And then there were Four

And just like that, three becomes four <3

 

 

 

We had a fairly uneventful night Thursday after my medicine was stopped. Friday I spent in bed, as ordered, being entertained by Caitlin, Laura, Jeremy, and Adam.  I showered and felt halfway normal.  I thought I had a few contractions late in the evening, but nothing showed up on the monitor and we talked about moving me out of a labor room and into a regular OB room to be monitored until 34 weeks.  I fell asleep around midnight.

At about 4:10AM on Saturday morning I woke up having contractions.  They were mild, but worse than I had been having.  I walked around the room, drank some water, tried to read for a few mins to see if they would stop.  By 4:30, they were still coming, so I woke Jeremy up and he tried rubbing my back, again, the goal being that we keep baby in and not try to go into labor.  Within a few minutes, I knew the labor was back. 

Labor and delivery was a mess --- I knew she was coming from the first contraction.  Somehow your body just knows.  An epidural was now out of the question and the really bad news was it was now 7 AM, shift change, and the doctors were in morning meeting.  I told my nurse I had to push but she didn't really believe me until she saw the baby's head.  Next thing I know, there are 100 people running around, trying to push us to an OR delivery room.  Everyone yelling at me not to push and me yelling "I'm pushing!" in true TLC Baby Story style.  We barely made it in -- one push and she was out. 

As insane as the delivery was, praise Jesus the baby was as next to perfect as you can be.  Jeremy got to hold her and bring her over for me to see before they took her to the NICU.  Luckily, I was up within an hour or so and got to walk over to see her as well. 

Everything happened so fast, it is still all very surreal.  She was born at 7:46AM, weighing 4lbs 1.5oz and 17inches long.  She is in an incubator to help regulate her temperature but so far has required no additional oxygen or treatments.  She has a small feeding tube in her nose since she is too small to suck, swallow, and breathe at the same time.  She currently has an IV through which she is getting prophylactic antibiotics and is under a bili light for a slightly high bilirubin.  She is peeing and pooping on her own, big milestones in the preemie world, lol!  We met with the NICU team today and they said other than her size, she is in great shape.  They will start a 48 hour trial wean from her incubator tomorrow and she will hopefully lose her IV in the next 2-3 days.  The nurses said she is "quite the firecracker" and that she "thinks she is a full term baby".  We still haven't been able to hold her, but are patiently waiting.  I was finally able to get her some breast milk today, which should of course help her grow and help prevent her from having a serious infection in her gut that is common in preemies. 

I will likely be discharged tomorrow and will be going to stay with my Aunt who lives in the area.  I'll drive back and forth daily to visit baby and meet with her care team.  Jeremy will be going home to start working on getting the house ready for us to come home, plus returning to work.  He will switch off with my parents and Jeremy's parents in taking care of Jaslyn everyday and trying to keep her routine as normal as possible.  She will also come stay with me at my aunts house so we can spend some time together.  Jazzy came to see me in the hospital yesterday, but she was more interested in playing peek-a-boo behind the curtain with daddy.  She won't be able to see the new baby until we come home, so it will still be quite a few more weeks before she understands her new baby is here! 

Everyone has been so supportive and kind during this very difficult time.  We have been so overwhelmed we didn't even name the baby until about 3pm this evening (Sunday).  We really appreciate everyone's continued well wishes and prayers.  We aren't out of the woods yet and we have such a long way to go, but every bit of support helps pull us along.  We haven't been able to keep up with all the texts and messages, so we apologize if we forgot to reply, we aren't ignoring anyone!  We will try to keep everyone updated on her progress as we can.  

Until then, here are a few sweet shots of the littlest princess, Juliet Todd Wooten <3

** Juliet is named after her daddy's grandma Julia and her granddad Jefferie Todd, uncle Jacob Todd, and her Day who got her entire family calling her mommy Jessie Todd.  <3

Day 2 @ WVU

We had a pretty rough night, lots of contractions and I continued to dilate to between a 4 and 5.  Everything settled down around 330 AM and has been quiet since then.  The baby looks great on the monitor and on ultrasound.  Her kidneys are working great so she is replacing the fluid I am losing and she hasn't shown any signs of distress yet. 

