Kendall's Birth Story

Today it has been exactly four weeks since this sweet little girl came into our lives. I've wanted to sit down and write about this day before too much more time goes by. It is kind of long, but this is really for my memory.
Before we left for the hospital, I had Mike take a few last photos of my baby belly. Here I am at 37.5 weeks pregnant (but measuring 12 weeks further along....I don't miss that belly.) We have some bare belly shots, but Mike forbid me to put them on here ;)

We checked into the hospital at 7a.m. and Dr. Bartels arrived around 8:30a.m. to get the show on the road. Everything went smoothly with him breaking my water. He put a tiny hole in my amniotic sac with a long needle so the fluid would slowly leak out. It took about ten minutes for him to do it and it was a long uncomfortable ten minutes. The nurse started me on pitocin to start me contracting and instructed me to go ahead and start walking the halls. First she put a grown-up diaper on me to try and contain all of the excessive amniotic fluid that was coming out. After a few laps through the halls, I was banned to my hospital room after I started leaving puddles all through the halls that the nurses had to mop up. I don't know how many "diapers" and socks I went through, but the amount of fluid that came out was quite amazing and comical. I left puddles and puddles of fluid every where that I moved. You could literally watch my stomach get smaller and smaller throughout the day. My doctor did rupture my sac a little later in the day after he felt like it was safe, you wouldn't believe how much fluid was still in there.

The first half of the day went pretty smoothly and Kendall's heart sounded good and her heart showed no more signs of the irregular heart beat. I got my epidural a few hours into the induction when I was tired of being in pain. I was glad that I got my epidural when I did, because not much later did I start having double and triple contractions right on top of each other. Kendall did not care for this and her heart rate began dropping into the 80's and sometimes lower with each contraction. They don't like to see a baby have a heart rate lower than the 120's. This was around 3p.m. and I got to where a lovely oxygen mask for the next 7 hours to try and give extra oxygen to Kendall. I was constantly having to be moved around from one side to another trying to keep Kendall's heart happy. I hated hearing her heart rate get too slow because I was worried it would stay too low and that they would have to do an emergency c-section.

Sometime around 4p.m. Dr. Bartels discovered when he was checking to see how dilated I was, that Kendall's head was starting to get a cap on it (I was only 4cm dilated at this point.) I knew this wasn't a good sign. A cap is different than a cone head. A cap is when the baby's head is stuck and is swelling up. Dr. Bartels seemed a little confused as to why this was occurring since I had already delivered three baby's without trouble. He told me he wanted to give me more time to see if I would dilate more and maybe her head would rotate into a better position.

Around 7 p.m. my epidural started to wear off and it didn't feel good at all. Dr. Bartels checked me again and I was 7-8cm's dilated. Kendall's head still hadn't moved. The nurse called and asked to have a extra dose of medicine for my epidural. The only problem was that it took over an hour for the doctor to get there. By then I don't even know how much relief I was getting...not much. The doctor topped me off, but it only took the pain away in my abdomen. I had so much pain in my bottom that it felt like Kendall was going to make her appearance out of the wrong exit. I had to continue laying on my right side at this point to keep her heart rate happy. All I could do was breathe, grip the side of the bed and mumble the same thing at the peak of every contraction...."Holy crap that hurts." My tail bone still isn't the same....

Around 8:30p.m. my doctor came in and I had made no changes and Kendall's head hadn't come down at all. So I was told that that I had to have a c-section. It took about one hour and 45 minutes before they could do the c-section because we were waiting on the anesthesiologist. I was in so much pain and so exhausted by this time that I was falling asleep in between contractions on the operating table. I was so happy to finally get the spinal, which I had to get since the epidural wasn't working. After getting the spinal the pain went away quickly, but I was pretty sure I was going to be sick to my stomach; which they gave me some medicine in my i.v. for. C-sections are strange because you can feel the sensation of everything that they are doing to you. The initial cut feels like someone is unzipping your stomach. There is a lot of pressure when they pull the baby out, but that wasn't bad. I could even tell when they were putting my uterus back inside of me, which was uncomfortable. I'm not sure why they pull it out, to inspect it or sew it up? I even asked the doctor if that is what he was doing and he said yes. At some point things started to hurt and my spinal wasn't quite working, just like the epidural. So they had to give me some really good drugs. Those drugs kept making me fall asleep and not breathe very well, but I don't remember that part. Mike told me they kept telling me to wake up and breathe. When my doctor pulled Kendall out, he explained to me that there was no way that she would have ever been able to be born vaginally. Her head was turned up, instead of her having her head and chin tucked down.

Kendall came out screaming at 10:25p.m. and got a 9/9 for her apgars. I think the first thing that I asked was what color hair she had, to which someone in the room said red. Mike could see her well and told me she looked perfect. The NICU team was in the room to access her and I could see them trying to stick a tube down her throat to check her esophagus to see if she had a fistula. They told us right away that everything appeared normal and she was healthy.

