Ordinary is Extraordinary!

Mei-mei is nearly two weeks old now.  Yes, we still call her Mei-mei often but we're also getting used to Anastasia.  She is such a sweet baby and we all just adore her.

Now that I have a minute, I thought I'd post her birth story while I still remember everything.  Even though the labor and birth likely would have gone the same way had I been induced, I was very glad I went into labor naturally.  I had a few contractions Saturday night before 10 PM, so decided to skip my heparin shot and go right to bed.  I was exhausted and that is no way to start labor.  Q and I got a couple hours of sleep and by 2 AM decided to head to the hospital.  Q's mom had stayed with us a few extra days, so we didn't have to worry about the kids.

Driving to the hospital was easy and fast in the middle of the night on a weekend.  I had a some strong contractions along the way and was very thankful we didn't have to drive into the city during rush hour!  After checking in and getting hooked up to the monitors, I was disappointed to find out I was still only dilated to 2.  And did I mention I was already exhausted before this even began?  So I put in a few more hours sitting on the birthing ball and in bed because I was too tired to be up and about more than that.  Still stuck at two!

Time loses all meaning when you're in a lot of pain, but I'm guessing it was about 9 AM before I got to 4 or 5 cm dilated.  Contractions were erratic.  This was looking like it would be another 30+ hour labor!  The doctor suggested breaking my water and/or trying pitocin to turn things up.  More speed sounded like a good idea; more pain did not.  Mei-mei had been handling all the contractions without any problems, so I decided to try the strategy that finally got my first daughter born after a 30+ hour labor - an epidural.  Lots of people say an epidural can slow labor down and cause distress for the baby.  Not so for me.  Just like last time, things moved along quickly after the epidural and baby handled it all beautifully.

The doctor broke my water and a short time later added a little pitocin.  It was probably around 1:30 PM that I told Q to go get the nurse because it felt like Mei-mei was moving down.  Sure enough, it was time to push!  For me, this part has always gone quickly - Mei-mei was out and screaming by 2:11!  She was perfectly fine and healthy and so was I.

No dead baby this time!  Also no gushing blood during labor, no having my baby whisked off the NICU, and no problems getting the placenta out. It was a very ordinary labor (17 hours) and a very ordinary birth resulting in an average-sized baby.   This was my last time having a baby and my first time having it all go smoothly.  It was extraordinarily ordinary!

Happy to be going home!

Back on the Outside

One of America's Most Wanted is back on the outside!  Anastasia was born August 14 at 2:11 PM.  She weighed in at 7 pounds 11 ounces and is 21 inches long.  Placenta and cord looked pretty normal to me and were sent to the lab.  I'll post the results in a few weeks when we get them.

The kids visited last night and are delighted with their new sister.  Anastasia and I are both doing great.  More details later, but the birth went the same way as the pregnancy - the most normal I've ever had!

Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true

Tomorrow

We have contraction action!  It appears that something is finally happening...and since I'm Annie, here's what I'm singing right now:

The sun will come out, tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there'll be sun

Just thinking about tomorrow
Clears away the cobwebs and the sorrow


After all we've been through there will always be some sorrow, but what a difference a happy ending will make!  So check back tomorrow and hopefully I'll have great news!  Actually, with my history of very long labors, it may be the day after tomorrow. But soon!

Tomorrow, tomorrow, i love ya tomorrow,
You're only a day away

Overdue

Our little rabbit is late!  Forty weeks plus one day and no contractions to speak of.  I was extremely depressed yesterday.  It's the fourth time in a row that a due date has come and gone and I still don't have a live baby in my arms!  Of course it was utterly ridiculous to be so depressed since this time I have a live baby in my belly!  Nevertheless, I had a breakdown (Sorry Q! Sorry Susan!) but am doing better today despite my recalcitrant cervix.

Today's appointment was exactly the same as the last two - ten out of ten for Mei-mei, one to two centimeters dilated for me.  Therefore, the plan is to go into the hospital on Sunday evening for cervical ripening overnight, followed by whatever needs to be done to get this party started.  It seems unlikely my body will suddenly get into gear on its own before then, but a girl can dream.  After all, it is a full moon tomorrow.  Come on, moon!  Do your stuff!

Bust a Move

Mei-mei seems to be very comfortable right where she is.  Another 10 out of 10 on testing today, after which I stripped for another stripping of the membranes.  Thankfully it wasn't so painful this time, but my cervix remains stuck at about 1 or 2 centimeters.  At least it seems to be softening and shortening, but my uterus hasn't even been "irritable" lately.  There are still no contractions to speak of.  Whenever anyone asks how I am doing, I say I am feeling fantastic.  But I don't want to feel fantastic!  I want to be having contractions.  Lots of them.  I'm getting more desperate by the hour.

In addition to the fatigue of constantly worrying whether Mei-mei will make it out alive, there are two other reasons why this is wearing on me so much.  One is that my mother-in-law has to leave soon and I'm really hoping baby comes before she leaves. It's so helpful not having to worry about the kids. I suppose I'll manage alright even without help if the birth goes smoothly, but if it doesn't I could be in trouble.

Secondly, I do NOT wish to be induced.  I really thought things would happen on their own last week, but here I sit still pregnant.  I am certainly not complaining about being pregnant - not after all I've been through to get here!  But it will end (hopefully very happily!) and when it does, it would be very nice to recover quickly so I can just enjoy!

I just need my good luck to continue through birth, recovery, and far beyond!  I've been having such an incredible streak of good luck ever since last November!  Thanks Switch Flipper!

- This one day we was out walking like always, and then, just like that, somebody turned off the rain, and the sun come out. (Forrest Gump)

Irritable

The last few days have been uneventful.  I kept my calendar blank this week in anticipation of Mei-mei's arrival, only to be bored out of my mind.  I try to set up play dates and activities for the kids but it doesn't always work out on short notice.  So then they're bored out of their minds too and pass the time by fighting.  

My mother-in-law arrives today, so hopefully Mei-mei will show up soon also.  Today's appointment showed Mei-mei doing well with another 10 out of 10.  My cervix is still long and unfavorable for induction, but is now dilated to a whopping two centimeters.  Also the Non-Stress Test showed that my uterus is "irritable", which surprised me because I'm not feeling anything at all - not even mild contractions.  Once my uterus gets as irritable as I am, then we might see some action!

Delayed Launch

Mei-mei took her sweet time passing her biophysical profile today, but once again scored 10 out of 10.  It was pretty much the routine appointment to which we've become accustomed, until the part when the doctor did A Bad Thing.

My cervix, which fortunately has been neither seen nor heard from since embryo transfer in November, was checked to see if it's favorable for induction on Thursday as planned.  OUCH!! It is most definitely not - it is long, not softened, and totally closed.  The doctor didn't think it was even a good idea to mess with it enough to try stripping the membranes.

Now we wait.  We'll go back again on Friday to see what my stubborn cervix is up to.  Really, what's a few more days when we've been waiting YEARS for this?  I have no desire to rush things and create problems, but I'm terribly anxious for this constant anxiety to end with Mei-mei in my arms alive!