Our surprise pregnancy and everything unexpected.

After our last baby was a large one and we had many complications, the furthest from our minds was adding another. With an 18, 16, 14, the loss of twins, a 7 year old of our own and our 7 year old niece, we were done. Our family was completely in shock when in December, I had an ER visit and we decided we better start spreading the news soon. Still we waited for a bit, to be out of the first trimester. The end of February, we started to tell just our family and close friends. We kept it small.

In the beginning, I was not able to eat a thing. All food made me sick. I was so extremely tired all the time. My body was not doing well.

At the end of  March, we had our 20 week appointment with our ultrasound. We decided not to find out the gender. On our end, everything had been going ok. Then the ultrasound tech saw what looked like under developed lungs or a mass in the lungs. We were sent to a high risk doctor for another look at the lungs, 2 weeks later. They cleared us. Everything was going really well. Lots of movement and the heartbeat was good.

Around the 24th week, I began having a pretty significant amount of lower pelvic pain. I felt like this baby was trying to push their way out, constantly. The only time I felt better was resting on the couch. It hurt to walk, stand, get up and down. After research and speaking with the doctor, it seemed I had Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction. Basically where the pelvic bone feels soft and becomes too relaxed and stretchy too soon before delivery.

At our 28 week appt., I had to get my RHOGAM shot for my blood type, along with the glucose test. Same with every pregnancy before, I then, had to do the 3 hour fasting sugar test. This time, I wasn't so lucky. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. From then on, 4 times a day, I ended up having to poke my finger and take the readings from the meter. I was also on diabetes medication, twice a day. We also found out that I was low in iron. Pretty much due to the fact that I wasn't able to eat anything without getting sick.

During our 30 week appointment, we were told to start coming in twice a week for stress monitoring of the baby, a couple extra ultrasounds and weekly doctor visits. This will be done until the baby arrives. The first stress test we had, came back perfectly fine.

Weeks 30-35:
We have had another ultrasound and everything measured great. Though they informed us that since the baby was already over 5lbs., and gains roughly 1/2 lb. a week, they might have to delivery at 37 weeks. They do not want us to have another almost 10lb. baby. Then at the 34 week appointment, they decided we could probably go till 38-39 weeks. At the stress test we had at 35 wks and 6 days, I had only gained 12lbs.

This baby moves like crazy! It feels and looks like there is a party in my stomach. Very seldom do I not feel any movement at all. I can feel that the baby is sitting very low. This makes it very hard to walk, sit or even stand for too long.

During the monitoring process, we had been transferred a few times to Labor and Delivery. The first time was for my high blood pressure, which wasn't checked correctly in the clinic. The second, was for the baby's heart rate not recording properly. You could hear it but they couldn't see it on the screen. Everything checked out fine both times and after about 3 hours, we were released. They were worried about preeclampsia. After multiple tests, that also checked out to be nothing. My sugar levels had been more steady. When they get too low, I can really feel it. I get extremely shaky and my breathing gets heavy. So far I have had 1 episode where I had blurry vision and a headache.

At week 35, our older daughters surprised me with a baby shower. I didn't want one, as it was our 5th baby and felt I was being needy if we did have one. In the end I realized, I wasn't and we enjoyed all the friends and family that came to celebrate the new little human. Since we had no idea the sex of the baby, we were set on neutral clothing and will be able to pick out specifics when it arrives. At week 36, we had to focus on a carseat and finishing the bassinet that we are making.

When we hit 1 day before week 37. I had been having mild, not really anything contractions. Still felt lots of baby movement. My sugar levels are doing good. Seemed to be lower than before. My blood pressure was been good too. At our ultrasound, the baby measured around 6lbs. 12 oz. Not a bad sized baby. He/She still wouldn't let us see their face. So, along with a surprise pregnancy and  not knowing the sex, we didn't have a clue as to what it looked like. We finally had a carseat and stroller. A few more baby products were on the way as well. We have not attempted to start the nursery. The baby bassinet, was still a work in progress, as it sat in the garage waiting to be stained and put together. The baby clothes and supplies we had, were in piles on the dining room table.

A day shy of week 38. At our appointment, due to my sugar levels and a few high blood pressures, I had in the past, the doctor we saw today, was surprised we didn't have an induction date. She told us it was up to us but she was also going to double check with our doctor to see what she thought. They agreed that we could be induced the next morning. Ultimately, it was up to us. To have our regular doctor deliver, for me to be out of the pelvic pain, I have been in for way too long, sounded good. After talking it over, we decided to give it a go. All of the other pregnancies except the first, our child decided when they wanted to come out. Our first one we were induced due to low fluids. I was excited to hold what seemed to be a normal sized newborn. We have never had that. I was excited to not be on blood sugar pills any longer. I was excited to not have to take my blood 2 hours after every meal to see if my sugar levels are too high or too low. We both were nervous and anxious for what will come with this labor and delivery. Eviction day: 07-27-2019, 8am.

