Ack! I'm a little late. Sorry, but it's been a busy day. We're getting ready for a big first birthday party around here, don'tchaknow! {More on that to come!} Anyway, here it is. The last journal I kept for Storknet.com a year ago during my pregnancy with Kameryn. Her birth story. The very, very condensed version ;) I'll be back soon with some party pictures to post. Stay tuned!
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{originally submitted January 31, 2009}
Birth Story ~ Meet Kameryn Faith
Wow, it is hard to believe that I’m writing our birth story already! Our precious little Kameryn Faith is now a part of our family, and we feel so very blessed.
After my last journal entry we continued to play the waiting game. I got through the rest of the week without too much drama, and was told by my team of doctors that as long as she remained stable with no changes, they would continue to postpone delivery. As soon as an ultrasound or a non-stress test came back with changes, we would be induced.
On Monday, January 26th I was wheeled to the Perinatologist clinic in the next building, for my daily Level 2 Ultasound, and it showed that things had, indeed, changed. I was then sent to Labor and Delivery for a non-stress test. It was then that I was told I would be induced. I called Jeremy, and he and the girls made it to the hospital in time to visit for a bit before they started the pitocin. At that point I was only dilated 1cm, so I definitely had a ways to go.
The pitocin was started at 2pm, and by Monday night I still wasn’t progressing. Mild, regular contractions were about the extent of it. Jeremy’s parents took the girls home that night. It was the first time they had left the hospital excited, as they knew they would meet their baby sister soon. Jeremy and my parents decided to stick around in case labor progressed. Around midnight the doctors checked my cervix again, and found no change, so I got to have my cervix manually dilated (I’ll spare the yucky details!). At 5am on Tuesday, I finally dilated to 3cm, but still wasn’t experiencing painful contractions. Jeremy’s parents brought the girls back in on Tuesday morning, and we continued to wait.
By 2pm on Tuesday afternoon I had been in labor for 24 hours, and was exhausted. The doctors decided it was time to break my water. Once that happened, things took off rather quickly. Within about a half hour my contractions became painful, and I was re-considering the epidural! However, there was no time for one. By 3:30 I was having a hard time breathing through the contractions, and thought I might need to push soon. Doctors rushed in ~ 2 specialists, 2 residents, a nurse, and 2 pediatricians from NICU (as we were informed that Kameryn would be immediately whisked away for observation). Three pushes later, and our little one made her appearance!
Kameryn Faith was born at 4:12 pm on January 27th , at 34 weeks, 6 days, weighing 6 pounds even, and measuring 19 ¾ inches. Not too terribly tiny, considering. She was whisked away, but was able to come back so I could take a peek at her. They ran some tests, and found that she wouldn’t need to have a blood transfusion (yay!), but her blood sugar level was a little low, so she did have a short stay in NICU. By midnight she was rooming with me. We felt so blessed that she had no other complications. No breathing problems, no temperature-control issues, nothing!
She was a little jaundice, so Wednesday night was spent under bilirubin lights, but praise the Lord, she was able to come home with us on Thursday morning.
We are now settling in at home, though we are far from any sort of schedule. After being in the hospital for two weeks, there is a lot of catching up to do. Though all of that will have to be put on hold for awhile. Kameryn lost quite a little bit of weight, and is now down to 5 lbs. 6 ozs, so we have to go to the doctor for daily weigh-ins. She seems to be having a hard time putting weight on, but I’m trying not to get discouraged. My main job these days is making sure she is getting enough to eat, which includes trying to supplement in between feedings, and tracking all feedings and wet diapers. I really took for granted the fact that Sierra and Makenna gained weight so quickly after the were born. It’s hard to truly enjoy this time when I am feeling like I’m not doing a good job growing my little baby. With prayer and a little time, I have faith that it will all work out.
A great big thank you to all who have followed my journal, especially those of you who have taken the time to write. Best wishes to all of you for happy, healthy pregnancies.
