Our Jovie

Since we knew Jovie had a single umbilical artery which normally causes pre-term delivery and can result in intrauterine growth restriction, we picked up a couple preemie outfits "just in case."  She had consistently measured 3-4 weeks small anyway, so we were expecting a little girl.  Our last ultrasound was when I was just shy of 36 weeks and she was estimated to be 5lbs5oz.

On February 20th I woke up feeling awful.  Let me preface this with saying, I run marathons so I know pain.  But this headache, the nausea and vomiting, the vision changes...it was like a crazy awful feeling.  I had already been feeling pretty bad since my 34 week appointment when my blood pressure drastically increased, though at this time it wasn't considered hypertensive - however my baseline BP is 100/60 or lower, and at this appointment it was 135/78.  Finally at my 35 week appointment my BP spiked up to 150/88, however my lab work came back "okay" per Dr. L.  I was diagnosed with gestational hypertension.   

At my 36 week appointment my BP was up to 158/90 and my lab work started to deteriorate, Dr. L said I officially had pre-eclampsia.  I was told to "take it easy" and for me that consisted of continuing on with my daily schedule being a mom to two rowdy boys, and going to work Thursday - Sunday 10 hour shifts as a nurse.

Dr. L explained to me that with pre-eclampsia a woman can feel fine, and then all the sudden deteriorate drastically.  Well I was feeling "fine" and then the deterioration started on February 20th, and it was rapid.  I went to lay down in bed at 9am after being "up" (on bedrest, so I was on the couch) since 6:30am.  I had a throbbing headache complete with nausea and vomiting, I had funny blind spots with my vision.  So I called my doctor, she told me to go to labor and delivery with my bags packed and to "expect a baby."

So I called my sister, who is a 2 hour drive away.  P called our back up person, they didn't answer.   We had just laid K down for a nap, so I foolishly told P I could drive myself - looking back I realize just how completely nuts that statement was.  After bickering with P about how I was going to get to the hospital, I finally gave in he loaded us all up into the van and drove me to the hospital.  The boys dropped me off, and then went back home to wait for my sister and mom to arrive, I didn't think having P, R and K there would be a good idea.  I bypassed admitting and headed up to L&D because I was just feeling that miserable.  When I got there they told me I needed to go to admitting, I'm not sure if the way I looked or the vomit I spewed all over the floor was their key that I didn't need to waste my time in admitting.

I was quickly taken to a labor room, and was hooked up to the monitor at 10:30am.  To my surprise I was having contractions every 2-3 minutes, which I didn't even notice because of all the other miserable symptoms of pre-eclampsia.  The nurse started an IV and did labs, dimmed the lights and told me to try and relax and get some rest.  

My mom and sisters arrived and P headed to the hospital arriving at 11am.

At this point we were still uncertain of the plan.  Dr. L was awaiting my lab results before deciding on a plan because my blood pressure, though high for me (138/80), wasn't high enough to necessitate an urgent delivery since I was just 37 weeks 1 day (so just barely considered full term).  Dr. L ordered a head MRI since she hadn't gotten the lab results for pre-eclampsia just yet, and was seriously concerned about my headache complaints because she didn't think it was pre-eclampsia related because my BP wasn't "through the roof high."  The MRI was part of my labor process that totally frustrated me.  Let me explain...

The MRI was ordered to rule out any other cause of an excruciating headache, since my BP wasn't "through the roof high" which would be typical of someone with a pre-eclampsia headache.  So let me touch on the blood pressure concern now, and why it was such a HUGE issue in the big picture of my labor experience.  After seeing pictures of the delivery we realized why my BP readings were not super high - a nurse used an x-long BP cuff on my little kid sized arms, thus yielding a drastically lower reading.  My lowest BP reading on the on the post partum floor was 155/95, but yet in labor when my body was clearly more physically stressed it was drastically lower.  So see...cuff size really matters, and this was clearly a huge nursing error.  Had an appropriate sized cuff been used, my accurate BP would of yielded readings common with pre-eclampsia, and my Dr. wouldn't of needed to order an unnecessary, expensive medical diagnostic test.  The head MRI came back fine, of course.  Stepping off my soap box now...


 So after the MRI, my stat lab work came back and Dr. L was totally flabbergasted that I could have lab work clearly indicative of pre-eclampsia but have non-hypertensive BP readings.  So at noon she said "we need to get this baby out."  She checked me and I was already dilated to 5 cm, so clearly my body knew that it needed to get the baby out as well.  She said she felt comfortable letting me labor so long as things stayed okay with me, and baby looked good on the monitor.

