When I was in labor with Henry, my blood pressure spiked. I hadn't had any problems with blood pressure, protein, headaches or anything until then. It was surprising. They put me on magnisum-sulfate (awful stuff!) and everything turned out just fine. Because my blood pressure went up so much last time I knew there was a possibility of it happening again. I didn't have any problems with blood pressure except for one borderline reading at the doctors office, followed 5 minutes later by a totally normal one. The doctor told me that it was probably just a fluke, but just in case I needed to go straight to labor and delivery if I ever had any of the symptoms of preeclampsia (headache, blurry vision, just plain ol' didn't feel right, etc).
Things were fine until the Tuesday before she was born. That night I had a little headache. My eyes were having a hard time focusing on anything and I plain ol' just didn't feel right. I texted Nate to see if he wanted to come home a little early so that I could go to bed. He called back to see what was going on and when I explained my symptoms, he insisted that we meet at the hospital. I thought I just needed to get to bed, but it turns out he was right. The hospital was a good choice. I met him there, got hooked up to all of the monitors, had some blood drawn and set off a few high blood pressure alarms, but for the most part was totally fine. After an hour or so at the hospital, my blood pressure was consistently in the safe zone and I was sent home with a lovely 24 hour test to participate in.
24 hours later, we were back at the hospital. I had been into my doctors office so that they could do a mid day blood pressure check. It was something like 117/74. Not bad. I was feeling MUCH better, so I was fully expecting to go home after an hour or so of hospital fun. So much expecting to go home that I hadn't bothered to eat anything that night (we're talking 8pm), bring Nate anything to eat, OR bring any of our hospital gear or a baby car seat. The only things I did bother to grab on my way out the door was a cell phone charger and my "homework" for my 24 hour test.
After following the same procedure as the night before (minus the blood work and high blood pressure alarms - again, fully expecting to go home), our nurse came back with the interesting news that my protein was high and that the on call doctor was deciding what to do about it. A short while later, she came back with the more interesting news that he had decided to induce. I was unsure of my feelings about this. I really wanted to get some food then a good nights sleep that night but on the other hand no sleep that night was better than chancing a seizure, so I went with it.
Right around 10 p.m. they started the pitocin. After going through the all of the questions they ask and all of the things they do when they first admit you for delivery I went back and forth between staring at the Timpanogos Temple I had a beautiful view of out my window and watching the contraction and baby heart rate monitor on the other side of the bed all while chatting with Nathan. I thought for sure that I was in for a LONG night and I kind of had a goal of waiting until 7 the next morning for my doctor to take his turn as the on call doctor. I decided to take a nap while I could, so nap I did. I got about an hour of sleep before they came in to up my dosage. Then I dozed for another couple of hours. About 2 a.m. I woke up to some more irritating contraction pain. (I did get an epidural, but if you've had one, you know that you can still feel things. At least I can and the best way I can describe it is irritating pain.) They progressively got worse but by the time I decided I should probably call the nurse, she was only supposed to be another 10 minutes before coming to check on me anyways. I could be tough. And besides, I was sure it was just going to get much worse. 5 minutes earlier than her punctual self normally would have been there, she came in. She fussed at me a little for not calling her sooner and began prepping for delivery. I guess they noticed on the monitors at the nurses station that my contractions and the babies heart beats were lining up, which meant it was BABY TIME!! The doctor and other nurses were in there as fast as they could be. 14-ish minutes and 1 1/2 pushes later, Clara was here!
I was able to avoid magnesium-sulfate this time around! I am so grateful for that! I remember a lot more about everything. I remember small chunks of the days after Henry was born, but the rest is fuzzy if I remember it at all. I was actually able to get out of bed several times before I left the hospital. I remember talking to nurses and doctors that came to visit. I remember friends and family coming to visit. Most importantly, I remember the first few days of my baby's life. I also remember when her brother came to meet her. That would have been tragic to be asleep for. I am also grateful for modern medicine as well as great doctors and nurses. All of the nurses were beyond helpful. Especially when they were distracting me so I wouldn't be quite as shaky and nervous while I was getting my epidural. I am grateful that Clara got here safely and that I am still here and healthy.
Henry and Clara
Girl cousin time!
Coming home
She had a birthday party waiting for her when she got home. Henry decorated a cake and brought Lamby for a birthday present.
First stroller ride. Henry was looking forward to going for a ride with his new baby for weeks! It was not long after we got home before they took a ride around the house.
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