Abby's birth and first week

I started labor Sun. morning at 3AM, with contractions 8-10 minutes apart and was able to sleep between contractions. About 2-3 in the afternoon my contractions became stronger and closer together. I labored for a long time with very slow progress with the dilation of my cervix. I had a hard time, every time I moved I had a contraction, so walking around or changing positions was very difficult.
About 6AM Monday morning I asked my friend/Douala if I was dilated enough to be able to get in the whirlpool tub at family beginnings (birth center in the hospital-natural births in a home-like setting). She checked my cervix and said I was (you have to be at least 6cm before they will let you get in, because it can slow the labor). So we called and headed to the hospital. I was 8cm dilated when the nurse checked me at 8AM, so I was excited thinking she would be born soon. By 5PM I was at 10cm with contractions, but my water was not breaking. So the doctor said he could either break it or wait. I wasn't sure, so he said he could come back in a 1/2 hour and check again, so that's what we did. I was at the point where I was just trying to get the water to break anyways, so I had him go ahead and break it. I think it was good that he did, because right away he could see the meconium (baby's first bowel movement in utero). There is a big danger if the baby swallows the meconium. The doctor called the NICU and had them on stand-by. Once I hit the pushing stage, I regained confidence, and felt a lot better. It really did feel good to push. My doctor really helped, he gave me pressure and told me to push towards the pressure, and then he gave me a count of ten to help focus and lengthen my pushing. I was able to get about 3 good pushes per contraction, and did not have much pain with it until about the last 3 pushes when her head was starting to crown. Finally at 9:16PM Abigail Mae was born, 7 pounds even and 20 inches long. As soon as her mouth and nose were out they started suctioning her, then the rest of her body came out and they took her over and suctioned for another 20 minutes. Her breathing rate was too fast, so they called the neonatologist to look at her. But, before they took her to the transitional nursery I got to hold her skin to skin for about 20 minutes. In the transitional nursery she was on and off of oxygen, and the decision was made to transfer her to the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit). Once there, her oxygen levels were good enough that she did not need to be on oxygen. A chest x-ray showed that there was some of the meconium in her R lower lung and blood levels showed and elevated white blood cell count, which meant there could be an infection, so she was started on antibiotics. They could not get an IV started in her hands or feet, so they had to put one in her head. She had a tube going down her nose into her stomach to help release gases. She had electrodes on her chest hooking her up to a heart and breathing monitor and an oxygen saturation monitor attached to her foot.
I did not get to see her again until about 6:30 Tuesday morning, but her color looked good, she was awake and smiling. Shortly after we left to go back to our room, the NICU nurses saw her laughing and took pictures for us. She was initially not allowed to eat, because her breathing rate was too high, so she was also receiving IV fluids.
Wednesday morning during rounds the doctors said she was allowed to eat, but it needed to be by bottle so they could measure how much she was eating. She ate very little the first time, but gradually ate more and more. By the 10 o'clock rounds that evening she had eaten well enough that the doctor said she could start breast feeding, with a follow bottle. We were getting her ready to feed and her IV fell out. Well they tried about five different places, but could not get a vein, so they had to stick another IV in her head. So by the time she was able to eat, she was just too exhausted, and it wasn't very successful. Earlier that day I had been discharged from the hospital (usually family beginnings stays are less than 24 hours, one lady came Tues. night had her baby and was gone before noon on Wed.). I on the other hand was allowed to stay 48 hours after her birth, because of the circumstances, and the availability of the room. Our good friend/Douala lives 2 blocks from the hospital and had just left that morning for vacation, so she let us stay at her house until Abby could come home. It was really nice being that close.
