On Tuesday, November 10th, I was scheduled for yet another Non-Stress Test, weight ultrasound, and a check up with the good old OB. Little did Rob and I know, that we would be meeting our little girl less than 24 hours from then. We went through the ultrasound where the doctor determined that the baby weighed around 7 lbs. 5 oz. He said that we should probably have the baby within the next week. After the ultrasound, we had the non-stress test, where the baby’s movements and activity were a little off. After a half an hour of determining whether things were good or not, the nurses finally called over to my OB to see what needed to be done. Since I was scheduled to meet with my OB right afterwards, we were handed the print off of the latest NST results, and sent to see my OB in person. After doing the usual weighing in, etc, my doctor announced that after looking over my NST results, she had decided to induce me that very night! Rob and I were ecstatic! She went on to explain that the irregularities on the NST’s were probably due to the placenta starting to give out; it was tired of doing its job. She then explained that they were probably going to have me check in that night to start ripening my cervix to get dilation going, and then induce me. We were all ready to go with that plan, when she said that she was going to check me right then to determine what time I should check in to Labor and Delivery that night.
Surprise Dilation:
After checking me, the doctor was surprised to find that I was dilated to a 4 and 70% effaced! She exclaimed that she was really surprised about that thinking that I was probably not dilated at all. And then told she us that instead of waiting until that night to admit us, she was going to call Labor and Delivery to see if they had any rooms available for us right then! She stepped out of the office to make the call, and I called my parents to tell them that things were going to happen that day. When the doctor came back, she said that they were full in Labor and Delivery for a few more hours, so she sent us home to get things in order, and then we were to report to the hospital around 3 pm.
A Frantic Frenzy:
Nothing can describe how we were when we were driving home from the hospital to wait. We hurried around and straightened up the house, did the dishes, and Rob vacuumed. We fed the cat and headed out to grab a light meal, and drove back to the hospital. After checking into Labor and Delivery, I was then hooked up to numerous machines; the usual fetal monitors, fluids, and an insulin drip for my blood sugars. After starting the fluids for induction, and the waves of contractions began, other things were added to my list of IV bags; a catheter for my poor bladder, an internal fetal monitor, and other things I cannot even remember. From the time they broke my water to delivery, I was in labor for 12 hours, and actively pushed for nearly 4 hours.
Finally! She’s here!
Giada Kristen Fugazza was born at 3:27 am on November 11, 2009, weighing seven pounds, 11 ounces, and 20.5 inches in length. It was a significant day for us; our first baby’s birth date, the same date eight years ago that Rob proposed to me, and my in-laws wedding anniversary. To better explain Giada’s middle name, my cousin and best friend Kristen that was killed in an accident over twenty years ago, also was born on November 10th, so if Giada had been punctual, they would have had the same exact birthday! We felt it was all meant to be. Giada was born the day she was meant to be here, and it’s been a wild ride (and exhausting one) ever since. She was born healthy and active, and then two days later we discovered that her bilirubin levels were really high. They started her on treatments where we needed to stay in the hospital for another day, and then we went home with her on Friday, November 13th. She had to be kept in a bilibed for a day at home, so that her jaundice would go down. After a couple of days of waiting and getting Gia’s heel pricked for blood samples, the doctor declared that her jaundice levels were low risk enough to stop using light therapy. Though her numbers are still a little high, after a good week of feeding and rest, our little girl should be in the clear from being a ‘yellow baby’.
An overwhelming ‘Thank You’
We are so grateful for her presence in our lives, and are in awe of the amazing and overwhelming love that we feel for her. Though she most definitely is the most beautiful girl in the world, her sweet spirit has been the greatest blessing to us here at home. It makes all of the sleeplessness completely worthwhile.
We will keep this blog going as an update on the baby and our lives as we continue to raise our little girl. Thank you for reading, and thanks for all of the texts, meals, and countless phone calls and facebook postings. We appreciate every single one.
BTW... Rob didn't start smoking, this is just a chocolate cigar.
Congrats! glad to hear everything went well. i too ended up going to the hospital to be induced just after going to a regular doctor appointment. i developed preeclampsia though. had really high blood pressure, kidneys were failing, all that stuff. 4 hours of pushing would have killed me. i only had to do that for maybe 30 minutes luckily. sorry to hear about the jaundice. peyton didnt quite have it but almost and we were advised to stick her in the sunlight through the window on the floor a few minutes a day. so maybe try doing that also. good luck with everything and glad to hear everything is going great so far!
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