So I was anxiously awaiting the arrival of our little princess but little did I know we would be meeting her a little sooner than I thought.
Now everyone who knows me knows that I'm a planner! I plan everything possible. We had a scheduled C-section date of March 1st, which was a very important date because it was my mom's birthday. My doctor had informed me early on that I had fibroids which blocked my birth canal so the baby would not be able to descend naturally. Also since I had history of high blood pressure she wanted to take her a week early. My original due date was March 9th if I were to go full-term but since I couldn't we selected March 1st. Most of you know my mom passed away very unexpectedly two years ago on April 19, 2011. So the plan was to have her on my mom's birthday and give her my mom's middle name, which is "Merlyn". However Avery-Harper had other plans.
My pregnancy had been going beautifully so I had no reason to think she'd come before the scheduled due date. I had my last dr appt at 10:45am on February 26th which was going to be followed by a hair appointment and mani/pedi/wax appointment. However, on the morning of the 26th around 5:30am we turned on the light to find blood everywhere in our bed. To say I freaked out would be a gross understatement!!!!! Besides my mom's death, I have never been so frantic and frightened in my life. I was screaming and shaking so badly that I wasn't even aware if I was hurt or feeling any kind of pain. My husband literally had to grab my face and calm me down. We called 911 on his cell phone and my doctor on my cell phone. The paramedics arrived and took my blood pressure which was (at that point) through the roof. However once I calmed down I knew I was not in pain even though I was still bleeding. The paramedics asked if I wanted them to take me to the hospital, we decided that we'd drive since I was not in pain. So with a towel in between my legs and hair all.over.my.head. we headed to the hospital. During the drive I was calm but still nervous and anxious. I called my dad, cousin TT, sister-bestie Nichole and bestie Jocelyn to let them know we were headed to the hospital.
Once we arrived to Labor and Delivery we walked in and all the staff at the nurses station just looked at us with this "WHAT THE HELL" look on their faces. We gave them our names and they said " we thought you were coming by ambulance"!!! We told them since I wasn't in pain we decided to drive, they were obviously pretty ticked about that. They felt the paramedics should have brought us because I was 9 months pregnant and bleeding.
They put us in a delivery room right across from the nursing station and within in seconds they are checking to see if I'm dilated and check my vitals. At that point all we wanted to hear is that the baby was OK. They hooked me up to the monitor and there was her heartbeat loud and strong. We were relieved. Tommy then requested for the nurse to turn the volume up loud as possible, she obliged and right then I could see my husband breath in deep. The sound of her heartbeat was his sanity at that very moment....and mine too.
We waited for our doctor to arrive and when she did she basically told us all the tests were fine and that the baby was doing wonderful. They were not exactly sure why I was bleeding because I was not dilated and they do not believe my fibroids ruptured. She said maybe it was my cervix but again they were not sure. So me being me I said well since the baby is OK and I'm not dilated is there any chance I can come back later because I have a hair appointment?! (Insert blank stare from my doctor here). Before she could answer my husband was like "Star, Really!? I said whatttttttttttt she said everything was OK! You see I had planned to have my photographers document this special day and I didn't want to look like S#%t!!! My doctor told me that since they didn't really know why I was bleeding that they felt they should go ahead and take her today. My world just started speeding up and I could not comprehend this happening outside of my plan. By this time it was 9:30am and they wanted to get me on the schedule for today. I told my husband to go home and get my mom's picture, our bag and the baby's bag etc. He and my dad left and within 20 minutes the doctor came back in and said we are putting you down for 11am! I was shocked it was so soon! Mentally and (appearance-wise) I was not ready at all. I called my husband and told him he had less than an hour to make it back. He nearly killed my dad in process as they packed up and sped back to the hospital.
Shortly after they told me I was set for 11am the anesthesiologist came in and started prepping me for my epidural. OMG I was SO scared!!! He chatted with me and told me step by step what was going to happen. He was very comforting but I was still scared.to.death. Bend forward and try not to move.....and it starts. I felt exactly what he described and it was over before I knew it.
As I'm waiting my cousin said I know you're disappointed that you didn't make your appointments but at least I can do your make-up! As soon as I said "sure that will help", the doctor walked in and said it was time to go back for prepping.....UGHHHHH WHY LORD!!!!! So back I go with no
make-up, unmanicured fingers, unpedicured toes and hair all.over.my.freaking.head.
Lord I could have just died on the spot.
As I was rolled back the meds started kicking in and I was in and out. I recall the doctor saying daddy has arrived, he's in the parking lot. I then saw Tommy come in with all his scrub gear on and it was show-time. The curtain went up, the nurse gave me more drugs in my IV, Tommy was holding my hand and then the smell hit me. My doctor said you'll feel pressure and blah blah blah. Before I knew it I heard her cry and I asked was she OK. They said yes and she's beautiful. I saw her for a second and then they took her because she'd swallowed amniotic fluid. After that I was in and out while the examined my insides and stitched me back up. I do not remember much except my husband at one point saying "babe I just saw your uterus".
I had our daughter at 9:37am and did not see her again until around 5:00pm. It was still surreal that I even had her so waiting for hours upon hours to hold her was very hard. I knew she was OK because my husband went down to the nursery every half hour. He showed me pictures to help me get through the day. I was finally moved to the room we'd stay in until our departure three days later and that room is where I first held my princess. I can not begin to explain to you the emotion I had when they brought her to me. The nurse was trying to explain then get me to demonstrate suctioning her mouth and nose. I couldn't do it, I just kept my eyes glued on her. My husband did the demonstration and I told the nurse I'd do it later. Then came the moment I had been waiting for....they finally handed me my baby. My heart just exploded upon touching her. I held her face up to mine and I just closed my eyes and breathed her in. Her scent was just intoxicating to me and it literally filled my heart up. Tears fell from my eyes and they seem to continue forever......
She was finally here, finally!!!! After 4 years, 2 surgeries, 2 IUIs, countless drugs and 1 IVF!!
So without further ado here's the "birth" day of our daughter Avery-Harper. Oh and please brace yourself for my appearance!
VIDEO IS BELOW:
A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR WONDERFUL PHOTOGRAPHERS MIKE AND REJANA KRAUSE OF BLUDOOR STUDIOS!!!!!! (They have been with us from our engagement pics, wedding pics, maternity pics and now the birth of our first child!)
Sometime during the wait to be put on the C-section schedule, I sent a text to my photographers (a husband/wife team) to tell them I'm having the baby early. They are very popular in DFW so I didn't think they'd be able to make it on such short notice. However, before I could finish explaining Rejana text back that Mike was on his way. Later Tommy told me that Mike was there when he arrived back to the hospital. Mike then stayed with us the entire day waiting for the baby to be reunited with me. He literally stayed at the hospital about 8 hours!!! As much as I loathe the way I looked on her "birth" day, I will be forever grateful to have these pictures. Thank you so much BluDoor Studios! http://www.bludoorstudios.com/
Oh Starr, you brought tears to my eyes with your story (and some laughs too)! I am thrilled for you momma!! Avery-Harper is so lucky to have awesome parents like you both.
ReplyDeleteI am reminded of myself because like you, I am a planner too. My son arrived 3 weeks early and I was not ready either. Now we have another one on the way! Due January 14, 14. But we'll see how long this one waits to come along.
Thrilled for you Starr! God bless.
Awwww thank you so much Mindy! Send me a link or something so I can see pics of the new babino! Congrats
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