Ellasyn's Arrival Story

Here's how it all went down ...

I was scheduled to be induced on Thurs morning, Aug 6th (one day after my due date). I was supposed to go in Wednesday evening to receive a cervidil treatment that would ripen my cervix so that I would dilate more easily. Well, Wed afternoon I was home alone and started getting some contractions that were way different (and way more painful) than the braxton hicks ones I had been experiencing for the past couple of months. I started timing them and they were about 20-30 minutes apart, so I didn't worry too much. I called Eli on his work phone, work cell, and personal cell and it turns out he was in the bathroom! His coworkers told him I tried to call a few times and he thought they were kidding. When he called back, I told him how I was feeling and that I had a hunch that these could be real contractions. Well, it turns out they were! Ellasyn wanted to arrive right on time.

We packed up our stuff and dropped off Marley at my parents house before heading to the hospital. They gave me the cervidil treatment and things were going well until my contractions started to get stronger and closer together. My doctor told me that the cervidil itself could start or speed labor along. They gave me a narcotic to take the edge off and as the night went on, I eventually needed an epidural. At my hospital, the epidural is patient controlled, so I was given my little "happy button" to push as often as I needed to (with limitations). It was so bizarre just watching each contraction on the screen without actually feeling much.

By about 6:30 the next morning, I was 7 cm dilated. We called my parents and I think they were pretty shocked that I had moved along so quickly! A couple of hours later, my epidural started to wear off, which was very unfortunate. Everything seems like a blur from this point forward, but I remember the anesthesiologist coming in frequently to adjust my epidural ... nothing seemed to help. I just powered through each one the best I could, knowing soon that we would get to meet our baby girl.

Eventually, it was time to start pushing. I worked pretty hard for about 30-45 minutes before they had me stop because she wasn't moving much. I "labored down" for about an hour, which was the longest hour of my life! I just remember gripping the handle on the bed and huffing and puffing through each contraction. After this, they had me push again, and this was much more productive. I pushed for another 45 minutes and out came Ella! The first thing my doctor said was "oh, she's a big girl .. I bet she's 8 lbs". Then I heard another nurse say, "no, she's at least a nine pounder". Everybody was cracking up and I was just laying there imagining what this "huge" baby looked like! After they took care of me (remember, I had a 9 lb 10 oz baby), I was able to snuggle with my baby girl. I didn't think she looked that big, but I guess compared to an average newborn, Ella looks like a one month old =). We spent some time together as a family before I was transferred to my recovery room.

Everything went very well for the first day or so. We had lots of visitors who wanted to come and meet Ellasyn, which was very fun. Ella even got her first manicure, compliments of my friend Maggie! On Friday night, Ella had her blood drawn and it turned out that she had elevated bilirubin levels, which indicated jaundice. The doctor recommended to put her on a bilibed the next morning. Basically, she was stripped down and put into a little blue "jumpsuit" that was attached to a bed of blue lights. She had to lay in this all day long and could only come out to eat, which was so hard for us. We just wanted to hold her! When they tested her levels at the end of the day that day, it turns out that they had gone up. So, the doctor recommended that she undergo phototherapy. This meant that Ella was put in an incubator in the NICU that had blue lights on the top and the sides. She had to be hooked up to all kinds of monitors and had to wear these little goggles to protect her eyes. Again, she had to lay in this constantly, and could only come out to eat. We spent the rest of that day and part of the next day going into the NICU every few hours to see her and feed her. I was okay at first, but had a little emotional breakdown once Eli and I were alone. We were really looking forward to taking her home on Saturday, and were upset that she had to stay in the hospital. We didn't want there to be anything wrong with her ... it was so hard. Good news came the next afternoon when the pediatrician told us that her levels had dropped and that she was sending her home ... YAY! We didn't waste any time getting packed up and heading out.

Since we have been home, things have been going very well. Of course, we are adjusting to sleep deprivation and figuring out Ella's schedule, but we are having a lot of fun doing it. Ella is definitely a beautiful baby who has already brought so much love and laughter to our lives.

Before the big event (and all the pain) ...

After my epidural was wearing off

Here she is!




Ella on her bilibed in our room


Ella on her upgraded bilibed in the NICU - her "beach"