St. Ann's Hospital advertises that at their hospital, "It's not just a birth, it's a Miracle." Dre had previously always said that she doesn't want miracles when she delivers, she just wants routine. What I realized after this experience is that St. Ann's is right. Every delivery is a Miracle. It is a miracle when everything goes right and delivery is just "routine". And thank God for our miracle when pregnancy, labor, and delivery wasn't routine!
Braydon and Brody were born without complications. The cumulative labor and delivery time between the two boys was probably less than 10 hours.
Siena was on pace to follow suit. Week 32, Friday, Jan 9: Dre's OB performs a routine ultrasound that yields less than routine results. Siena's measurments indicated that she weighed approximately 2# 6ozs. She should be measuring 4#. The next week and one half is a blur of follow up appointments with the high risk perinatologists, Dre is put on bed rest, and Siena receives steroid shots to encourage lung development in case of emergency induction.
Week 34, Monday, Jan 19: we are eating dinner and Dre says she is mentally prepared to be have an emergency induction on Friday. Tuesday, Jan 20: Dre goes to the doctor for a routine non-stress test. They take her blood pressure, 166/101 and before she has the the non-stress test they send her to Labor & Delivery at the hospital. Nope, neither of us were mentally prepared for this.
We go into Triage around 11 AM. Ultrasounds show that there is almost no amniotic fluid in the placenta. Labor is induced, a semi-emergency c-section is decided, and Siena is born at 9 PM.
It was amazing, scary, and miraculous . . . Siena came out in the doctor's one hand with a gasp. The placenta followed in the other hand and the the doctor declares, "I don't even know how this baby is alive! It's really a miracle!"
The placenta was 40% calcified, which means that 40% of the placenta was dead. The plancenta is an extension of the baby that provides bloodflow, nutrition, and protection from toxins and it was just barely doing more than half the work that it was supposed to in order to sustain Siena. Yet, Siena was born breathing independently from the start. She weighed 2# 5ozs. She measured 14" and some change.
In one hand looking at the dead placenta I got a clear vision of the fraility of human life. In the other hand I saw the magnificent and miraculous blessing of God and his gift of resiliency in Life.
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I love that you are writing a blog! That will help cut down on my phone calls! :) I am so happy to hear that she is already eating more!!
ReplyDeleteAndrea and Shayne, my heart goes out to you. My son Ashton was born at 30 weeks so I know exactly what you are going through. My little man tried to come at 27 weeks but they delayed it for three weeks. He is now five years old and doing great. If you need to call and vent or anything, please don't hesitate to call. I wish I would have had somebody to talk to that had gone through the same thing as Jason and I. My prayers are with you and with that beautiful baby. God bless. Andrea Daley
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on baby Siena! Andrea, I think about you all the time. You are all in my prayers! Siena is truly a miracle baby!
ReplyDeleteOh wow.....I am in tears of joy and happy that Siena is okay! She truly is a miracle. I am keeping you all in my thoughts & prayers. (((HUGS)))
ReplyDeleteKim Bouldin