Oh Baby!

Where to start?!  Well, this adorable little bundle of joy loves to flip around.  When I went for my 38th week ultrasound this little one had flipped again and was again (yes, again) breech.  That was a Thursday.  I went and saw my Dr. right after the ultrasound and he agreed to try an External Version to turn her... if you remember we went through all of that the week before only to have her flip and be head down again and have no need to do the Version.  The Dr. decided that because I would be 39 weeks along on Saturday that we should just try to do the External Version on Friday morning and if it worked to induce labor to get this baby girl out while she was still head down.

So Shane called in to work the next day and up the hill we went to the hospital to try and turn this little girl.  You will never believe it... well, maybe you will.  This little one had flipped again and was head down.  No need for the Version, again.  So we started the Induction.  Because of this little one's crazy acrobatics she was very high and not engaged in the pelvis as she should be by 39 weeks.  There for using Pitocin to induce my labor wasn't really an option yet.  Also my body was not yet ready at all.  So we used something called Cytotec that ripens the cervix and produces contractions to hopefully bring baby down lower. 

After a day and night of that we still weren't getting anywhere so the Dr. decided to use another drug called Cervidil which pretty much does the same thing but lasts longer.  Another day and night of that and still the baby was very high (-3, for anyone who understands that) and my cervix was only at 2 cm (again, information for those who understand that).  I was SOOOO exhausted.  I had been having contractions every 2 minutes since the first day, my back was killing me from all the labor and I had the worst headache on top of it all. 

At the end of the grueling 48 hours they asked me if I wanted a C-section or to continue the induction.  I said I wanted to go home and rest and come back a few days later to begin the induction again but was told that due to the GD (Gestational Diabetes) that the baby shouldn't wait much longer to come out.  I was also told that the Hospital could fill up and I wouldn't be able to get back in for an induction if I left.  So in essence I was being told that if I left I was putting my baby in possible danger because of the GD. 

I felt so torn.  I knew without a doubt that I could birth this baby naturally when she was ready, but I was being told I couldn't wait till she was ready.  I also knew that the induction was not going anywhere especially with me so exhausted.  We decided to go ahead with the C-section.  Looking back I feel it was possibly the wrong decision.  I should have been stronger and insisted that I go home to rest to come back another day to try again.  I was just so vulnerable and exhausted.  I'm a bit sad about it.  At the same time I am blessed that our little Harmony is safe and sound and in my arms.

So we went through with the C-section and guess what?!  That crazy acrobatic girl had flipped again and was breech, again!!  She was 9lbs even and 19 1/2 inches long... my smallest baby!  She really is so tiny to me!  My last baby, Hope, was 10lbs 2oz and 22 inches long with a head 16 1/2 inches around.  Little Harmony's head is only 14 1/2 inches around.  She looks so petite to me.

We are home and getting used to there being one more family member.  The big sister's are so good with their new little sis.  Haven loves to hold Harmony and wants to help with everything.  Hope holds Harmony for a minute here and there but she will pet her little head, kiss her and say, "sweet baby".  It is adorable. 

Harmony sleeps all the time and I have to wake her to feed her because of the drugs introduced to her during the C-section.  And I am healing slowly from the surgery.  As uncomfortable and painful this has been I can easily say it is a cake walk compared to back surgery... but it helps that I have this adorable little bundle in my arms to concentrate on.

Exhausted and in pain but a happy Mommy.

Our little Acrobat baby.

Proud Daddy.

The sister's meet!

First time big sis.

Seasoned big sis!