Blessings,
Liz
Wow, it is hard to believe that I’m writing our birth story already! Our precious little Kameryn Faith is now a part of our family, and we feel so very blessed.
After my last journal entry we continued to play the waiting game. I got through the rest of the week without too much drama, and was told by my team of doctors that as long as she remained stable with no changes, they would continue to postpone delivery. As soon as an ultrasound or a non-stress test came back with changes, we would be induced.
On Monday, January 26th I was wheeled to the Perinatologist clinic in the next building, for my daily Level 2 Ultasound, and it showed that things had, indeed, changed. I was then sent to Labor and Delivery for a non-stress test. It was then that I was told I would be induced. I called Jeremy, and he and the girls made it to the hospital in time to visit for a bit before they started the pitocin. At that point I was only dilated 1cm, so I definitely had a ways to go.
The pitocin was started at 2pm, and by Monday night I still wasn’t progressing. Mild, regular contractions were about the extent of it. Jeremy’s parents took the girls home that night. It was the first time they had left the hospital excited, as they knew they would meet their baby sister soon. Jeremy and my parents decided to stick around in case labor progressed. Around midnight the doctors checked my cervix again, and found no change, so I got to have my cervix manually dilated (I’ll spare the yucky details!). At 5am on Tuesday, I finally dilated to 3cm, but still wasn’t experiencing painful contractions. Jeremy’s parents brought the girls back in on Tuesday morning, and we continued to wait.
By 2pm on Tuesday afternoon I had been in labor for 24 hours, and was exhausted. The doctors decided it was time to break my water. Once that happened, things took off rather quickly. Within about a half hour my contractions became painful, and I was re-considering the epidural! However, there was no time for one. By 3:30 I was having a hard time breathing through the contractions, and thought I might need to push soon. Doctors rushed in ~ 2 specialists, 2 residents, a nurse, and 2 pediatricians from NICU (as we were informed that Kameryn would be immediately whisked away for observation). Three pushes later, and our little one made her appearance!
Kameryn Faith was born at 4:12 pm on January 27th , at 34 weeks, 6 days, weighing 6 pounds even, and measuring 19 ¾ inches. Not too terribly tiny, considering. She was whisked away, but was able to come back so I could take a peek at her. They ran some tests, and found that she wouldn’t need to have a blood transfusion (yay!), but her blood sugar level was a little low, so she did have a short stay in NICU. By midnight she was rooming with me. We felt so blessed that she had no other complications. No breathing problems, no temperature-control issues, nothing!
She was a little jaundice, so Wednesday night was spent under bilirubin lights, but praise the Lord, she was able to come home with us on Thursday morning.
We are now settling in at home, though we are far from any sort of schedule. After being in the hospital for two weeks, there is a lot of catching up to do. Though all of that will have to be put on hold for awhile. Kameryn lost quite a little bit of weight, and is now down to 5 lbs. 6 ozs, so we have to go to the doctor for daily weigh-ins. She seems to be having a hard time putting weight on, but I’m trying not to get discouraged. My main job these days is making sure she is getting enough to eat, which includes trying to supplement in between feedings, and tracking all feedings and wet diapers. I really took for granted the fact that Sierra and Makenna gained weight so quickly after the were born. It’s hard to truly enjoy this time when I am feeling like I’m not doing a good job growing my little baby. With prayer and a little time, I have faith that it will all work out.
A great big thank you to all who have followed my journal, especially those of you who have taken the time to write. Best wishes to all of you for happy, healthy pregnancies.
Blessings,
Liz
4 comments :
God is good! Look at her today and those adorable chubby cheeks. I hope she has a wonderful birthday party!
Yea! Kameryn made it! It's hard to believe you were so worried about her weight when I look at those precious chubby cheeks!
Happy Birthday to her and to you for making it through the first year. :)
This so took me back. I remember very well all of us sleeping in one room in the hospital! Wow! Has it really been a year?!
I knew she made it:) That was a long labor time. Wow. Glad she was able to come home even with the jaundice. I had to do the weighing thing with SM.
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