Aria's Birth Story

I always think hearing people's birth stories is so interesting. Aria's story has more to do with our hospital stay after she was born than how she got here. Nonetheless I wanted to write it down for myself.  Warning: this is long!!

Last belly picture!

After having a c-section with Lyle I went back and forth for awhile about trying for a VBAC or scheduling another c-section. My doctor was willing to let me try, but if this baby was going to be as big as Lyle she didn't think I would be successful. We decided not to go for a VBAC and scheduled to deliver Monday, December 8.  

Sunday, December 7-

Lyle was sick once again, coughing and wheezing, so we took him to the immediate care clinic in Wichita when it opened.  They didn't do any x-Rays but thought he had a little pneumonia, and prescribed him antibiotics and prednisone, and to continue his breathing treatments.  We picked up his medicine, then met my parents to send Lyle with them for the next few days.  Our check in time for the morning was 4:30 so we got a hotel room to make it a little easier.  We headed down to the Old Towne Warren to have supper and watch the newest Hunger Games movie for one last date night.  Then it was back to the hotel to try to get some sleep (which I did not get much of!) 

Monday, December 8-

The day was here! It was a weird feeling to know that she would be here in just a few hours!  We got to Wesley hospital and checked into a room.  Lots of questions answered, papers signed, IV started, and we were ready to head to the OR.  I received my epidural, got all situated, and then my doctor came.  I remember the surgery more vividly this time, definitely feeling the "tugging and pulling" they talk about. My anesthesiologist was awesome about explaining everything that was going on.  And soon I heard that first cry. Such an unbelievable moment.  Then the laughs of all the doctors and nurses who could not believe that our sweet girl was a 10 pounder!  They checked her over and wrapped her up, giving her to Zach, then letting me "hold" her.  We announced her name: Aria Grace.  Soon we were headed back to our room.

I was able to do skin-to-skin and try to feed her, but her temperature was a little low so they were more concerned with her warming up than eating. Then her blood sugar was low (apparently a common problem for big babies).  The postpartum floor wouldn't take us until her blood sugar was at a certain number, so we supplemented a little formula in a cup.  My incision was also bleeding more than it should, so I had several nurses and doctors checking me.  Zach was able to call both sets of grandparents and text our siblings.

Finally we were able to transfer rooms, my bleeding stopped, but the blood sugars continued to be a problem.  The hospital had a new protocol for blood sugars that nobody was quite clear on. They were supposed to check it before I fed her, which delayed her feeding and got her worked up and worn out so she didn't eat well.  Then if it was low they would check her an hour after she ate to see if it was up.  Poor baby's heels were so picked on!

Papa and Grammy

Zach's parents came to meet her, my sister, and my parents brought Lyle.  He was so sweet, climbed right up, and wanted to give her kisses. He told me, "she's not in your tummy anymore!"

Gigi and Grandaddy

Lyle meeting his sister

Auntie Carrie

Tuesday, December 9- 

The day seemed pretty normal, I was trying to get up and moving a bit, my parents and Lyle came to visit in the morning, and all the doctors stopped by.  Lyle had a heart murmur when he was born, and my prenatal specialist advised we get this baby checked after birth even though they didn't detect anything on my sonograms.  When Aria's doctor listened to her this morning she heard a murmur, so they called the cardiologist in to do an echo.  Her problems are very similar to what Lyle had, so we will follow up in a couple months.

Kisses for sister

We were still doing blood sugar checks and not making much progress, so in the evening they decided to move Aria to the Special Care nursery (a step down from the NICU) to put her on IV fluids.  I lost it.  Not so much because I didn't think she would be okay, but because they were taking her and I wouldn't have my day old baby beside me.

We were able to go down with her while she was transferred.  They put an IV in her head (which took a couple tries) and hooked her up to monitors.  Then we started a pattern of feeding at least every three hours, then supplementing after.  I would pump in my room after every feeding, and at the next feeding she would get whatever breastmilk I had pumped plus a little formula in this little cup.  If she would stay awake to take it.  Then we would try to get a little sleep before starting again.  

I'm not sure I've ever been so thankful for my husband who held my hand and went down for every feeding and sat up with me while I pumped.  He kept this hormonal new mama sane.

In the NSCU

Her poor IV

Wednesday, December 10-

This day we settled into the same routine.  Her blood sugars had stabilized, so they started to decrease her fluids to see if she could maintain her levels.  In the evening they moved us to a "satellite room." Basically the unit was getting full, so we moved to a room with two other babies and one nurse.  The room was fine during the night, but the next day when families of the other two babies were there it was so crowded!    

Thursday, December 11-

We had continued to decrease fluids each time her blood sugar was stable.  My milk finally came in and most feedings she wouldn't take any additional breastmilk or formula, and they stopped her fluids completely.  I had been discharged by my doctor (I could stay in my room until midnight), so since Aria had stabilized they moved us to a mother/baby room.  We got our baby back! They moved her crib into a room with two hospital beds and we took total care of her.  

Friday, December 12-

They had a few labs to run on Friday, and I was hoping once they were back in the morning we could go home.  Her bilirubin was elevated, but not to the point of keeping her so we were good on that point.  When the resident came by he was concerned about her weight loss.  She was just over 9 lbs, losing just below the maximum allowed. With all that she had been through I was not going to be okay if they made us stay because of her weight.  I tried to nurse her as often as I could that day! They drew another blood sugar around lunch time.  Finally the attending doctor came in, and I convinced her my milk was in, she was feeding well, and that I was a nurse and had access to a baby scale to weigh her over the weekend if we became concerned.  She gave us the okay to go home and we were so so excited.  My parents brought Lyle to the hospital to come home with us (thanks to them for keeping him much longer than we planned!). I cannot even begin to explain how happy we were to have all our family together and to be heading home.  Lyle proved to be the sweetest big brother by singing to his crying sister as we left the hospital.  She stopped crying and we started.  Seriously the sweetest thing I've ever seen.

Family of Four!  Ready to go home!

Aria hasn't had any trouble since we've been home, and her check-ups have been great.  We are so thankful for our sweet girl!