What we thought was going to be eviction day, ended up starting out with my water breaking at 5:30am. When I finally realized what exactly was going on, we made it to the hospital at 7am. After  being checked in and hooked up to all of the machines, it was slow moving. Finally contractions started to get painful enough, very quickly. I ordered an epidural at 4cm. It was supposed to take an hour to get it put in from the time I ordered it. Well, contractions proceeded and I did as well. By the time the epidural was going in, I was having some of the worst pains. He kept moving on administering the needle in my back, as Tom and I were trying to keep me as still as possible. That was painfully difficult. Once the needle was in and I could lay back down, it took awhile for the pain of the contractions to fade. Enough time to where they decided it was a good idea for me to be checked again. I was already at an 8. I could still feel the contractions but they were fading out. The nurse checked just a few minutes later and it turns out, I was already ready to deliver our baby. Within an hour of getting the epidural, I should have stuck through it. Time frame was so close, we just didn't expect it at all. The delivery was very smooth. 4 pushes and our baby was out. We welcomed another teeny little girl into the world. She was very alert and didn't fuss much. I held her for about an hour, not knowing what was coming next.

We asked for her to finally be weighed and cleaned up after Tom held her for a little while and fed her. The other kids and Grandparents were excited to meet her. Once she was put down in the bed, her arms started shaking, tremble shaking. Her feet were purple and and she was crying really hard. We thought she was just cold and didn't want to be messed with. Turns out, the medication I was on for gestational diabetes, was too much for her system to handle, without mine. The nurses knew right away and checked her blood level. Sadly, it was unreadable. Her sugars were so low she was going into shock, otherwise known as hypoglycemia. The doctor ordered a sugar gel for her. This was put into her mouth. At this time, family had started to arrive. The kids were the only ones that got to hold her before she was taken from us to the nursery. During this time, Tom went with her and I was given the next action plan.

We were told she was going to get a sugar IV and have to be transferred, by ambulance, to another hospital with a NICU. This hospital had one but had closed it earlier in the year. She was needing to be monitored with the IV and her sugar levels checked every 3 hours, until everything was normal. Our poor baby was sent by ambulance at  hours old, to a hospital across town. I was told I could be discharged to be with her, at my own risk or be transferred to the same hospital. I opted to be discharged. There was no way I was not going to be in the NICU with her. It all went so fast.

We still didn't have a name for her either. For her to be transferred, she needed a name on the birth certificate. I had to fill it out generically with, "Baby Girl". We had 10 days to change it. Tom was told he could ride with our little girl in the ambulance. That put both of us at ease a little more. I was helped by the nurses, to change and get my discharge paperwork. As I was changing, they brought our sweet tiny baby, in a covered travel bed, all enclosed like an incubator, on a stretcher, to see me in our room. She was hooked up to the IV and lying there, helpless. We were looking at her, touching her through the little holes in the enclosed "cage" she was in. 3 hours after delivery, she was being sent away. I am so thankful Tom was able to go with her and I was able to be discharged as well.

Our oldest, drove me to the other hospital. He brought us dinner after dropping me off and then took the rest of the kids home. Tom and I sat in the NICU, answering questions while she got settled and checked in. We were told they were trying to get us a boarding room so we could have a place to rest for the night and the rest of her stay, as long as they didn't end up needing the room. As 11pm came, we were just going to hang out in the waiting room, with all our bags from the other hospital. The charge nurse chased us down and told us they had a room for us to stay in. Not like we were going to sleep much anyways.

For the next 3 1/2 days, we stayed by her bed. We took breaks to eat, spend time with the kids since half of them were not allowed to be in the NICU due to age and did end up going home to spend nights with the other kids. We arrived back at the NICU every morning. We spent 12 hours sitting in her "room". Room #3. We held her, fed her changed her. Anything we could do with all her cords and the IV attached. She was poked so many times on her heels, they will be scared. We had to make sure she ate over 35ML for her blood sugar levels to be high enough, The sugar IV number started at 10 units per hour. Every time her level was above 70, they could drop the number by 2 units. If it was higher than 55, it dropped by one. Lower than that and the number couldn't move. Once the machine reached 0, they were able to shut off her IV. At this point, she had to have 3 good blood sugar levels to be discharges. This would take at least 9 hours from the time the machine would be turned off.

We expected her to be able to go home Monday. That didn't happen. We woke Tuesday, packed to be in the NICU all day,again. When we arrived, we were greeted by her nurse that she had a good night. We walked to her room and the NP came over to tell us she was cleared and we were going home! They already had her IV out and told us we could start taking all her sticky pads off of her and get her dressed. We had to wait for the hearing screen and discharge paperwork and then we were free. After 3 days of seeing her hooked up and poked, we were grateful to finally be taking her home. She was free! The kids were excited to be able to hold her and see her. We were excited to be home all together and start our new normal.

Cora Rose, you have put everyone on your timeline and there has been nothing we could do about it. We have been stressed and limits have been pushed. Welcome to our crazy life, teeny girl.