Our Newest Addition!

Baby girl #2, Elise Dorothy was born yesterday morning at 8:31 at 31 weeks gestation, weighing 3lbs 14oz and 18 inches in length!






Em took me in to the hospital around 7AM because I was having some pretty frequent contractions that the meds weren't stopping. Thinking they would be able to give me something stronger (as they had previously done at 26 weeks) and considering that the contractions weren't very painful, I was very surprised when they went to check my cervix and run another fFN test that I was dilated already to 8-9cm!
This pic is probably a bit TMI, but I find it to be a pretty funny visual :) Basically, 8-9cm is a "no turning back zone" LOL! Anyway, the dr was very surprised since I was so calm that I was so close to delivering a baby. They quickly wheeled me from the small triage room to an actual delivery room and luckily my water was not broken so that meant we had a little time to get the rest of the drs involved, alert the NICU to be ready for Elise, etc. They all came to the room (probably 7-8 drs, nurses, students) and instead of waiting for my water to break they decided they would break it since they were all ready for her to come. And come she did :) The dr had to tell me when a contraction was coming because still I really didn't have much pain even without an epidural or any other medication for that matter! A few pushes and she came out crying :) Which, by the way, is the best sound!
Auntie Stef had come over shortly before they had broke my water, so she was able to cut Elise's cord, I got to see her quickly and then the NICU took over to assess her and do what they need to do. Her apgars were 6 right at birth and 9 at 5 minutes. The drs then finished up the delivery (placenta, etc) and then Stef and I stayed in the delivery room for me to recover while Em and her camera followed Elise to the NICU. After a little bit, I was then brought down to the NICU to see Elise and moved to a postpartum room to wait for Josh to arrive. Unfortunately, since I wasn't in much pain I had told him not to get on the road to make it down from Bemidji for the birth. It worked out though, I had my wonderful sisters there to help, update family, and take PICTURES :)
Right from birth, Elise has been doing great! She is breathing on her own (something that a lot of babies at this age can't do), has 99-100% oxygen saturation in her blood, and x-rays of her lungs look good. She had a breathing tube until about 7PM, but it only was needed because of short bouts of apnea where she would forget to breathe. She also has an IV which they have used to give her glucose and caffeine, but today she also got some breastmilk I had pumped for her, given through a tube in her nose. She is currently getting some time under the bili lights for jaundice, but nothing to be too concerned about. Her only "acute" issue is her prematurity.

Although it happened much sooner than one could hope, we made it further than expected, her birth was quite easy and she is beating the odds. I expect there may be setbacks, but most likely she will be able to leave the cities in about 5-6 weeks, possibly sooner. We are so incredibly happy and blessed, our family of three is now our family of FOUR. Love and tears are abundant in this place right now, with so much support from nurses, drs, family, and friends. Josh and I are also so very lucky to have the jobs that we have because they have been nothing but helpful and accomodating. We could not ask for more!

Check out this fantastic slideshow Auntie Em created with photos she took during the surreal delivery (warning: tissues may be needed!)

And a few extra pics: