Where to begin?

I do not know where to start recapturing the days of life since Caily has joined them. I guess I should probably start with the day that she entered and go from there. On Friday, June 29, we had a doctor's appointment to redo my strep B test, since it was going to run out on Saturday, while there we listened to her heartbeat. The doctor found it, it was rather high and Caily was moving all around. She did a quick ultrasound to check her fluid levels and Caily was still very active and her heartbeat was still high. So, I was put on a monitor to see if it was just an excitable period or if her heart was really going that fast. After about ten minutes, my doctor has seen enough and sent me to the hospital to be monitored there because her heart rate was about 170-190. While in the hospital the asked me if I was having any contractions, I said no, but after awhile on the monitor, they told me I was, which was funny because I guess I had been for awhile, but I didn't know they were contractions.

At this point, things started to get a little hectic and take on a different tone, my doctor came from her office and started to get everyone in place in case of an emergency c-section. We talked with the epidural guy and she got the pediatrician and her partner on stand by. She knew that I wanted to have her naturally, so she was going to make every effort for me to be able to do that. We were told that we weren't leaving the hospital without our baby that day and she was going to come before the evening because her heart rate could not be up that high for too long, if it reached 200, she was going to have to come out quickly. I was quite nervous, mostly for the health of our little one and for the fact that I knew she was coming one way or the other. With everyone on stand by, she broke my water (she had already stripped my membrane earlier) at 11:02 am. At that point, her heart rate went up to 200, but my doctor said that she would give it a couple minutes since she had just disturbed her quite a bit. It did come down and so I was able to start working through the contractions. They were not too bad at this point, although I had to be lying in bed on my side, so that they could keep a close eye on Caily. I wasn't progressing as fast as they were hoping, so they were going to start me on pitocin, but as soon as they said that, I started having stronger contractions and I dilated some more.

I was eventually able to get out of bed because Caily's heart rate had come down some, which was great because I was getting quite uncomfortable in bed. There were many times that I wasn't sure if I could do it and both Darin and I cried out to the Lord for His strength to continue on. I was so thankful that Darin was there, especially since he had almost not come to the doctor's appointment because he had a really bad headache. There were many times in the middle of a strong contraction that I would look into his eyes and be able to continue on because of the love, strength and admiration that I saw there. I think one of the longest hours of my life was from three to four, as I think I went from 4 or 5 to 8 cm. During this time I was nauseous and threw up or at least attempted to, but didn't have anything in my stomach. Just before 4, my nurse came in to check me and told me that I had done it and soon I would be able to push which would feel a lot better. So, with the next contraction I was able to push and then they got me into position to deliver. I started pushing and my doctor rushed in, at this point Caily's heart rate was dropping some, which gave them a little concern, so the pediatrician was called in to await her arrival. With each push, my doctor was stretching me, but she had to give me a small episiotomy because she said that I was about to tear everywhere. At 4:32pm, Caily entered the world and much to every one's relief, she was healthy and did not have her cord wrapped around her anywhere, like they thought she might have. As the doctor stitched me up and my legs shook uncontrollably, Darin was able to stand and watch as they cleaned up our daughter. She was screaming, but as soon as she heard her daddy's voice she calmed down and stopped crying. Darin and I are stilled amazed at the miracle that she is and the miracle of birth.

Caily has been a great baby, mainly sleeping, eating and entertaining us with her many faces. She had her one week check up on Friday and was at 7.85 lbs, which is quite on her way to gaining back her birth weight. We don't have to go in until 4 weeks to check in on her weight gain and general health. The first week, I was quite sore, top and bottom, but things are getting much better now. She has gotten the hang of nursing and does great except when she eats too much and it all comes back up. We are both working on that now and I don't force her to stay awake, since as her doctor said, she is probably an efficient nurser and doesn't need to nurse very long on either side. We are adjusting well and Darin, especially, is enjoying getting to hold his little girl, since I got to for the last nine months.