Thursday we tried breast feeding again, but we were not very successful, and had to follow-up with bottle feeds (I had pumped breast milk for all of the bottle feeds, I was determined that she was not going to get formula). Right as we were starting one of the feeds, her IV got pulled on, and it came out. The nurse talked to the nurse practitioner who said that as long as the doctor Ok’d it, it should be able to stay out. Her urine output levels were finally improving enough, and the doctor said that as long as they stayed up we could leave the IV out. Again stressing the need to have good feeds. That evening when we took a break for super Jim said that he just wanted to focus on the bottle; he just wanted her to eat so she could come home. I on the other hand very badly wanted to breast feed, and was very discouraged. I prayed, took a nap, and then we headed back to the hospital. The next feeding she fed at the breast for 15 minutes, but we had to use a nipple shield to get her attached. I thanked God, my baby was finally eating from me.
The next morning we got to the hospital very early for feeding (we had a lactation consultant on Thurs. and again Fri.). She ate very well, and at the next feeding ate very well again, so the nurse talked to the nurse practitioner and they agreed that if the doctor Ok’d it, she could go home. We had an infant CPR class scheduled for us at 11:30 that morning, then we went for lunch, and when we came back we found out that the doctors had released her. We had her pictures taken that morning, and had the prints before we left. So Friday we finally were able to bring our little Abby home, and she was breastfeeding!! I was still a little worried about her needing to use the nipple guard, but continued with it all of Friday. Great Grandma Hattie, Grandpa Jim, Grandpa Greg, Grandma Norma, and Uncle Joe all came over to see Abby at home. When it came time to sleep we tried the bassinet, but she kept getting upset. We had said that we would not have her sleep with us, but we were both just excited to have her home and wanted her to be happy, so she slept with us.
On Saturday I intermittently tried without the nipple guard, but had little success. Again I prayed, I wanted to feed my baby naturally, without any barriers. Abby is so cute, I love being a mom!! Grandma and Grandpa Young came over for a visit and brought mom and dad dinner.
On Sunday I was determined to work with Abby to get rid of the nipple guard, I tried to watch for early signs of hunger so that we would have more time to transition to the nipple, without being too upset. It took a couple of feeds, but she finally got it down. Later in the evening she had gotten kind of cranky and I thought I better try the nipple guard, but she did not want it, and I was able to make through the entire day without it!! Today we also started focusing more on tummy time, she is doing great with it, she will actually turn her head to the other direction, and she is so strong. We also tried the bouncer seat today; she seemed to be content in it. Great Grandma Pat and Grandma and Grandpa Steinbrunner came over for a visit and brought mom and dad more food. Abby was awake so much today, but was very upset after the visitors left. We thought she had a tummy ache, because it had only been an hour since her last feeding, we kept trying to comfort her and nothing worked, she just kept getting redder and redder, we were worried. I decided to try and comfort her with the breast, it took a minute, but she calmed down and ate a lot more. The rest of the night went very well. Jim decided to sleep on the floor next to the bed, and Abby and I slept in the bed, I slept so much better without Jim’s snoring. She does so well sleeping this way, I love feeling her kick and move around.
Jim has been a huge help through all of this. I could not have gotten through labor without his support, and I know how much it hurt him seeing me in pain. Jim has been a great father for Abby already. He loves holding her and is very good at comforting her. It doesn't even phase him to do the diaper changes. I can tell that he would love to just spend all day just holding her, but unfortunately there are chores to do. He has been a huge help as I am still quite sore and limited in activity, but improving.
Monday: Abby is 1 week old today!! Things just keep getting easier. I am healing and able to move around a little bit better, but still fairly sore. We are trying out some of her toys. She sat in the swing for the first time, and seemed to like it. We even went outside for a little bit this morning, staying in the shade of course. Grandma and Grandpa Young stopped by to drop off some sleepers for Abby and had a short visit. Abby has been sleeping a lot today; her feeds are taking forever, because she keeps falling asleep. I think she is catching up from yesterday. We are still learning. I was able to enjoy some nursing time with her and reading to her at the same time. She already has some good books. Great Grandma Pat said that I need to sing to her, sorry Abby I don’t quite have a singing voice, but I will sing to you anyway.