Team Koford: Audrey Elizabeth

We decided to schedule to be induced for this pregnancy for two reasons. The main reason was peace of mind about Russell. We had a specific time that we had leave for the hospital and were able to plan arrangements. I was really nervous about the idea of going into labor in the middle of the night and having to panic about what to do with Russell before we could leave. The other reason was just to get more between her birthday and Christmas.

On December 10 at 8pm, we checked into my room at the hospital. We didn't really know what to expect for the induction. (Stephen's family really didn't know and were making birth time predictions

for that night... I knew she would be born on the 11th, but had no idea when.) They got me hooked up to the monitors and started the first step of induction. Since I wasn't really dilated at all, I got stuff to help with that. They said it would be around 3 am when they'd start the next step. 3 am came and I was having contractions too frequently (luckily small ones that didn't really hurt) and we'd have to wait for those to calm down before they could start the Pitocin. Eventually they added it to my IV. All the while Stephen and I were trying, mostly unsuccessfully (at least on my part), to get some sleep. Then it all mostly becomes a blur of waiting. At some point they broke my water to help things move along, and I also got an epidural. My night nurse kept telling me that I was progressing so well and she was sure I'd have a baby before noon. I don't know if things slowed or she was just trying to instill some hope before she left, but noon came and went with no baby ready to exit. She was perfectly happy and in no rush to make her entrance. Finally when my 3rd nurse started her shift, we were ready to go! Stephen stood by my shoulder to support me until my nurse and doctor told him that he looked pale, and sent him to sit down. I don't think I was pushing too long... then she was born at 2:42 pm.

My lovely delivery room

Last bump picture!

Our Audrey Elizabeth was 7 pounds 6 ounces and 19.75 inches! She was just a little bit bigger than Russell who was 7lbs 4oz and 19 inches. Pretty good for being born 5 days before her due date. They were predicting she would be 8 pounds, but I don't think she would have grown that much.

After she was born, they put her on my chest for a really short period of time. Probably a good thing they took her to clean and check her pretty quickly, because they noticed that she was breathing funny. She was making a grunting sound, which is a sign that something is off. She was quickly taken to the NICU to be checked out.

They let Stephen snap a quick picture before

they took her away!

Her lovely sign in the NICU

Stephen got to be the one in charge of getting information and visiting Audrey for the first few hours while I was recovering. They figured out that she had a small hole in one of her lungs (pneumothorax). They had her on a ventilator for a short period of time and she had a feeding tube.

Once I was able to walk around again, I was able to go and see her! They had me pump to get milk to put her in feeding tube the first night. The next day they tried to see if she would take a bottle. I didn't go very well. She was very sleepy and didn't want to wake up to eat. They ended up putting the feeding tube back in for a little while longer so she wouldn't lose too much weight. The evening of the 12th they let me start trying to nurse her. She did better with that than the bottle, but still prefer to sleep over eat. I got to walk down to the NICU every three hours and try. Definitely did not get much sleep that night!

Since Audrey was in the NICU, Russell was too young

to go and see her. But he got to come hang out with me and

eat my dessert and drink my juice.

By the 13th, the hole in her lungs was pretty much gone and she was doing really well. That meant she was going to be released from the NICU and could spend the night in my room! If everything went well, she would be able to go home the next day.

My new roommate! (They had her sleep on

her side to help with the hole in her lung)

Her ankle bracelet so she didn't try to escape the hospital!

One of her nurses decided that she needed a proper

hat for a little girl.

Look at those cheeks! Pretty impressive for

a girl who'd rather sleep than eat!

Our beautiful little girl!

We survived our first night as roommates. I didn't get much sleep because she just wanted to be held, and I didn't want to get caught sleeping with her on my by the nurses. It was still nice to be able to have her right there, rather than walking the halls to the NICU. They came in the morning to take her for a final examine to see if she was good to go home. Everything was looking great, and we were ready to go! Russell and Robin came to the hospital so Russell could meet Audrey and help us get ready to go home!