elevated. He'll have to wait and see what the protein levels were in my urine and after hearing my blood pressure results, no more work. Period. End of statement.
I was devastated.
I was able to keep my blood pressure down all weekend by resting and relaxing, hoping and praying that I wouldn't have to be induced the next week. I got a call from Dr on Sunday evening. Actually, several calls. I didn't have my phone on me and apparently he really needed to get a hold of me.
Urine results: protein levels were way too high. Make sure I come in for an appointment on Monday. Yes, sir, I obliged.
I showed up Monday afternoon to my appointment. He called the perinatologist and discussed my situation with them. He came back in the room and said, "We need to deliver."
Heart pounds.
I'm thinking, So we'll do it in a couple days, right?
Dr asks, "Is your husband at work?"
Yes.
"When does he get off?"
In about a half hour.
"Ok. I'm going to call the hospital. Go on and head over."
This is where it takes a moment to register. You mean tonight?
Yes, sir, I obliged.
And I went out to my car and cried. No, not cried. Bawled. Wept. I was scared!! I wasn't ready for this yet! I wasn't ready for labor and delivery and to be a mom! I was supposed to have 3 more weeks of me time before the big day came!
So I went to the hospital that evening, got there around 5pm. Dr's orders were to start me on two doses of Prepidil gel (to ripen the cervix) - one at 8pm, the other at 2am, 6 hours later. Yes, it was a 12 hour process. And it really sucked.
(last pregnancy picture before delivering!)
Luckily, Hailey was actually already in a really good position when we started. I was already a 1 1/2, almost 2cm, and effaced about 90%.
After 12 hrs of an uncomfortable bed and contractions that I could find no relief for, I was still at a 2. Time to start the Pitocin!
Dr came in right after they started the Pitocin and broke my water and told them to stop the Pitocin. I progressed all on my own from there - about a centimeter an hour. That's right. I was at the hospital a full 24 hours before I even delivered.
I pushed for maybe 20 minutes. She was so small! She had trouble breathing, which we figured would be the case since we were delivering her early.
(First family photo!)
(First she was on a c-pap machine)
(Scott finally got to hold her!)
(Next, she was put on a ventilator to help her body focus
more on other things and not so much on trying to breathe)
(Now she is just on normal oxygen with a high flow to help
keep her lungs open)
(She also had jaundice for a little bit and had to be put
under the lights. She looks like a little tanning diva!)
We visit her every day, and we hold her every day. I also get the pleasure of pumping every day and taking my milk to her. Pumping. Is not fun.
We are a happy family. We hope to have Hailey home with us soon, and even if that means another week or two in the NICU, I am fine with that, so long as she is getting the help she needs to get fully developed and strong enough to function on her own. We love her very, very much and are very happy to be parents now. Let the fun adventures begin!
P.S. I found this picture. Look at that family resemblance!
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