The whole thing felt like a strange dream. I think there was this part of me that was just really expecting that something was going to be wrong with her after all the unknowns with the sonograms. Instead the doctors were busy talking about what beautiful lips they thought Kendall had and how healthy she looked.

Kendall in all her naked glory weighing in at 7lbs. 9ozs.

A very relieved and happy mom and dad.......

First bath....

Getting to hold her after her bath.

The kids came with my mom early the next morning before school so they could meet their new little sister.

Snoozing away in her mom's arms....

All packed up and ready to go home....

This pregnancy was a wild ride, all the way up until delivery. In some ways it's hard to believe that it's all over and that everything turned out fine in the end. C-sections pretty much stink, but every bit of pain was so worth this sweet little girl. I look at her and just can't imagine her having to have any type of surgery, I'm so thankful for the good health that she was blessed with. Everything about her is just a blessing....she is a little piece of heaven.

First Official Bath

Kendall had her first bath in her little tub today. She seemed to find the water that came out of the faucet quite interesting to look at. As you can see, she is gaining a lot of weight! She is not going to be tiny for long....

100% Sweet

3 Weeks

Well, I'm not sure where the time has gone.....but this little cutie is 3 weeks old today.

1 week

2 weeks

Everyone in the house is pretty crazy about you. Your big sisters think it's a lot of fun to be constantly taking your picture with their phones.

You still like to spend a lot of time snoozing away the day. Your Dad would like to spend as much time napping as you do.....

3 weeks

You are getting so chubby, it's almost like we can see you putting on weight every day. I tried to see what you are weighing in at by getting on our digital scale with you in my arms. On Monday the scale said you were 9lbs. 6ozs. That is a 2 1/2 pound weight gain in 2 weeks.....I think maybe you like to eat a little too much :) Last week when we saw Dr. Bartels, the doctor that delivered you; he wanted to know if I was feeding you cream.

I wish that I could keep you tiny for just a little while longer, everything is just going too fast. I'm loving every minute with you.....

One Week

All pictures in this post were taken today on your one week birthday.

Dear Little Miss Kendall,
Today you are one week old. You sure have captured the hearts of the people in your family. You have your mommy and daddy's hearts wrapped around your tiny little fingers.
You are a very easy going baby who really never cries, only when you are getting your pants changed. You are very predictable, you always begin to calm down the more dressed you get after a diaper change. You get so red when you cry that it's funny to see.
You spend all of your time sleeping, eating and pooping. I don't think I have ever seen a baby that sleeps so much.
After having such a difficult pregnancy and delivery with you, it's amazing how wonderful your first week has gone with you as a part of our family. We couldn't have had a sweeter girl than you come into our family.

You spend a lot of time smiling in your sleep and we all love to watch you snooze the day away. You make the sweetest little sounds when you nurse. We took you in to the doctor on Monday to see how you were doing since you were a little jaundice after birth. Your coloring was looking so good, that you didn't have to have your blood checked. You weighed in at 7lbs. 4 ozs. Before we had checked out of the hospital, your weight had gone down to 6lbs. 15ozs., so you only have a little more to gain to get back to your birth weight.

Dad and I gave you your first official little bath today. Up until today, I had just been wiping you down with a warm wash cloth. We thought for sure that you would cry because you were partially undressed. You were awake for the first part while I wet your head down, and then you went right to sleep as I soaped up your hair. Dad and I laughed at you and joked that we deserved one mellow child.

I think that your dad is quite taken with you, as he is always making little oohh's and ahh's to you and talking about how sweet he thinks you are. We are so thankful to have you in our lives.

Introducing......

Kendall Diane McKean

Arrived Wed. 12-1-2010 at 10:25 pm

7lbs. 9ozs.

19 1/2 inches long

and is healthy and beautiful....

A baby will make love grow stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for.

-Anonymous

We Have A Date!

Wednesday, December 1st we will get to meet our new little girl! I'm very excited and nervous.... :)

Latest Baby Update

(The following information is from an email that I sent out today.)

I thought I would send off an update from the last two days of doctor's appointments.... The baby thankfully always gets an 8 out of 8 on all the things they have been monitoring her for, which basically means that she looks great and is thriving in the womb. She was weighing in around 7.2 lbs, so she shouldn't be very tiny for coming out a few weeks early.

The one new thing that was seen on Monday, was that her stomach looked a little too small. This has never been mentioned before, so I'm thinking that it was something they were seeing for the first time on Monday. This doesn't mean that the size of her stomach is too small, just means that there wasn't a normal amount of fluid in there to expand it to it's normal size. Her stomach is something they always take a look at, so I'm a little unsure what to make of this. The doctor said it could mean something or could mean nothing....that is the same answer I get for everything there at the perinatologists office and it drives me crazy. Every week a different doctor comes in and gives me their own quick consult on the things that can't be ruled out by sonogram. I find this to be quite unnecessary; do they think that I forget from week to week? I have now met every doctor in that office. I still don't understand why this doctor couldn't have spent an extra few minutes to look up whether this was the first time the stomach looked too small. I'm hoping that was my last time to ever step foot in that office.

