OUR Baby Story

I had been getting contractions every night, so when they got just a little worse on Friday I didn't think much of it.  Andrew and I even drove an hour away to get our snow tires put on that afternoon.  We had a quiet evening which consisted of Andrew watching a Duck Dynasty marathon and me walking laps around our basement apartment while timing contractions.  My contractions were four to five minutes apart for over seven hours and were starting to get really painful.  Andrew told me that we were going to the hospital at 11PM.  

I walked the hallway for the first fourteen hours after arriving.  All my days blend into one because I didn't get much sleep.  I was stuck at four centimeters for what felt like forever.  It was getting harder to walk up and down the hallway, so I would take breaks and bounce on the birthing ball in between.  Andrew's sister, Caitlyn, even came to bring me Jolly Ranchers and walk with us.  I just remember being so exhausted and hungry - being on that liquid only diet for so long was rough.  

Dr. Cook broke my water around 1PM on Saturday and the contractions got STRONG!  The nurses continually asked me my pain level on the number scale... I think I re-evaluated the definition of an "8" half a dozen times.  I kept putting off the epidural, because even though I was in the worst pain of my life, I thought I was managing it well.  I decided to go ahead and get it around 8PM, but the doctor didn't show up until about 11.  By the time he got there, the pain had escalated and was unbelievable.  My contractions had little to no time in between and he kept missing when poking my back.  The epidural made me feel nauseous and tingly all over, but it was worth taking most of the pain away.  Unfortunately, it also slowed labor and made my contractions less effective so I had to be put on pitocin.  My mom and brother-in-law finally arrived, and I was dilated all the way and ready to go just before 1AM.  

I was really intimidated when the big light came down from the ceiling and so many people came into the room, but at that point I didn't really care and just wanted the baby OUT.  Pushing felt surreal and when I first started, I didn't know if I would be able to do it because it seems like so many people get c-sections.  I pushed five sets of three, then Emmett was here!  It took less than 25 minutes.  I wanted Andrew to hold him first, so he was the one to carry baby over to the nurses for cleaning.  I felt so tired even during pushing, but as soon as Emmett arrived, I was on a high and honestly didn't even try sleeping until 6 that morning.  Andrew brought Emmett over to me and was so excited and kept saying how beautiful our baby is.  My response: "get real, he is UGLY" I blame it on the lack of sleep and over load of pain meds.  In my defense, we all know how funny looking fresh babies are - all white and red with poofy eyes and all.  He got a whole lot cuter in next couple hours. 

Emmett Joel was born at 1:27AM on November 4th 2012.  He weighed 6lbs 1oz and was 19 1/4 inches long.  (I could have swore he was eight or nine pounds when he was coming out...) 

Now I understand love at first sight.  I never knew loving someone you had just met was humanly possible.  He couldn't have been more perfect.  Being a parent is by far the best experience ever; nothing compares.  Holding him for the first time, I felt like I suddenly understood everything... the reasons my parents made every decision they did, the way they love me, and how much they really care.   It suddenly all made sense.  

Emmett had to stay a few extra days in the hospital due to his extremely sensitive skin ( he is allergic to laundry detergent, soap, perfume, lotion, etc... it's been difficult ) and high levels of bilirubin (aka jaundice).  Unfortunately, my mom had to go home before we got discharged.  

Life at home with baby has been nothing short of wonderful!  I love taking care of him and tending to his every need.  He is such a good baby.  I wouldn't say it's easy, but loving him makes it easier.  He is officially off of his bililight and his skin has become significantly lighter!

Emmett Joel 3 Weeks Old 

36 Weeks!

We are getting so anxious for our little guy to get here!  I was in the hospital again this past weekend and Doctor confirmed that baby has DROPPED!  He thinks we have about 2 weeks left until baby arrives.  

Baby is in the downward position and ready to go.  He doesn't move much anymore, but it is cute feeling his little kicks and hiccups.  Since we weren't very prepared with the last scare, we have made sure to have everything taken care of this time around.  The nursery is complete, stroller and car seat in the car, hospital bags packed and a last minute list taped to the door.  OH!  And we finally picked a name, it's official!  BUT... we're not telling until after he is born.  (sorry!)  

I can definitely tell that my body is getting ready for delivery - won't go into the gross details, but definitely getting ready.  Andrew and I both have "allergies", however it feels like a bad cold, so we are hoping to recover before baby arrives and we lose even more sleep.  Pregnancy has honestly been rough, but I've heard with my EDS, delivery should be easier (fingers crossed).  Every day I wake up in so much pain thinking "I can't do this for one more day", and somehow God gets me through it.  I am confident He will give me the strength to finish this out.  

