Simple As It Should Be: November 2016

I thought I should document Ruby's birth story before too much time passes and I forget the details. This pregnancy was all normal for me until I was about 35 weeks and went into pre-term labor. That has never happened to me with Georgia and Lucy. It is hilarious looking back at the day because I was in so much pain and couldn't get off the couch without being in excruciating pain. I thought I was just hungry so I told Nick we should go to Applebees for date night. We dropped the girls off at my mom's house and my mom was like, "I think you are in labor." And I was like, "No..I'm just hungry." hahaha. We got to Applebees and I asked Nick to get the waiter to bring me a pillow for back support. (duh--how did I not know I was in labor?) And then I was laying in the booth with my feet elevated and just groaning through the whole dinner. Finally--Nick talked me into going to the hospital. It just didn't occur to me that I could be in labor. Sure enough, we get to the hospital and my contractions were 3 minutes apart. They gave me some blood pressure medication (Niphedipine) and it stopped my labor. Three days later, I went into labor again. This time I knew I was in labor. I was still preterm at 36 weeks and wanted to get at least until 37 weeks, so the doctor let me have the medication again. Keep in mind that my blood pressure was normal and has always been normal and even low during my whole pregnancy. The blood pressure medication just happened to be what was used to stop my labor. After this time, it stopped my labor again and I was able to go to Nick's brother's wedding 3 hours away. Then--on August 19th (I was 39 weeks and 4 days), I went on a long hike/jog and went to bed that night. I woke up and my water broke in the bed. It seriously was like a 2 gallon balloon had popped and was just gushing out. I had heard about people's water breaking and that they weren't "sure" if it was their water. Well--I was 100% sure this was my water breaking. I know what it feels like to pee, and this definitely was NOT pee!

Anyway--we rushed to the hospital because of all of the stories we heard about people delivering SOON after their water broke. We got there and they admitted me even though I was only dilated to 2 centimeters. They gave me the epidural and monitored my blood pressure. It was weird because my blood pressure was high even though I had an epidural. They thought it could be that I was in labor and stressed because my water broke and we rushed to the hospital? But--it wasn't going down. 4 hours after we got to the hospital, we delivered Ruby. ON LUCY'S BIRTHDAY! We joked about them sharing the same birthday and I can't believe it really happened that they are born on the same day. It's kind of fun though because I can compare exact dates. Lucy loves it and I'm sure if I keep a good attitude that it can be a really fun and good thing.

So--the hospital stay was amazing! I love being there so much. Room Service and just bonding with the baby. The nursery was amazing and let me sleep all night. Ruby was the best latcher and nursing was so easy with her! I could have been at the hospital for a couple more days. She was a great sleeper and I honestly didn't really feel the lack of sleep in the "newborn phase." I mean--I DID feel lack of sleep but in some ways I felt like I was getting a TON of sleep. It helped that Nick got a week off of work--I have never known what that was like since Nick always had law school before and usually had school or a final or a huge paper due the same week our babies were due. It was nice to get paid leave.

Before we left the hospital, Ruby had her hearing test. She actually failed her right ear so we stayed an extra night just to get her re-tested. This turned out to be a blessing because I needed one more night in the hospital. That night my blood pressure kept spiking and it flagged my doctor to tell me to follow-up with him sooner than my 6 week appointment. He put me on blood pressure medication. Ruby passed her hearing test in both ears. Those first few days at home were rough--I wasn't sleeping well and couldn't breathe very well. I felt super puffy and not right. I went to my doctor's appointment and when they got my weight I was only down like 1# from the last appointment I had before I delivered Ruby. She was almost 8# and after losing fluids and placenta, etc, I should have been down WAY more than 1#. I told my doctor my symptoms and he told me to get to the ER as soon as possible. He told to me to call him on his cell once we got there. I was by myself in his office and drove home in tears with the unknown of what was happening to me and if I was going to be okay. I knew it could have been something really serious and was really worried and felt helpless. Nick and I rushed to the ER with Ruby and they did EVERY test on me--MRI/CT Scan/Blood Draws/Chest X-Rays/Blood Pressure/etc. My blood pressure was 180/130 (which is DANGEROUSLY high!) My lungs were filled with fluid and it wasn't pneumonia--it looked different. My heart was enlarged. They admitted me to the hospital. We had Ruby with us and so they put me back into the post-partum unit. My doctor went ABOVE and BEYOND and was on the phone with doctors and nurses every 30 minutes to 1 hour that entire night. When we got transferred from the ER, the doctor told us that it was most likely post partum pre-eclampsia with pulmonary hypertension. They gave me some diuretics and sent me to the floor to be admitted. Right after we got admitted, a resident doctor came and told me my heart was similar to a 90 year old lady and I was in heart failure. He told me I needed to stop breastfeeding immediately and start on heart failure meds. Some women recover and some need to await heart transplants. This was so devastating to us especially after we had heard the news after the ER. We were going through a rollercoaster. Anyway-the REAL doctor came in 20 minutes later and told us about my diagnosis which was NOT what the resident had told us. I did have post partum pre-eclampsia. (which usually happens during pregnancy)--Rarely it happens during delivery or after (which is what happened in my case)--They don't know a reason it happens. I had pulmonary hypertension and that is why I had fluid in my lungs. My heart was enlarged most likely due to the fluids. But--that resident had no place saying everything he did especially since I hadn't gotten my heart ECHO done yet. So--anyway--we were more hopeful but nervous about what the heart echo would say because it COULD have been a bad diagnosis. This was the first time in my life where I wasn't sure if I was going to make it. It was such a blessing to know and have my testimony of the plan of salvation and knowing what would happen if I were to die. It was crazy in that moment where I was so unsure and scared of what might happen, the only things that mattered were Nick and the girls! They are my everything and the most important thing! My heart ECHO came back normal and the diuretic helped get the fluid out. My blood pressure was still high and they were having a hard time finding a medication that I could go home with that would work. Finally they found ONE that worked--the same medication they used to stop my preterm labor. That one worked, but it still left my blood pressure high, but lower than it was. My doctor just told me the farther from delivery date, the preeclampsia would wear off and it would gradually get better. So far, that has been the case. I don't have to take medication anymore (after 7 weeks of taking it). My blood pressure is now in normal limits, but still higher than it typically is for me (which is typically low). I was able to breastfeed Ruby the whole time and she has just been a champ through all of this. It is hard though because my doctor encouraged me and Nick to think about having more kids and what that entails. He told me that my situation was "scary" and that he doesn't say that often. He was glad things worked out the way they did. After all of that, I am a little terrified that it might happen again and worse if I WAS pregnant and it happened. IT would be dangerous to me and the baby. So--I am having a hard time thinking this is most likely our LAST baby. If she is our last (which I am pretty sure she is)--she is the best caboose ever! Never has a baby been a better sleeper, eater, talker, etc... I am so lucky to have these three girls and am grateful every day I can be their mom!

My cute Grandma holding Ruby. She didn't want to put her down.

My Sister, the baby whisperer

Our hike to Tony's Grove in September

Garner Village

Nick and I went to Boston for FNCE (my Food Conference) so I could get continuing education. It was so fun to just go with Ruby and bond with her! I love New England in the fall. It was a well needed trip for us!

When we got back, we went to Scary Hill. Just typical having 3 kids! I love it!

Daddy was the favorite tonight at dinner. It was nice to have some peace and eat by myself on the other side of the table.

The hike we took that induced labor.

Perfect little chubby girl! When I first saw her, it was so crazy because she was exactly what I thought she would look like and I couldn't stop looking at her and thinking how cute she was!