by kara » Wed Jan 04, 2006 05:45 am
Hi everyone,
I'm brand new here, having just registered, but I've been getting lots of help and advice from the website for the past 2 months. I live in Madison and look forward to corresponding with fellow WI members. (I posted this message on the Welcome Board too).
Avery Ann was born 11/11/05 at 31 weeks, but had IUGR and stopped growing at 28 weeks due to Severe PE.
My BP had been steadily rising over the 4 weeks before Avery's birth, but was still within normal ranges. I did a 24 hour urine test the first weekend in November and the protein was 3x higher than it should have been. I was told to take it easy for the weekend and come in on Thursday the 9th for an ultrasound and additional bloodwork. On 11/8/05 I awoke with swollen eye lids, lips and hands. My hands were so swollen I couldn't hold a pen. I went to work and started having pain in my liver (turned out to be heartburn), but I called the midwives who instructed me to meet the midwife on call at the hospital. My BP was 180/120 and I was in a hospital bed within 40 minutes. I was so swollen that it took 6 tries to put in an IV. The nurse and head nurse couldn't find a vein, nor could the pic nurse, so they finally called the anestiesiologist who numbed me and dug in and found a vein. I was immediately put on mag sulfate and told that I wouldn't be leaving the hospital until I had the baby. I was given two shots of steriods and induced on 11/11. I had 5 hours of labor that I could feel, only the last 2 hours being painful. The nurses couldn't see the contractions on the monitor around 8pm and told me it was just cramping and that in 12 hours I would be given pitocin and an epidural. Fifteen minutes later my husband asked for the resident so that I could get some pain relief and she checked me and I was already at 6cm...no wonder I was in pain! Literally 5 minutes after that check Avery was born. The resident was putting a monitor on the babys scalp and I told her I needed to push. She looked at me like I was crazy and checked me again. Almost instantly about 8 people rushed into the room and they managed to catch her and have the neonatal team present. I was on mag for 4 days. It was all so surreal. I was finally able to see and hold Avery after 18 hours of mag.
Avery was 2 lbs., 12 ounces and then dropped to 2lbs, 6oz. She was 15.5 inches long. For all of that she was very healthy. She didn't need to be vented, but was on Cpap for a week (until she pulled it out) and then on nose cannula for another week. After 27 days in the NICU they sent her home with us at 3lbs, 9oz. At her last appointment she was 4lbs, 1oz, and we go again on Friday for her 8 week check-up!
My BP slowly crept back down over two weeks time. I go for my check-up on friday as well, so we will hope it is completely back to normal.
Well that is my story. I'm really happy to have others to talk to.
Kara (28yrs)
Derek (hubby,31yrs)
Avery Ann (11/11/05 8 weeks and counting.
Hi everyone,
I'm brand new here, having just registered, but I've been getting lots of help and advice from the website for the past 2 months. I live in Madison and look forward to corresponding with fellow WI members. (I posted this message on the Welcome Board too).
Avery Ann was born 11/11/05 at 31 weeks, but had IUGR and stopped growing at 28 weeks due to Severe PE.
My BP had been steadily rising over the 4 weeks before Avery's birth, but was still within normal ranges. I did a 24 hour urine test the first weekend in November and the protein was 3x higher than it should have been. I was told to take it easy for the weekend and come in on Thursday the 9th for an ultrasound and additional bloodwork. On 11/8/05 I awoke with swollen eye lids, lips and hands. My hands were so swollen I couldn't hold a pen. I went to work and started having pain in my liver (turned out to be heartburn), but I called the midwives who instructed me to meet the midwife on call at the hospital. My BP was 180/120 and I was in a hospital bed within 40 minutes. I was so swollen that it took 6 tries to put in an IV. The nurse and head nurse couldn't find a vein, nor could the pic nurse, so they finally called the anestiesiologist who numbed me and dug in and found a vein. I was immediately put on mag sulfate and told that I wouldn't be leaving the hospital until I had the baby. I was given two shots of steriods and induced on 11/11. I had 5 hours of labor that I could feel, only the last 2 hours being painful. The nurses couldn't see the contractions on the monitor around 8pm and told me it was just cramping and that in 12 hours I would be given pitocin and an epidural. Fifteen minutes later my husband asked for the resident so that I could get some pain relief and she checked me and I was already at 6cm...no wonder I was in pain! Literally 5 minutes after that check Avery was born. The resident was putting a monitor on the babys scalp and I told her I needed to push. She looked at me like I was crazy and checked me again. Almost instantly about 8 people rushed into the room and they managed to catch her and have the neonatal team present. I was on mag for 4 days. It was all so surreal. I was finally able to see and hold Avery after 18 hours of mag.
Avery was 2 lbs., 12 ounces and then dropped to 2lbs, 6oz. She was 15.5 inches long. For all of that she was very healthy. She didn't need to be vented, but was on Cpap for a week (until she pulled it out) and then on nose cannula for another week. After 27 days in the NICU they sent her home with us at 3lbs, 9oz. At her last appointment she was 4lbs, 1oz, and we go again on Friday for her 8 week check-up!
My BP slowly crept back down over two weeks time. I go for my check-up on friday as well, so we will hope it is completely back to normal.
Well that is my story. I'm really happy to have others to talk to.
Kara (28yrs)
Derek (hubby,31yrs)
Avery Ann (11/11/05 8 weeks and counting.
