Tuesday, April 6, 2010

This is going to be a long post, so if you're interested in the pictures...they will be at the bottom. The text is mostly for me so I remember what happened.

Ashlyn Kaye Groneman finally joined our family April 1, 2010. It's no joke - she was born on her due date. Just about everyone who knows me well knows I love April Fool's day, but this year Ashlyn played the joke on me. It took 4 days for her to arrive. But it was worth it and we're so blessed to have received this miracle in our lives.

Labor:
Monday, March 29th I had my doctors appointment. He had me get an ultrasound and the baby was measuring big at 8 lbs. 7 oz. He told me there was a spot open at the hospital, and I could get induced that night if I wanted.

I was hesitant because I wanted things to happen naturally - even if I did go a week over. But the doctor said everything was developed and the baby would only keep getting bigger. This scared Bret and I so we decided induction would be the best way to go. This was completely unexpected and there was so much to do before I went in. I had to finalize things at work, so I went in until 3 to finish things up. Then I came home and Bret and I got things ready to go. At 7 :00 pm we were called in to the hospital. We were so excited to be on our way to have our little girl. I got to the hospital and they started the induction process around 10 pm. A few hours later I started feeling contractions every 2-3 minutes, but I wasn't progressing at all. The nurse and doctor explained that the baby was contracting, but it was like she was banging into a rock. So, around 1:30 pm on Tuesday I was sent home. I had no idea you could be sent home from an induction. Needless to say Bret and I were pretty dissapointed and exhausted from that night.The doctor made an appointment for us to come back Wednesday night between 7 pm and 5am Thursday morning. But I was called in earlier than I thought at 4:30 pm Wednesday. I headed to the hospital for round 2. They started me around 6 pm, and a few hours later I was contracting every 2-3 minutes again. They were big contractions, and I was finally progressing very slowly. Around 4:30 am they gave me an epidural and started giving me the pitocin. I am so grateful for the epidural invention. I don't know if I would've surived without it. My contractions were so much better!

Around 7 :30 am the doctor came in and broke my water, and By that afternnoon I was feeling pain in my back so the anesthesiologist gave me more medicine, and it helped a little, but not entirely. I was finally dialated to a 7 according to the nurse, and then I started feeling really sick and threw up. This apparently made the baby's heartbeat go crazy so the nurse had to stop the pitocin for a few hours to get the baby's heartbeat back to normal. Luckily it worked and we were both okay. The nurse said that episode I had finally dialated me to an 8. I was very happy to hear that since I had been there 24 hours already. Soon after the nurse told me that, the doctor came in and said I was only dialated to 5, maybe 6. This made no sense, and I was once again dissapointed I hadn't progressed much - in fact I degressed. (I soon learned nurses are more optimistc and try to keep the patient calm, while the doctors are more straight forward.) Around 5 pm I started on the potossin again and the contractions started heavily again, but thanks to the epidural I only felt back pain. When the doctor came back in to check on me around 8:30 pm I was still only dialated to 5, maybe 6 so he suggested doing a c-section, and we could have our baby within the next 45 minutes. He explained because of all the contractions my muscles were getting weaker and weaker, and the baby was getting beat up. He said the main concern is for us to get the baby out healthy and to keep me healthy. I was already running a fever so we decided to do it. We were ready for our little girl to come, and I couldn't handle the pain anymore.

Within the next half hour the Anesthesiologist came in and numbed me from my chest down. I don't remember much after that. All I know is soon I was wheeled into the operating room where they were going to deliver ou baby. Like I said I don't remember much, I just remember that about 5 minutes after they started my surgery a miracle occured and we had a little girl. So amazing!

After all was said and done, we found out it was a good thing we had the c-section because the baby wasn't decending. She was stuck on my sacrum (the butt bone) and not decending. I most likely would've had to have a c-section anyway. (No wonder my back was hurting so bad (: )

Like I said the joke was on me since it took 4 days - until April 1st - for this baby to come. But, it was all worth it!! We're lucky to have such a healthy, cute little girl.