On the plus side, this was my last week of classes and clinicals.  As of today, I am officially certified and will only have one online class with the baby.  So excited I made it without delivering in the middle!  Glory to God!  Thank you all for the continual prayers and support, it has truly made this a much more enjoyable experience.  We will keep updating as much as possible in these next few weeks, and can't wait to get up some pictures of our little one :)   

Baby Update

We just got home from the hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  I didn't expect to be home so soon, but it is for the best.  They do not have very many  resources available in the smaller hospital so I am super glad we went.  My water did break on Tuesday and I was going in and out of labor for quite some time.  I received lots of antibiotics to prevent infection and steroids in order to develop baby's lungs as quickly as possible.  We didn't sleep whatsoever and it was hard not to be nervous.  We were told that we would be up there for at least 7 weeks and our son would be in the NICU for a long time.  The only thing keeping our sanity was the fact that we were going to meet our son any day!  We did tons of tests, I was poked way too many times for my liking, and since my "veins are too small", the IVs were extremely painful.  I was pretty much stabilized by Wednesday, but they had to keep me to monitor baby and the health of us both.  Because I was put on bed rest and the tear was small enough, my body was able to heal itself and begin retaining amniotic fluids again once contractions stopped.  I went from 4cm of fluid to a healthy 14!  I had no idea that was even possible.  Although this is the best possible outcome because it allows baby to grow and develop longer, it was still sad to go home without him.  It has been emotionally exhausting (in addition to the lack of sleep) to be on either extreme of the scenario-spectrum so quickly, but it is good to be home.  I have to be extremely careful, and watch for any more leaks.  The doctors call to check up on me and I am still considered a high risk pregnancy.  Andrew is doing a great job of taking care of me and baby, and there is still a chance baby may come early.  Poor kid is running out of room!  We are all doing well and are just hoping to make it though most of October.  And next time we will be much more prepared!  Thank you so much for all your prayers, messages, and thoughts while we were in the hospital.  Hopefully next time we will have baby pictures when we leave :)

33 Weeks & My Water broke!

My water broke!  We went to the local hospital in Estherville just to be safe, thinking we would do a few tests and be sent home in a matter of 20 minutes.  Dr ended up confirming that my water did rupture so we were sent up to Sioux Falls, South Dakota to Avera McKennan Hospital where they have more resources for premie babies.  We have received a few more answers, but not everything is clear yet ( when is it ever? ).  I have to have antibiotics through an IV to prevent infection since the barrier is broken.  I get steroids to help strengthen baby's lungs.  We DID pick out a name for him, finally, but we're not telling until he is born.   I have been going in and out of contractions but nothing significant or consistent yet.  Baby could be here any time from now on if he decides to, but we are trying to keep him in there as long as possible.  The longest we can put off labor due to risk of infection and other complications is 12 days, which would mean I would get induced at 34 weeks and we would have baby on 10/8/12.  Unfortunately, they need to monitor me continuously due to high risk so we will be in the hospital until the baby is born.  If he is born earlier rather than later, we can expect to be staying in the NICU for at least five weeks due to his poor lung development.  I am nervous about being able to finish my classes and everything happening so fast and so suddenly.  I am trying not to be anxious but I am concerned about baby's health.  We are both a little nervous but since it is all out of our control, there's not use in freaking out.  Please send prayers our way!  We will keep you updated the best we can.  

30 Weeks 6 Days

It has definitely been way too long since last update, and I'm not keeping up with this like I wanted to.  In the past twelve weeks, we have been in and out of the hospital quite a bit due to my EDS.  I am glad they are keeping a watchful eye on me, but it's hard not to worry sometimes.  I suppose worrying is normal.  The summer here was pretty miserable with all the humidity, so I'm ecstatic that fall is coming and the temperatures are cooling off.

The second trimester I was exhausted the entire time.  We got ultrasounds on July 5th, at 21 weeks, and found out that it's a BOY!  All measurements are good and fluid levels looked normal.

We decided to send out gender announcements to my family members since we live near most of Andrew's family.  We took pink and blue balloons and put holes in the pink ones so only the blue one would blow up, signifying that he's a BOY :)

"Some are Pink and some are Blue, which ever has more is your CLUE"
This is how we told Nana Ferguson!

Here's his face and hand (upper middle)  at 21 weeks

We had check up doctor appointments every four weeks, and everything was going smoothly.  Dr. Cook would joke that I'm being too easy for my first pregnancy.  However, I was in and out of the ER a few times due to pain just to check that I didn't have a UTI or something worse.  

At 24 weeks, Andrew and I spent 4 hours watching the Olympics at the hospital while giving blood every hour for a glucose test - FUN!  Glad I don't have gestational diabetes , but definitely made me watch my food choices.  

In the middle of August, around 26 weeks, I flew to California to see my friends and have a small baby shower.  Terri and Cal made a photobooth, we had yummy food and I got super cute baby clothes!

On the way to the airport I got really bad contractions, and we were concerned.  I almost didn't get on the airplane, but they subsided quickly and I was confident we would be okay.    

  Upon return home, Andrew and I took advantage of being three hours from home in the cities and picked up some things at Ikea for the nursery.

Dr. Cook was concerned about my contractions and the fact that I have been measuring too big.  At our baby appointment we did emergency ultrasounds to see if he is growing too fast, or if we are farther along than we originally thought.  We were a little nervous just because of the size of my growing belly and all the stretch marks that I had accumulated from the growth spurt.  When reviewing the ultrasounds, it was concluded that everything looked normal and it was just that - a growth spurt.  Turns out I am just abnormally short.... surprise.  