So I labored, and had lots and lots of back labor.  Jovie was posterior position, so I felt every contraction in my back.  Between the nausea, vomiting, and headache from pre-eclampsia and then labor I was just one huge, hot mess.  My coping mechanisms were out the door.  I had been so cool, calm and collected through my labors with the boys, but this one was so much different.  Because I had this pre-eclampsia fog, and my body was pounding with crazy medications to ease those symptoms I felt like a train wreck.  I couldn't relax through my contractions, and so Jovie's heart rate was suffering.  Dr. L came in and "highly encouraged an epidural just in case" and because I am a nurse and did all of my practical hours on an L&D floor I knew this was the Dr. just getting prepared for an emergency c-section.  She checked me and I was at 6cm, which was a huge disappointment to me as I had only dilated 1 cm in the last 7 hours - I guess Jovies unfavorable position was not working in my favor.  So I decided to get an epidrual so that my body could rest up, as I figured this could be a lengthy process, which I didn't anticipate given this was my 3rd baby.  Once the epidural was placed I felt amazing.  I was able to relax and rest, which was very important since it was already 8pm.  

So I snoozed from 8pm, then at 12:30am I suddenly woke up.  I felt everything again, the contraction were roaring, and I just needed to push...and right then.  The nurse checked me ans said "oh goodness" she paged for help.  It was a frantic rush to get the room set up.  She told me to breathe through my contractions and not push.  This was nearly impossible!  Dr. L was frantically getting her gloves on as I was pushing.  At 12:42am, after laboring for what seemed eternity, our sweet girl was born, and it was magic.  So many thoughts raced through my head; she seems so tiny, she is so tiny, she hasn't cried, why isn't she crying, she isn't breathing...She was on my belly for just moments before they whisked her away to get her breathing.  Those moments felt like an eternity, and goodness when I heard her cry, her sweet little cry, I felt like I could finally breathe again.

Jovie Reese Loprinzi

February 21st, 2011

12:42am

5lbs 14.9oz

17.5inches

the x-long bp cuff picture....

and the third time around was just as perfect as the 1st and 2nd.  Meeting your baby for the first time can never get old.  To finally meet her, to see her and admire her perfection; count her long fingers and toes, smell her little head, admire her full head of dark hair, kiss her little nose.  To talk about and decide which traits she has from each of us; her daddy's ears, her mommy's monkey toes, little brother K's nose.  There really is nothing like those first few hours after your baby is born.  This time was so memorable, since it was so unplanned it was just Paul and I, and I wouldn't of had it any other way.  What a perfect moment, just him and I, and our sweet, sweet newborn daughter a memory I will have forever.

Such a protective daddy.

Our tiny girl next to daddy's not so large hands.

 She found her fingers, and the little sucking noise was so sweet.

It took her some time to "pink up," she still has blue hands and feet after getting her first bath 2 hours after her birth.

At 3am we were moved to the postpartum floor to finally get some rest.

Jovie was peeking out with one eye sort of like she couldn't decide if nursing was worth waking, she did after all have a busy evening/early morning.  R use to do this peeking out from one eye all the time as an infant. 

Despite being freshly showered, 2 hours of sleep is clearly not enough "beauty rest" for me :)

Loving on my little girl!  Proudly sporting well earned dark circles under my eyes.

And the clothing-fest begins...Jovie in her "just in case" preemie outfit

 Tiny little baby hand

 A binky covered nose.

 Size comparison of our little girl next to daddy's hand.  Here she is starting to look jaundiced.  We were worried that she would have jaundice just as K did when he was born.  She was in the moderate to high risk category with the transcutaenous bili level, so her little foot had to be pricked for a lab draw.  That came back in the moderate to high category, so we were worried we would have to stay and do a bili light treatment with her.  Poor K hated the bili lights.  We desperatly wanted to get home, but though we would have to stay until she was 48 hours to reassess her jaundice status.  Thankfully the pediatrician let us discharge before that, we just had a home health nurse come to our house to get her labs drawn - which came back at moderate levels so no bili lights needed :). 

 "Newborn gas smile" still so very gorgeous - the diaper not so much!

Tiny wrinkly baby feet, with long monkey toes just like me!  I am loving PINK!

Our little peanut in her car seat ready to head home!  She discharged from the hospital at 5lbs 10oz, the car seat felt so light

Proud daddy carrying a bundle of pink-ness into her first home

 Siblings meeting for the first time.  Our hospital stay was so short, that the boys didn't come to meet Jovie there.  R's little face made me melt.  Such a proud, loving big brother.

My two babies, exactly 18 months apart in age.  K was so gentle with her, he touched her little hands and gently rocked her car seat. 

My favorite picture of my 3 kids :).  R lovingly shared his dog and his Dora with J.

 R wanted to "check out her tiny feet"

and we quickly realized how ticklish she is :), and how cute 4 year old hands are when holding a 2 day old newborn foot!

and now the "babymoon" begins.  I anticipate lots of naps with a newborn sleeping on my chest, and I cannot wait!  I am so very blessed!