The staff here is amazing, everyone has been so nice and gone out of their way to explain things 2 and 3 times.  I know we are in the best place. 

My high risk OB has explained that we have two goals:  Short Term, we wanted the baby to stay in for 48 hours to get some ABXs and steroids.  As of 1 PM today we will meet that goal.  Long Term, they want the baby to stay in until 34 weeks.  This is less likely, most babies are delivered within a week of water breaking, but still an overall goal.  We got our second dose of steroids and lost the magnesium sulfate at 130 today.  Now, if I go back into labor we will deliver.  If not, they will keep me admitted here until I go into labor or reach 34 weeks, whatever comes first.

We met with the NICU today who advised us to at a minimum be prepared for a feeding tube to give her breast milk, since she wont be able to suck and breathe at the same time and some oxygen though nasal cannula.  Of course there are lots of other possible complications but they advised us it was nothing to worry about until it happened.  Regardless, the baby will have to stay here at Ruby until she reaches full term and is breathing and eating with no problems

I miss my little birdie and can't even imagine what she is going to think when she finally gets to see us.  I'm also used to big fat bambinos, so I'm extra nervous about a tiny baby in the NICU with tubes and wires.  I think I've mentioned it before but nurses are terrible patients.  We are taking it minute by minute and are so thankful for everyone praying for us and this miracle babe.  Hopefully we have some good news to pass along soon! 

And I don't think I mentioned what amazing friends we have.  Cait and Laura have been taking such good care of me while my mom has her carpal tunnel surgery -- they bought me tons of necessities and goodies, and even painted my toes!  Now that's true love. 

 

26 weeks

It has been awhile since I updated everyone, but just like everyone else, our lives are totally crazy right now.  This weather is crazy...

Lots has happened in the past few weeks...

First of all, I fell and likely fractured my tailbone.  We can't confirm since xray is out due to BW2 but either way it stinks.  The baby is fine but it makes one uncomfortable momma even more uncomfortable.  Thanks to some friends, I did find a great chiropractor that specializes in pregnancy and am currently working with her to get things in tip top shape for delivery.  Working with her is crazy painful but she has helped the baby move up a few inches so some of the pressure if off my pelvis. 

In the meantime, my OB wanted to make sure all the pain in my low back and pelvis were legitimately a result of the musculoskeletal issue and not a sign of early labor so we got a few extra tests this month.  Thankfully my cervix had not thinned any from the last visit. 

At my last visit we did get to discuss delivery and my doctor assured me that the IUD alone is NOT a reason for me to have a c- section, as I had read in a couple of sources.  That will only come to the table if there is some sort of complication at time of delivery.  He did reiterate that it will be imperative that the IUD comes out with the baby, but he expects that to happen and for us to not run into anything else crazy.  He has advised us to be ready for an early baby since at around 36+ weeks the IUD can irritate the cervix or burst your water.  Then again, there is a similar chance she will be like her sister and stay 41+ weeks.  Fingers crossed. Cutting back at work has been suggested by him numerous times, but anyone who knows me and my field knows that really isn't an option.  Praying that my sanity and body hold out as long as possible so I can maximize my time with her and Jazzy after delivery. 

Entering my third trimester we have decided we may want to get busy getting ready for this little bunny so we have finally started redoing both girls rooms.  A big girl bed for Jazzy!  She is very excited, but I forsee many injuries as she is already a little monkey jumping on the bed! 

Looking forward to our next U/S at 28 weeks and getting to see this little gal again <3. 

Maybe Christmas Doesn't Come from a Store...

"It came without ribbons.  It came without tags.  It came without packages, boxes, or bags.  Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."

This season, social media has been full of so many people questioning Santa.  If your kids believe in Santa are you lying to them?  Are you teaching them to be greedy? Are you forgetting the true meaning of Christmas?  Is it really fair to the kids? People, please!  Your killing me! 

