Adalynn's Birth Story

Adalynn was breech the entire end of my pregnancy.  Ever since I was able to feel her and tell where her little body parts were located her head was in my left ribs.  We tried everything we could think of to get her to flip---I laid upside down off the side of the couch, played music at the bottom of my stomach, and even put ice on her head and heat down by her feet.  But it was a no go. Our girl was not having anything to do with flipping around.  So around 36 weeks my doctor recommended we try a version procedure the next week.  This is where you go to the hospital and a doctor pushes and pulls on the baby from the outside in order to get the baby to turn.  My other option was to have a c section.  After talking it over with Greg we really didn't feel good about doing the version (it can cause the baby to go into distress and have to be born via emergency c section 3 weeks early) and I wasn't really worried about having a c section.  So the next week we scheduled a c section for December 4th, 4 days before my due date.

My mom flew in on December 2nd and Greg's parents arrived on December 3rd.  We all went to dinner at our new Chick Fil A the night before we were to go to the hospital.  We had to be there at the crack of dawn so Greg and I went home and went to bed early.  I didn't think I would be able to sleep but I actually slept pretty well, all things considered.  We woke up bright and early the next morning, got ready, and headed to the hospital in the rain.

When we got to the hospital they took us to a triage room and hooked baby and I up to all kinds of monitors.  It turns out I was contracting every 3-4 minutes even though I wasn't feeling a thing!  I was amazed because I had not felt a single contraction ever so I was sure I just wasn't having them.  I tried to tell Greg it was because I am so tough and have such a high pain tolerance.  Ha!  They also had to tape up my wedding ring because my fingers were too swollen to get it off.  The anesthesiologist came in and told me I would have to take my contacts out before the c section.  I was SO mad!  They probably thought I was crazy for making such a big deal out of it but I hate my glasses and can't see anything without my contacts.  Then they had Greg put on his little surgery outfit and we waited.

They finally came and took us to the OR.  As we got to the door they told Greg to take a seat outside the room.  I had been feeling pretty calm and okay about everything but started to panic at that moment.  I had no idea I would be by myself for any of this and was not prepared for that.  I started to tear up and kind of freak out when I realized I would be by myself for the epidural--the part I was most nervous about.  Luckily, I had a really great nurse named Brooke.  She held my hand and talked to me and got me through the epidural which really wasn't that bad.  Once that was over they finally let Greg come into the OR.  We were in there for about 20 or 30 minutes before Adalynn was born.  The epidural made my arms shake like crazy like I was shivering even though I wasn't cold at all, it was weird.  Neither of us could see anything going behind the curtain but I was glad about that, I'm sure it was gross!

Finally, at 7:57 AM my doctor my doctor pulled her out, but I didn't hear her cry right away.  It wasn't long enough to worry or panic but I remember wondering why I didn't hear her cry after they said "here she comes!".  Later, my doctor told us her umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck 3 times!!  No wonder the poor girl didn't ever flip around, she couldn't!  Then we felt bad for all the crazy stuff we did to try to make her turn.  But we were SO glad we decided not to do the version.  We would have ended up with an emergency c section for sure.  I feel so blessed we were led by the Spirit to know what was best for our baby girl.  We also found out later that when they were pulling her out she grabbed onto the umbilical cord like, "Hey!  Don't take me out of here!!".  Greg got to "trim" her cord for the photo op and then watch and take pictures while they cleaned her up.  This baby girl had quite the scream too!  It was loud and high pitched and everyone thought we were really in for it.  Luckily that only lasted the first day or two and we haven't heard it since then.

 Greg "trimming" the cord

Adalynn weighted 7 pounds 9.2 ounces and was 20 inches long

Our first family photo.  Can you hear that scream coming from our tiny girl? 

After Adalynn was born and the 3 of us spent a few minutes together in the OR, the nurses and Greg brought her to the nursery while my doctor finished stitching me up.  The nurses also got our parents from the waiting room and let them come watch the baby and Greg in the nursery.  My mom FaceTimed with my dad so he could see her too.  Adalynn (who was still unnamed at this point) got poked and prodded and got a bath and a shot and gunk put on her eyes and they got her little footprints.  

 I didn't like being in the OR all by myself and really wished I could be with Greg and the baby but my doctors and nurses were great to talk to me and keep me occupied.  Once I was done they moved me to a small recovery room and I waited for Greg to come back with the baby.  I got to put my contacts back in (finally!) and chatted with the nurse while I waited.  My whole body was still shaking like crazy, a weird side effect the epidural has on some people.  I was nervous to hold the baby because I was shaking so bad but the nurse assured me I would be fine.  Finally I heard them coming and I was so excited!  I got to hold her and nurse her for the first time and it was amazing and weird and wonderful and crazy all at the same time.  We loved her so much but it was just so weird to wrap our minds around the fact that THIS was our baby, she was the one we had talked about and waited for and watched move and grow all this time.  She was actually here!  It was very surreal.   

There's more!  Click See More Posts if you haven't had enough of Miss Adalynn yet....like that's even possible!