Baby Addison Mae

It has been a long time since I've last blogged and a lot has happened but the most important update is that Chris and I welcomed our daughter Addison Mae Brown to the world on 1.2.12 at 10:49pm! Our labor was planned but how she came wasn't! We went in that Monday morning at 7:30 am to be induced. Chris and I were able to get checked in, hooked up, and my contractions going without a problem.

See? Things were going great! However, after several hours to our disappointment, I wasn't dilating. When I got to a two, the doctor came in and broke my water to help jump start my labor. The minute that the doctor did break my water, my contractions became very painful. I felt most of the pain in my back. Poor Chris had no idea what to do and I was only able to speak in short one or two ward statements such, "Chris...hand...back...left...off!" After about an hour of intense contractions, I still hadn't dilated at all! I opted for an epidural at that point. I remembered thinking..."There is no way I can do this all day...and if I don't have to feel this I'm not going too!" It did take the anesthesiologist several attempts to get the needle in right. He had send an electric shock through my back, that was not pleasant. However, within minutes of getting my epidural, the pain subsided. Chris and I started to play cards and watch Arrested Development. (Our poor nurse kept coming in during the parts of the show that were more crude).

Several hours later, I still wasn't dilating. The doctors came in and had to stretch me several times and even then I was making very little progress. At one point our nurse called out for assistance and threw an oxygen mask on me. Turns out, baby Addison was starting to get stressed. Her heart rate dropped with every contraction and she had a slow recovery time. The oxygen help her stabilize but the doctor decided to take me off the pitocin to see if my body would regulate the contractions on it's own; which it did, but even then Addison was getting stressed.

After 14 hours of labor, the doctor came in and informed me that because of Addison getting stressed, my lack of progress, and our time limited (since they broke my water) that he recommended that I get a c-section. We were told that we could wait and see if I progressed on my own but if not then I would still have to have a c-section.

Chris and I discussed it and thought that it would be the best choice. This was my reaction...Chris seemed calmer than me...

We were wheeled off and they put Chris in scrubs. I was given more drugs and lifted on an operating table. They strapped my arms and legs down and began to cut me open. After about 5 minutes I heard a little baby's cry and then I started to tear up. The first thing Chris said was that she had my lips. The nurses took her away to clean and weigh her.

Addison weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces and was 21 inches long. She is healthy and strong. Addison is a very calm baby. She sleeps for 4 hours, eats, and will sleep for another 4 hours. Addison does have a fantastic habit of pooping and peeing during her diaper changes. Chris has promised Addison that he is going to pay her 5 bucks every time she pees and poops on mommy during a diaper change. Chris owes her $45 now...however, she did projectile poop on dad one night...now her father proceeds with much caution.