My parents are the greatest at Christmas. Still, to this very day.  My brother and I literally believed in Santa until we were 13.  My parents were just that good.  Jake got a bell from Santa's sleigh before The Polar Express was even cool.  My mom made teeth marks in carrots so we knew Rudolph enjoyed his snack.   Jake tried to "catch" Santa every year, setting up traps and cameras in our living room.  One year he put our video camera on the kitchen counter and aimed it at the tree, knowing he was going to get him.  After working the midnight shift, my dad got up, put trash bags over all the windows to make it look like night, dressed up as Santa, delivered some presents, pretended to notice the camera and ran over to turn it off.  That tiny glimpse of the man in the red suit in our living room was enough.

  And guess what?  We are fine.  We are both productive members of society.  Our childhood was amazing, even with Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy ( gasp!).

We still went to church on Christmas Eve and sang Happy Birthday Jesus as a family in my grandmas basement every single year.  We give and donate and volunteer.  We aren't greedy or jaded or feel like our parents lied to us all those years.  Because to us, Santa is real.  He is the spirit of all that is good and right in the world.  He is magic and wonder and charity. 

So it was only appropriate that Santa bring us the best gift of 2013.  News that 19 weeks in, we still have a healthy baby, and that little baby is a girl!



 As you can see, Jaslyn is thrilled. 

For the record, I was 150% convinced this one was a boy.  So if your pregnant in the future, and I say " I think its a boy/girl" you can pretty much bet on it being the exact opposite of whatever I believe.

 Our ultrasound went well, the baby was very active and much more cooperative than big sister was for her ultrasounds.  All baby's organs look good and my placenta and fluid levels are normal.  The IUD is still visible but is being pushed farther and farther into the uterus as the baby grows.  This may cause another complication towards the end of my pregnancy if the IUD becomes imbedded in the uterus and they cant retrieve it when the baby is born.  But we will cross that bridge when we get there.  We go back again on Dec 30th and will hopefully discuss delivery options, as I want another natural birth and the IUD may present complications at delivery. 

Another girl means Jeremy will officially be outnumbered 5 to 1 (our cats Hattie and Harriett are both girls).  He said he is getting a male dog, but I'm holding out for baby #3 in a few years.  :)

 

Now to pick a name.  Hopefully it's easier than it was with Jaslyn who was nameless until we signed the birth certificate. 

 

Merry Christmas and Happy Everything from our family to yours!

 

 

No News is Good News

Another visit to the OB this week and another positive report.  No change.   At the 16 week mark, BW2 was active, as always, with a HR of 134.  So far it looks like the IUD is not causing any new problems.  All of the additional testing they did due to my high blood pressure readings turned out normal, and it looks like my BP has returned to normal.  Maybe just all the stress? 

Our next appointment for an ultrasound and lab work is the 17th.  This will be a focused ultrasound to look at the baby's anatomy and give us a better idea of where the IUD is and if it remains stable.  If this baby cooperates, we should be able to find out the gender!  Baby Jaslyn was not so participative, and we had to wait 20+ weeks to find out she might be a girl.  Our doctor asked "Would you like to find out the gender or wait for a 40 week surprise?" which he immediately followed up with "You've probably had enough surprises for this pregnancy."  I think he is right!  We are definitely leaning towards this little one being a boy.

The new medications have significantly improved the nausea I was having which is awesome.  I've yet to feel my energy return with the second trimester, but I'm still holding out for a miracle.  I would be perfectly content to eat Vanilla Cupcake Goldfish and sleep all day, but I guess I have to work, and graduate, and cuddle Jazzy Bear.  It could be worse :)  When we ask Jaslyn to "give the baby a kiss" she kisses my belly, which absolutely makes you melt.  The only downside is she doesn't differentiate my baby belly from anyone else's--when we tell her to give the baby a kiss she heads for the nearest belly- daddy's, Mimi's, Grandad's.  She likes to share the love ;)

BW2 Update

We had a quick check in with the nurses at my doctor's office today to make sure everything is going ok.  I'm happy to report that BW2 is still looking great.  My fluid levels are stable, placenta looks good, and the baby was moving everywhere.  I had some testing done due to the high BP readings at my last appointment, but thankfully they all look good at this time.  We will see the doctor again on Dec 1st and will hopefully know what the baby's gender is in time for a Christmas surprise!  Thanks to everyone for the well wishes!  We are still being very cautious due to the circumstances but are more excited for this new life with each passing day!

