Happy Birthday Margaret Josephine!

Well, what a day! As I (Jeff) write this, Bridget is taking a snooze next to me. She's earned some good rest.

She started feeling contractions this morning around 5 or 5:30. By 7:30, the contractions were getting more painful and closer together. But, since the doctor was concerned about an abruption (the tearing of the placenta from the uterine wall), she decided to do an emergency c-section.

As was the case with Cece, the doctors/techs had a hard time finding a good vein for an IV or to draw blood, which just added to the stress of the situation. By about 9:30 or 10, they had the OR prepped and wheeled Bridget away.

Fifteen minutes or so later I was able to go in the OR and sit with Bridget while they performed the operation. She was cold so we walked about warm things -- Aruba, hot tubs, etc.

At 10:30, out came the baby. They held her up over the sheet and I got my first look at Margaret Josephine, or Maggie. Her eyes were wide open and she looked beautiful! I got to cut her cord and follow the convoy of doctors into the NICU while they checked her out.

OK so stats. She was officially born at 31 weeks, 2 days. She weighed in at 3 pounds 5 ounces and is 16 inches long. Despite being a preemie, she breathes just fine on her own (some babies born this early need the help of a respirator). She scored a 9 out of 10 on her Apgar test. Just like her big sister.

She'll likely be in the NICU for a month or so in order to make sure she can do three things without help: eating, breathing, and regulating temperature.

After hanging out with Maggie for maybe a half hour (and getting her to wrap her tiny little fingers around my finger), I went over to the post-op recovery room to check on Bridget. Her heartbeat was a bit "tachy" and she had low blood pressure. She's since been given lots of fluids and a unit of blood which has helped with the blood pressure and her heart rate looks much better now. They have to get the blood pressure regulated before they can give Bridget any pain medication, so needless to say she was not feeling too hot. She just recently was given some percoset, so that's helping.

Judging from our experience with the first c-section, I know the first day is the hardest in terms of recovery, so keep Bridget in your thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery. And keep Maggie in your thought and prayers for a relatively short stay in the NICU.

Thank you all so much for your continued prayers and support. We love you all and can't wait for you to meet our new little girl.

Jeff, Bridget, Cece and Maggie

Visitors

We had lots of vistors tonight. Mom and I had dinner together from Pizza Luce, which delivers right to the room :) Around 5:30, Jeff and Cece stopped up. Cece had fun pushing the controls on my bed, going for a stroller ride with Grandma to feed the meter and riding up and down the elevator. Then, our good friend Jon stopped in and bit later Jeff's brother Chris and his wife Katie and the kids. Jeff stayed until about 10 tonight. I was put on the maternal/fetal monitor at 8 p.m. for about an hour. Baby's heart rate is doing good, lots of accelerations (which is what they want to see). No contractions. Hoping for a good night's rest and an uneventful tomorrow. Looking forward to Jeff's breakfast visit tomorrow, complete with a hot cup of Starbuck's and a delicious Brueggers bagel. 

Water Broke - Uh Oh

Jeff and I are expecting the birth of our little girl. Her due date is November 29, but she decided to get things moving a little sooner. My water broke prematurely at 5:30 a.m. on Monday morning (9/27) at 31 weeks. I was admitted to Fairview Riverside hospital that morning.

After a series of tests, the conclusion was that my water broke early for no known reason. Since the baby is at 31 weeks, her lungs aren't fully matured, so I was given a series of steroid shots over the last two days to aide her lung development.

I am on bedrest in the hospital for the forseeable future until I go into labor. We have no way of knowing when that will be. However, the doctors will do a c-section if any complications arise. If nothing happens and we make it to 34 weeks and still haven't gone into labor, the doctors will do a c-section.

Regardless of when our little babe arrives, we're looking at her spending some time in the Newborn ICU. We've been reassured by all of the doctors and nurses that even if our baby is born at 31 weeks, she will do well. Of course, every day that she stays put, the better her development will be (better to grow on the inside than outside), hence the bedrest.

My ultrasound indicates that baby is about 3 lbs 12 oz, a good size for being a preemie. My doctor says it's a good thing that I can grow big babies (Cece was nearly 9 lbs).

We're in very capable hands here at Riverside and the doctors and nurses have been outstanding. We had a tour of the NICU last night and saw a bitty baby that same size/age as ours (if she was to be born this week). Much bigger than we had envisioned. The NICU staff must be made of angels, because they give those little miracles the best care and attention.

Jeff and I will continue to post updates about our little girl.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers! We're staying positive over here!

Love,

Bridget & Jeff