I got a call the first week in February telling me she was having contractions. Because they weren't regular, she wasn't sure she was in labor. The next morning, Princess One had a Dr. appointment and the Doctor told them to go to the hospital saying she was half way there.
Oh how she wishes that would have been true. She had not slept in two nights due to hard contractions that kept her up all night. She had invited me to spend the first week after delivery with her to help with the baby.
I thought that a week with me and a week with her mother-in-law would be WAY too long and drive them crazy. When she called saying she wanted me up there the next morning to help them go home, I didn't worry about packing and getting on the road for the five hour drive to their new home. I figured I would have time to go up the next day.Later that day, she still hadn't progressed much and my head started hurting and if you read this blog, you know that I get headache when a storm is coming. I checked the weather and realized there were storm warnings all over the state and that if I wanted to get across the state before the snow started, I had better get going.
I hurried and packed and started on the road. I have never driven to that part of the state before so I was unfamiliar with the roads and the car I drive now is rear wheel drive and HORRIBLE in rain and snow.
I hit flurries on the main highway and was grateful when I turned onto a small two lane highway that the roads had cleared. I stopped half way at a gas station for directions as I wanted to make sure I was on the right road. The man at the station told me that I was on the right road but if I hit snow over this particular pass, that I should turn around and head back as there was a woman that went off the cliff there and wasn't found for two weeks. That statement didn't make me feel very good and when I left the store, I looked down and laughed as there was a penny on the ground just outside the door. I picked it up and prayed it was a sign I would make it over the pass.
When I got to that pass and it started snowing and sticking, I was terrified. It was a windy mountain road with no guard rails, no lights and dead deer all over the sides of the road and it was SLICK. I passed some trucks going about 5 miles an hour in the other direction and figured once I hit the pass, on the way down the s
now would stop as it seemed that only the peak was in the snow. I shifted down and was going slowly down the other side but it was so steep I was worried the weight of the car could carry me off the road. I will NEVER go that road again unless it is a slow drive for the view during daylight hours in the middle of the summer with no chance of rain!
A woman came to visit princess after the baby and I mentioned that scary drive and she said her husband broke his back in that same pass in the summer when he came upon an accident and there was no where to go but hit the cars involved in the accident or go off a cliff. So, I will be driving the long way round on main highways even if the other way is faster.
After getting to their city, she still hadn't delivered and it was after midnight. I walked into the hospital to the waiting room as she didn't want anyone but her husband in the delivery room. I am sitting in the waiting room and I look up to see a framed "Wizard of Oz" picture on the wall and couldn't help think that it was a sign that she was in the right place. If you remember, her collection and room were decorated with the "Wizard of Oz" and here is another post about that. She is doing her nursery decorations in the "Wizard of Oz." My fried was her Doula and she came out saying she was close. Another hour goes past and Prince number one comes out and asks his mother and I to go in and help her as he is exhausted and he can't lift her anymore. I get in there and she is sitting on a rubber ball falling asleep between contractions and shaking because her muscles are so fatigued.
She decides that is a good idea and about 5 a.m., they give her one and some medicine to help induce the contractions more. Her Doctor is leaving to go to a neighboring community at 6 a.m. so all hope was lost that he would deliver. At about 8 a.m. Prince number One comes into her regular hospital room where we were all escorted when she got the epidural telling us it was time to push and that Princess was OK if we were in there.
Several hours later, she has pushed so long and hard that she can't push anymore. I was so upset by her screams as the epidural had worn off. The Dr. tells her he needs to get the baby out and wants to cut her. I am so frustrated he didn't do that hours ago. Finally, they take the baby with the vacuum and Princess pushing her little heart out. I had them put oxygen on her as I could see she had nothing left and they were all so worried about baby that everyone missed that she didn't have it on. When she came out, the cord had been around the neck/shoulder and when she would push, the cord was pulling her back and Grand-Princess was posterior which meant she was looking towards the sky which is opposite of what normally happens.
This got her caught on the tail bone and the baby had a bruise on her nose for a few days due to that but all in all, both did great.
Princess One hemorrhaged a bit after baby was born and was given medication to help that and we are grateful it worked. I think all that pushing for over 2 hours caused her stress.
Grand Princess Number One was born just after 12 p.m. and weighed 7 pounds 13 oz and was 20 inches long.
Princess One had lots of stitches and swelling and walked like an "oompa loompa" for most of the week while I was there. She is finally returning to normal after getting some rest. She and Prince Number one both needed several days of recovery to get their strength back.
The baby did well for the first two days of life but then after two long nights, we realized that what her mom ate, affected her so Princess One modified her diet and started taking some digestive enzymes when she ate and the baby started getting better daily.
The first two nights home, I was up most of the night with her fussing and gassy. On day three, I insisted we purchase a baby swing. I was getting worried to leave them with the baby screaming all night. There were times in the middle of the night I had no idea what to do but to just walk her around and sing to her while she screamed.
Once she stopped eating beans, took digestive enzymes and got the baby swing going, things were HEAVENLY! Princess started getting more sleep at night and I took the baby in after she had a few hours sleep and then on the last night or two, she kept the baby the entire night and just got up to feed her and then they all went back to sleep.
She had her first Dr. Visit while I was there and they said she is perfectly normal and healthy. That was good news but by then, we had figured that out.
I wanted to share that Princess number One made the beautiful afghan in the picture above. I showed her making it in this post here. I loved how she looks in it. It is right after her first bath at the hospital.
This picture on the left, is a picture of her next to a picture of Princess One about the same age. I pulled out her photo album and put it next to the baby and took a picture as I couldn't believe how much she looks like her mother. Her mother did have a bit more hair and was a bit bigger but in a few weeks, I am guessing that she will look exactly like her Princess mother. We are grateful that both momma and baby are doing well and healthy. I am grateful that I made it safely in a crazy storm, that I had signs of pennies on my way into town and found one as I gassed up the car to leave town. I loved that when I arrived, I was greeted with a rainbow and "Wizard of Oz" picture as I knew that we were in the right place for Grand Princess's birth. I am grateful that Princess allowed me into the room to help her and take video and pictures for her. I am grateful I got to spend a week with my girls. I am grateful for the staff that kept them both safe and most of all, I am grateful that my other Princess were safe while I was gone that they, and our new addition, are all healthy and safe.
I have lots to be grateful for so often......
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