The two things that they always love to remind me that they can't rule out are: a narrowing/blockage in the baby's intestines - this would mean that the baby wouldn't be able to poop. Second, a fistula in the baby's esophagus. This would be a hole going from the esophagus into the trachea, which would cause milk to go into her lungs making her not be able to eat. So there is a small chance that the baby could need to have a section of her intestines removed or her esophagus repaired. Both of these conditions can cause excessive amniotic fluid. If she has either of these conditions she would need surgery within the first 24 - 48 hours after being born. I try to keep into perspective that the chances are higher that nothing is wrong, than the possibility of her actually having something wrong. At the same time it's hard to know what to be prepared for, a baby that will come home with us next week or a baby that could be going into surgery. She is still having the irregular heart beat like she was, just at a more spaced out rate. This is not related to anything else though, mainly due to an immature electrical system in the heart.

On to Tuesday's appointment with my regular doctor (who is such a relief to see after the other office). I have dilated a little more, but haven't thinned out anymore. My doctor narrowed down his plans more with with me. Monday morning we will do the amnio to check for lung maturity. They do this by testing the amniotic fluid for certain cells....they do not touch the baby at all with a needle....only me. (Some people have been confused by that.) If we get the results back Mon., we have a baby Tues. If we get the results on Tuesday we have her on Wed.

He discussed in more detail his plans for inducing me. When he breaks my water he will not be removing his hand from inside of me. He will keep his hand there until the fluid stops flowing out and the baby's head comes down and sits on my cervix. He will be feeling the whole time to make sure the umbilical cord has not come out. If the cord does come out, he will push the baby's head up and away from the cord and keep his hand there while someone else performs a c-section. They will have an O.R. booked for me just incase it's needed. He said that once we are past that, he expects that the rest of labor and delivery will take place in a normal manner. I did discuss whether or not a c-section would just be easier to do, and he really felt strongly that it wasn't necessary. He did tell me to not be losing sleep over this situation, that he really feels like everything will be fine and under control. He did say that a team from the NICU will be in attendance when the baby is born to access her condition right after birth. Hopefully everything will check out fine with her and she can stay with me instead of having to go to the NICU.

I'm hoping this will be the last update of this kind and I will just let you know which day we are going to get to welcome this little girl into our lives. I've attached the picture that we got last week of her profile. The sonogram tech told me this week that she thought it looked like we were going to be having a very cute baby...I would have to agree :)

Thank you for keeping us in your prayers. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Jamie

Baby Update

I'm officially 34.6 weeks pregnant. My uterus is measuring 47 weeks according to my doctor. This baby girl feels like she may fall right out of me. I can't quite explain how miserable my body is feeling. Two weeks ago my doctor asked me to stay off of my feet because I'm constantly contracting, it's not helping much.

I'm at the doctor twice a week now because the baby's heart beat has been irregular since week 32. Nothing very serious, just something they have to keep an eye on to make sure her heart doesn't start to beat too fast. If her heart was to start beating too fast, it could become a very serious matter. I've been told that normally babies with this condition will convert to a normal heart rhythm after birth. They said this is another one of those fluky things. I had a 1% chance of this happening and a 1% chance of having the excessive amniotic fluid. I can honestly say I'm starting to become a little paranoid over this pregnancy. No more 1% chances of anything else please.

We will be doing an amnio a few days before Thanksgiving to check on the maturity of the baby's lungs. If her lungs are mature, she should arrive a few days after Thanksgiving. They will with draw some of the extra fluid out while they are doing the amnio to try and relieve some of the distention going on in my uterus. A normal pregnancy has about 1 liter of amniotic fluid, I'm carrying around 2+ liters. The doctor will not be able to break my water in a normal way, he will have to do a pin prick sized hole to create a small leak. With all the extra fluid in there, it increases the chance of a cord accident or the placenta becoming unattached if my water was to suddenly break. Either thing would require an emergency cesarean to save the baby.

The baby should be around 7 pounds when she is born at 37 weeks. She was weighing in around 5.4 pounds two and a half weeks ago. I'm still hoping and praying for a healthy baby with no hidden defects or health problems. I think maybe this little girl thought her mother needed a few extra gray hairs.

Somebody Had A Birthday

Kelsey turned 15 last week. I don't know how that's possible, but it's true. It really only seems like a few years ago we were celebrating her 3rd birthday. That year she didn't want us to sing to her. We have all of these pictures with her frowning, tears streaming down her face and her arms folded in anger. We got a repeat performance of that behaviour for her 4th birthday as well.

We took her out to dinner with the family. She had to go with Mike to Home Depot to help him load french doors and drywall in a trailer. What 15 year old girl doesn't want to do that for her birthday? I can't believe it's finally time to teach her how to drive, I might leave that task up to her Dad. Happy Birthday Kelsey, we love you!!

Happy Halloween!