Choosing a Name
Throughout my pregnancy we were always asked, "what are you going to name her" and we honestly didn't know. We had some ideas, but we knew once we saw her we'd know what to name her. This didn't really happen, but we were able to narrow it down to a couple names. The final 2 in the running were "Camryn" and "Ashlyn." We were totally set on Camryn but to make a long story short the pediatrician basically changed our minds and we went with the name we had all along - Ashlyn. I didn't think so at first, but that name definitely fits her now. :)

Ashlyn Kaye Groneman
What a blessing in our lives! She is the cutest little thing and we love being with her. She's super girly and cuddly. She's always crossing her little legs and holding her hands up to her face. I think that's how she sat in my stomach. Also, I rarely felt her move in stomach, and now I know why...she is perfectly content sitting without moving. I know all of this will change soon, but I'll enjoy it while it lasts. We love dressing her up and playing around with her hair. It's so long we could make a very little pony tail. She's absolutely perfect! Below are some pictures of her at the hospital and when we're coming home.


At the Hospital



Bret Scrubbed Up



Our Little Angel


16 comments:

HeatherLovesClay said...

I LOVE her! You did amazing! I am so happy that I got to see both of you the other day. You look incredible. I wish I looked as good now, two months after baby, as you do right now 1 week after baby!

Ainsley said...

oh she is AMAZING. so so beautiful. i love new babies. i can't believe they sent you home --- that is crazy. and i also can't believe you were still feeling back pain after your epidural. wow. at least it is over. Congrats!

Tiffany Wood said...

She is absolutely beautiful!! Congratulations! We are so happy for you!

Annette's Best Kept Secrets said...

So Cute!! Congrats to the new parents!! She is adorable.

Unknown said...

Bri! You are superwoman! I can't believe you were trying to have her for 4 days! Thanks for sharing your story, I am so so SOO happy for you guys! And she look so sweet and beautiful. AHH I can't wait to hold her! You are amazing, Bri! Good job! :)

Jonathan and Janessa said...

She's so cute! I'm surprised they didn't break your water for you when you first went in...that usually helps things progress a lot more quickly without needing as much pitocin. At least that's my understanding, but each doctor is different I suppose :) I'm glad she's here finally and I think it's funny she was born on April 1st :) Congratulations again!

Crystal Spencer said...

She is so so so so adorable! I am glad everything ended up being okay. Are your recovering well? I hear you are pretty sore after a c-section.

We had a similar story with naming Gavin. Even after we named him, I still called him "Baby" for like a week, because "Gavin" seemed too grown up for this newborn baby. He has totally grown into it now though.

We would love to see you guys next time you come up! CONGRATS!

Greg~Chels~Livi~Gracie said...

She is absolutely adorable!! Congrats!! Isn't being a mom the greatest!! We should get together sometime when you're in Utah!

Aly G said...

What a little cutie! She looks so cute in pink. Love the name. Get rest and live it up while your mom is there to help:)

Nick and Dyanna said...

Why do you have to live so far away? Come back to Utah so I can hold her! You are a trooper, what a delivery! I am glad you both made it out alive and well :) Don't forget to call me the next time you are in Utah.

Tiffany Paxton said...

i have the a simalar birthing story with Kenadee... being in labor forever not progressing then having a c section... cant wait to take max and ashlyn swimming this fall..

Megan said...

I had no idea you had a C-section! How are you feeling? Healing okay? Ashlyn is adorable and I'm so happy for you!

Ash and Matt | A SoCal Story said...

Congratulations! Ashlyn is BEAUTIFUL! So fun :-)

Dan/Kealy said...

Congratulations! She is adorable! I love her hair :)

KK and Company said...

Congrats! We are sooo happy for you!

Tristy said...

I had no idea you had a C-section either. You are definitely amazing trying to have her for 4 days. I'm glad everything turned out okay. She is adorable!