Baby Wooten #2

And just like that....BAM! Baby #2 is on the way. 

No, this is not a Halloween trick!  And yes we are as shocked as you are!  Good lord willing and the creek don't rise, Baby #2 will be making his/her appearance around the middle of May. 

So not considering that we have a 10 month old, I work way too much, and I graduate with my doctorate right around my due date, we are really excited! 

 

Jaslyn is probably less excited, but right now her main concerns in life are kittens, pumpkins, and snacks so we are pretending like she is as excited as the rest of us!

I decided to blog about this baby because as you may have guessed by now, BW2 has came with some very special circumstances.  I thought writing about them here and periodically updating about the baby's status would be the easiest way to make sure all our out of town family and friends stay in the loop.  Right now we need all the prayers and happy thoughts we can get for this little peanut!

I am currently between 12-13 weeks pregnant.  We aren't sure of my exact dates because the baby was unexpected.  A few weeks ago, I was feeling really poorly and basically wanting to sleep all the time.  My mother (who honest to goodness knows everything, I swear) kept asking if I was pregnant.  My answer was "No! Of course not!" because I have a Paragaurd IUD.  An IUD is a birth control device that is placed in the cervix to protect against pregnancy without hormones. 

 

 

Paraguard looks like this.  According to the manufacture and general contraceptive teaching, IUD's are the MOST EFFECTIVE form of reversible contraception.  More effective than pills, patches, shots, ect... A copper IUD like Paragaurd is good for preventing pregnancy for up to 12 years.  The pregnancy rate with Paragaurd is less than 0.01%.  In comparison, the pregnancy rate with tubal ligation is up to 3.7%.  Even if pregnancy occurs, they are often in the fallopian tubes or are non-viable.  But I digress...

 

So fast forward to when my mom finally convinces me to take a test, which is positive, but a pregnancy is impossible because I have this very very effective form of birth control.  I go to my OB, who also thinks the test was likely a false positive or maybe I have a tubal pregnancy.  We immediately go for an ultrasound which reveals....

 

 

One healthy, viable, 10 week old fetus.  Say what?!?!

 

Since my doctor has never had this happen to a patient, we did not really know what to expect.  I went to WVU to see a high risk perinatologist, who tried to remove the IUD but was unsuccessful.  Somewhere in the course of 3-4 days the IUD had moved from my cervix to the top of my uterus, above the baby.  And that is where it will stay for the remainder of the pregnancy. 

 

So what does all this hoopla mean for us?  First of all, I am high risk which means more frequent monitoring and trips to the doctor.  So far every ultrasound and exam has showed a healthy growing baby.  Glory be to God. 

 

It also means I am having some unwanted complications and my risk of second trimester miscarriage is higher than other pregnancies.  I am on light activity and generally don't feel as great as I did with Jaslyn.  I have had a couple of big scares but my doctor has been very attentive and reassuring. He has described this pregnancy as a "miracle" and "meant to be".   The IUD is causing me to have some intermittent pain that is pretty severe but not threatening to the baby.  Most recently, I was diagnosed with pregnancy induced hypertension.  In light of that I am having some more testing done next week to determine how we can treat it to keep me and the baby safe for the next 6 months.  Early delivery is more common in women who carry babies with IUD's so that is always in the back of our minds.  The perinatologist at WVU has assured us that while the IUD does make the pregnancy more complicated the actual device does not pose any risk to the baby while in utero.  If I have a natural birth the IUD should be delivered with the baby.  He said he has literally seen babies born holding the IUD  ( I am hoping he is really joking).   

 

So there is the condensed version of the roller coaster ride that has been our lives for the last two weeks.  Right now we are taking things day by day and are forever grateful that God has chosen us to bring another beautiful life into this world. 

Here is the most recent shot of BW2 --- with his/her tiny leg kicking up in the air!