On September 23, 2014 at 1244 our Violet was born! She is our smallest baby weighing in at 7lbs 4.4oz and only 19in long. And she has the wildest tale to tell!
On Sept 22, I had an appointment to go into the hospital to begin induction. They wanted to induce her early because the doctors placed me on a low dose insulin pill fearing she was growing too big. I had my own reservations about the diagnosis. They rushed through the growth ultrasound plus she was all crunched up, frank breech, with her feet up over her head. I didnt feel they made a proper effort to see how big she really was but were looking for an excuse as to why I was measuring big. But because there was so much risk to baby and no way to know for sure, I accepted their diagnosis and treatment.
Anyway, so I went into the hospital and the doctor checked for any progression, finding, in her opinion, I was already 3 cm dilated so she did not want to start the cervidil and sent me home to come back early the next morning. On the 23rd, we head back to the hospital at the crack of dawn. They set me up in my room and start the pitocin around 7am. What I feared, what happened the last time, because they didnt do the cervidil, I never got to labor strength contractions. To try and help me relax, I started playing the hymns I had on my phone.
The doctor comes in and checks my progress just after noon time and says that she would not have said I was at 3cm but only at 2cm. Since breaking my water always puts labor in a whole new level for me, she decides to break my water. I dont remember it ever being so painful as that! She checks baby after and I hear her say, "Oh no, something's wrong!" (not what you want to hear!) I was in incredible pain at this point and she explains that the baby's cord is coming out and they would need to perform an emergency C-section. Now pain is coupled with fear and I begin to pray.
The rest of the story is very foggy for me, everything became a complete whirlwind! I remember Dennis coming over and putting his hand on mine before they wheeled me out of the room on the bed. I felt like there were 30 people talking to me at once, I had no idea what anyone was saying. I was in too much pain from the doctor trying to hold the baby inside and not let her come out.
When we got into the O.R. room they made me slide onto the table (PAIN!) and I felt people all around prepping. One person was strapping my legs, another wiping me down with iodine (?), another putting a mask over my face telling me to take deep breaths. At this point my mind starts to panic, I start thinking I dont want this to happen! They keep telling me to breathe and I do. The last thing I remember is incredible pain and I was passed out.
I was out for a few hours but woke up to someone saying over and over "your baby is fine, she is in NICU now." I realize what has happened and begin to cry. They tell me Dennis is back waiting for me and they are going to take me down to him now. The doctor came in and told me that baby ended up being breech as well but was fine and that it must have been the "church music" we had playing. It took me a while to understand what she meant by that, I forgot I had left my phone playing hymns when all this had begun.
Dennis filled me in later on all that had happened while I was out. Apparently Violet was born not breathing, she had to be resuscitated. They had some tubes on her and she had to be monitored for a couple days in the NICU. She is an incredible strong baby, and we have an incredible God, so she recovered quickly.
I didnt get a chance to see her for the first time until late that night, maybe around 10pm. My nurse was compassionate and helped wheel me down to go see her for the first time. Because she was still hooked up to a few things (and I was in no shape either), I wasnt able to hold her until that next afternoon.
On the evening of the 24th, Violet graduated out of NICU and was able to come and stay in room with me. We had one more little scare before they released her, the doctor heard a heart murmur. But they did an EKG and she passed. They said maybe because of all the trauma she had been through in the last 24hours, it could have caused it.
We were both finally released from the hospital to go home on the 26th - just in time for Sean's birthday.
Violet is doing wonderful now! She didnt gain any weight for her first doctor appointment but we changed some strategy on feedings and hopefully by her next appointment she has put on a few more ounces.
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