I went to my weekly check on Thursday, February 16, at 37 wks 4 days. I was measuring 41 wks though, and was in a LOT of pain. As my hips started to separate to get ready for birth, my sciatica got pinched, and I couldn't walk. Because of my HUGE size and pain, my dr called Labor and Delivery, and set me up for an induction the following Wednesday, February 22. On Tuesday I was to go in for an US to check DD's size. If she was measuring big, my dr was thinking of doing a C-section. I was also supposed to go see my dr and she was going to check my cervix and make sure it was good enough to have the induction if we didn't do C-section. I was so excited when I left, we had a date for our baby! And I could spend the weekend getting ready, painting toenails, cooking and freezing some meals, doing any cleaning that I could possibly think of, and possibly go out one last time to dinner with DH, just the 2 of us. Well, none of that happened.

Because DH had been going into work super early all week to get some overtime, I thought I would be a nice wife and sleep on the couch on Friday night. I was so uncomfortable anyways, that the couch was a little better because I could sit up more. Plus, I didn't snore as bad sitting up, so we both could sleep a little sounder Well, that didn't last long! I got up at around 1:00 AM with really bad cramps. I felt like I was going to get sick, and went to the bathroom to try and make myself take a poo. I finally was able to take a little one, but the cramping didn't stop. I wasn't sure what was wrong with me, but as the pain got worse and more persistent, I knew something was going on. I went into our bedroom and woke up DH, telling him I thought I might be in labor. He asked me to lay day saying it might help me, but I knew I couldn't. I decided to call my dr. If I wasn't in labor, then something else was going on and she needed to know. She told me to go ahead and go into L&D. M and I got ready really quick, brushing our teeth and grabbing our bag, and headed out.

Of course, it decided to start to snow. And lots of big flakes! The drive into town was slower than normal due to the snow, and DH being scared that every car we passed was a drunk driver (bars had just closed!). We finally made it to L&D at about 3:00 AM and I made my way inside. The pain wasn't letting up at all and I felt the constant need to poop. But I walked to the room, got my pants off and up on the bed. The nurse came in to check me and was beyond surprised to find that I was 100% effaced and 9 cm dilated!

They called for an epidural, but it wasn't going to make it. My dr wasn't even there, and I had to push. I kept telling the nurse that I didn't because I REALLY wanted the drugs, but I soon I couldn't deny it. I can't even explain the pain I was in. I thought I was going to throw up it hurt so bad. I was hot and tingly. My face felt numb. I didn't think I could do it, that I might actually break in half. But I did it. My water broke on its own, and I kept pushing and screaming and clenching DH's hand. DD's head was right there when my dr arrived. She gave me an episiotomy, and finished delivering DD.

At 3:23 AM (it felt like so much longer than 23 minutes!) on Saturday, February 18 (DS's original due date!), little DD was born, weighing 7 lbs and measuring 19 inches long. They lifted her up so we could see her, and she was blue. She didn't make a sound. They didn't let DH cut the cord, they didn't lay her on my chest. Instead they cut the cord and took her over to the little table and started to work on her. It felt like hours that I lay there with them working on our little girl. They kept telling us that everything was ok, but we knew it wasn't. There were no sounds coming from the table and all the nurses and my dr were huddled around. Finally they brought her over to me, let me give her a kiss, and then took her to NICU.

I then got to deliver my placenta and get my stitches, but I really wanted to see my daughter. They wouldn't let us though, and no one was telling us anything. We had to sit in the delivery room and wait. It was the longest scariest time ever. My nurse finally decided to take us down to see her. DH wheeled me down to the NICU and there was our little girl, all hooked up to machines. They told us that she wasn't breathing when she came out, and they had to bag her (breath for her) for 3 minutes, and then had to assist her for another 4 minutes. She still wasn't breathing right and had to be on oxygen. We were able to finally get to hold her though, and it was so wonderful!

They tried to lower her oxygen that day, but she stopped breathing again, and they had to up it. They did an x-ray on her chest and an US of her heart, but didn't really tell us much of what was going on. She was in the NICU until Sunday afternoon, then we finally got to have her in our room with us.

She got jaundice right before we were discharged from the hospital (late Tuesday night), so she had to be on bili lights until the following Monday. She had to go see the heart specialist, and she has 2 holes in her heart. One between the upper chambers and one between the lower chambers. He doesn't think they will give her any problems though, and may possibly even close up on their own.

Her sodium and chloride levels remained high for about 2 wks, but have finally come down. Since she has been home, she has had one episode where she quit breathing. It didn't last long, but she did turn blue. Scared the daylights out of me! We have been at the dr's every day the week after she was born, then about every other day the next week, and we are finally down to once a week!

It has been a rough start, but she is here, and beautiful, and we are so in love!