While with the ultrasound tech, we were asked if we would like to try the new 4D ultrasound machine. She said we were perfect candidates and were far enough along that we might be able to get a picture of his face.  How could we say No?!

 Seeing his face was magical!   He wouldn't hold still and kept showing off, flipping and turning.  He kept his hands in front of his face which made getting a picture difficult.  We asked nicely, but he was definitely on his own agenda.  I have a feeling this is the beginning of the never ending!  We have been working relentlessly on the basement in between starting school and everything else.  Framing, plumbing, electrical, insulation, drywall, mudding, taping, texturing and painting are all done!  Phew! It was so fun to pain the nursery, and finally feel like I could "nest" a little bit.  we chose a light grey with charcoal grey stripes on the accent wall.  We will be adding blue, orange and green for some pops of color.  I can't wait for it to all come together and to finally move in !

Aunt Caitlyn and Penny threw us a co-ed BaByQ at Lori and Shane's garage last weekend.  It was so perfect and we had tons of fun!  They put so much effort into the decorations and food, it was so cute!  Girls played games while boys watched football.  Beer all around (except for me of course) and good times for all.  

Thereasa, Julie, Caitlyn, Me (+baby), Penny & Cathy at the BaByQ

EDS

I had to pee sooo bad! I rushed to the bathroom and made it just in time it seemed.  Ahhh, Relief.  But then again, no relief at all.  I can't even finish using the bathroom because of the severe pain in my lower abdomen.  I can't stand up with I'm done.  After I flop onto the floor and gather myself, I have to lay down for a minimum of fifteen minutes due to the extreme amount of pain.  Using the bathroom is something women do an average of twenty times a day during pregnancy.  And for me, it is a small example of the uphill battle I fight every day of my life.

I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.

I am in pain every single day.  Being pregnant makes the pain unreal.  I have a high pain tolerance because I am used to having this disease, and I put a smile on my face to hide what's really going on.  It hurts to walk, it hurts to breathe.  I cannot do the normal, everyday things, even the ones I would do in pain previously.  The pain in my lower abdomen and hips had reached such extremes that I called my OB Nurse yesterday.  ( I usually wait until the pain is unbearable ) She was shocked at my symptoms and suggested I go into the ER immediately because it is so bad that I cannot wait for my appointment in two weeks.

I had symptoms that would be associated with kidney stones, gall stones or a severe urinary tract infection.  They were going to give me a catheter and the next step would be something serious.  However, when all my testing came back they concluded that it was just my EDS.

EDS is a connective tissue disorder that effects joints, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels and organs.  Looking at me from the outside, you would never know.  But it is very real and people live this nightmare of the "invisible disease" every day.  It's not "will I be in pain today?" it's "HOW MUCH pain am I going to be in today?".

It hurt before I was pregnant, but feeling the way I feel now shows me the need to spread awareness for this incurable syndrome.  So many people have the same pain I have now without being pregnant.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OsjYRpGgQs&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8wGUoUT8BY&feature=related

I remember when it really hit my mom and she was bed ridden.  All of us kids had to pitch in the keep the house to my dad's standards.  I remember climbing on the counters to put away dishes that we couldn't reach and just wondering when my mommy was going to get better.

I remember when my brother Drew would cry because he wanted to ride in the stroller, and we would make him walk.

.... the countless times Drew would get shots in his shoulders during swim and water polo season.  He was so impressive even through the pain.  He never missed a game or practice, yet it hurt too bad to drive himself there.  His good attitude and being such a team player earned him the Coach's award countless times.  Yet no one knew the pain he endures while fighting.

I remember when my brother Matt had surgery.  And when he would cry at night because his legs hurt so bad.

I remember every one of us kids having heating pads on our legs and hips at night while we would sleep.

I remember when the doctors told my mom she would have to be in a wheel chair.  That was over twelve years ago.

My brothers and I all have EDS.  It is genetic and has been passed down from my mother.  Her mother has it, her brother and sister have it.  And so did my great grandma.  My baby will have it, and will continue to pass it down.  Life is still worth living, but no one said it would be easy.

Our mascot is a Zebra.  Because when people hear hooves they automatically think "horse" (fibromyalgia, cystic fibrosis, artheritis, etc.) But no one would guess that we're really zebras.  

  

18 Weeks 3 Days

We went on a family vacation to Breckenridge, CO last weekend and it was beautiful!  Almost got a 3D ultrasound because we don't have them in Iowa but they were closed on Mondays.  Bummer!  On the up side, we had dinner with Mike + Sierra who are about two months ahead of us with baby Jaxon- so excited for babies!  Then got a boppy body pillow and am sleeping much better! (highly recommend one) 

I am feeling lots more movement!  Baby somersaults all the time and I feel lots of kicking lately.  Andrew can't feel anything yet, but I hear he will be able to soon.  I can't see any movement on the outside yet.  "Squishy" is very active and likes Mexican food.  

We find out the gender on Thursday, July 5th!  I almost can't contain myself.  I'm dying to know, to narrow down names and start picking out baby clothes.  15 Days and counting!