The arrival of Abigail Grace Davis

I was hoping to post with pictures but our computer is down and I still can't post pictures from my I- pad! So, the pictures will have to wait until the next post.

The following is a condensed version of how my labor and delivery went. My C-section was due to Abigail not tolerating the contractions. Her heart wate dipped dangerously low. There was some talk that my uterus was in a weird position which could have led to the quality of contractions on my uterus not being effective which then caused me not to dilate past 3 cm. I've never had issues with dilating so, this theory makes the most sense to me. Here is a time table of how things went:

12:30 am 8/4: water breaks. I try and go back to sleep but am concerned that I will start labor and not make it in time to the hospital.

2:00 am. I write a few e mails asking for prayer. Wake Joey up to sleep in my bed in case Isabella should come into my room in the middle of the night. I grab some things and we head out to the hospital.

3:00 am. In my room. I am mildly contracting but it is nothing that is strong or consistent. They start an IV and ask me when I would like my epidural. I assume they will be giving me pitocin immediately and therefore tell them I will take the epidural as soon as possible. They were also giving me antibiotics for my strep b. I get my epidural

4:00 am doctor comes in and checks me. Nothing is really happening but they decide to hold off on the pit until 6 am- I'm not really concerned. Mark and I were both tired so we decide to take naps.

I am not sure what time the first episode of distress happened but at one point ( before the pitocin). I had three nurses run into my room and place me on my left side. They were about to give me oxygen when the heart beat came back up. I was told to lay on my left side from then on which I did. They also inserted an internal heart monitor into the baby's scalp.

9:00 am. I am starting to get concerned that they have not started the PIT. Doctor checks me and I am the same! She hangs first bag of Pit. My contractions do pick up and mark monitors them for me. He tells me how long they are lasting and if they are " good" ones or not.

1:00 (about) We notice some episodes of Abbys heart rate going down and I start to get really concerned.

1:30- Dr. Is also concerned about the dips in heart rate. She decides to try one last thing. She inserts a catheter inside of me. This catheter will be hooked up to an IV pump. They will be pumping fluid back into me in hopes that it will cause the cord to float. They were thinking that perhaps the cord was being compressed and causing Abbys heart rate to drop. The catheter will also monitor the strength of my contractions to see if they are adequate contractions - and therefore able to dilate the cervix.

2:00- no sooner did they get the catheter in and going when the dr came rushing back into my room. One look at her face and I knew things were not good. She didn't even have to say the words. I told her to take the baby now- I wasnt taking any more chances. Mark was out getting something from the car. I called his cell and told him things were not good and that he needed to get to my room fast.

It was at this point that things moved fast and I went into a bit of shock- for lack of better word. I didn't t have time to digest what was going on. They were trying to prep me for surgery fast. There was no time for questions. The anesthesiologist came in and began pumping drugs through my IV as they rolled me into the operating room.

Once on the table I kept wondering when they would make the first cut. I was feeling pain and they kept asking me if it was pressure. I said, "NO". It felt like I was being stabbed with a knife in my private area. This caused them pump me up with more drugs. Finally, I realized that they already had me opened! The assisting Doctor had to practically get on top of me in order to get the baby out. I thought I was living a nightmare! I finally heard Abby cry. I knew she was out and breathing. The pediatricians checked her out and then finally let Mark and I see her. Mark had decided earlier that he wanted to hold Abby and name her when the three of us were together.

After surgery I was in recovery for an hour. Then I went back up to the labor and delivery floor because they didn't have any rooms available on the post pard floor. They wheeled our baby in while we were waiting for a room to open up and I was so happy. Even though my arms felt numb and I was feeling very drugged I wanted to hold my baby in the worst way. I held her in my arms - she was perfect and the ordeal was over. Soon, a room opened up and the road to recovery was just beginning.




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