From the beginning.....

We wanted to have another baby.  Our oldest son was only getting older and our want for another baby was only growing stronger.  It was a long time until we saw the "positive" marker show up on the pregnancy test- about 2 1/2 years of trying.  Finally, on June 6, 2011, it was positive!!!!  This pregnancy was different from my first. I felt different and craved different foods.  I swore I was having a little girl. 

On September 9, 2011 things changed even more.  I awoke at 3 a.m and my stomach was hard as a rock, and I went to the bathroom and was bleeding.  I called my doctor and woke my husband and we rushed into the hospital up to Labor and Delivery.  They immediately found a strong, healthy heartbeat, but were also tracking contractions.  After "checking" me and giving me a shot of brethine to stop contractions, they sent me home.  We spent the next day at the doctors office, and then the weekend worrying, (nothing seemed to get better), and then that monday at the doctors office, and then off to the High Risk doctors office.  I was classified as to having marginal placenta previa and was ordered to at home bed rest with weekly check ups at the Maternal Fetal Medicine offices.  

After about 3 weeks at home on bed rest, everything seemed to be getting better.  The bleeding subsided and the contractions were no longer present, and I was feeling good.  Almost a week had passed and everything was fine.  Thursday morning, October 6th, I went to the bathroom and a small gush of blood had returned.  I called my OB and she sent me off to Labor and Delivery again.  Baby looked fine, and I was sent home.  I went to my high risk doctors the following morning, October 7, 2011, and everything looked okay and the bleeding was not active, so I went home with the instructions that if I had any more gushes of blood, to either call an ambulance or get to the hospital immediately.  I was fine, or so we all thought.  About 11:30 a.m, everything returned.  I was having light contractions and I felt a warm gush and thought my water broke.  Luckily, my water did not break.... the bleeding had returned and it was more than I have ever seen.  EMERGENCY.....  My mother-in-law rushed me down to the hospital, and there I stayed.... My new home.

I stayed very positive and upbeat.  I knew that this was the best place for me to be.  It didnt take long, and only one or two good cries, to come to terms and to be mentally ready for the long haul.... it was early October, my due date February 7, 2012.... okay, four months to go.   I was mentally ready to spend Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas at my new home - the hospital.  I made several trips between 3South (ante-partum) and Labor and Delivery, until they stopped moving me back to 3 South and just kept me in L&D.  I had several major bleeds and continual contractions, leading to two rounds of magnesium iv drips (if you've never had this- I hope you never have to do it... imagine poison going into your veins, dibilitating you, and keeping you from moving any of your muscles)... I was constantly on monitors and would go from being allowed to get up to shower and use the restroom, to being on strict bedrest, and on a bed pan.  But I was still mentally okay.  I knew this is what I needed to do for my unborn child.  He needed more time. 

On Tuesday, November 1, 2011, an ultrasound showed my previa had infact corrected and was moving up as my uterus was growing!!!  YAY! The bleeding had subsided, and contractions were only here and there, usually at night, and not very consistant.  Things were getting better, and I was feeling good!  Wednesday evening my contractions returned.... and seemed to be a little different.  I could tell they were different.  As the night went on, and became early morning of the 3rd, I could tell, something wasn't right.  These contractions were now hurting me.  They were more localized.  The monitors were not picking them up, but they were so incredibly strong.  They were lower uterine... the damn nurse swore if I was contracting my entire uterus would tense and insisted the monitor stay put (by my belly button)... So I moved it on my own.... and look at that.... I WAS RIGHT.  These contractions were about 4 minutes apart and I was in pain (2:00 am)  I was 2 cm dialated and 50% effaced.  They wanted to keep an eye on things... baby looked good.  They administered a low dose of morphine and gave me visterol (to sleep) and were keeping an eye on me.  The contractions were only getting stronger, and more painful.  (3:30am)  I was not getting better.  Contractions were staying consistant...they were giving me more morphine... I was checked... still 2 cm.  Keep an eye on things.  (4:10am)  Nothing is helping... I am having very painful contractions...  They're getting a little closer together, about 3 1/2 mins apart.   I am checked, UH OH, 4 cms dialated.  "You're in active labor, I'm going to go call Dr. W.."  A couple new nurses come in.... things are being set out on a table, baby warmer is turned on, lights are on.... I look to my nurse and ask... "should I call my husband".  She says "yes, you'll be having a baby in a few hours, by morning."   I called Scotty at 4:16 am.  I was transfered to a birthing bed, begging for an epidural.  They were qucikly administering the magnesium again, trying to get this labor to stop.  BUT NOTHING WAS GETTING BETTER.... ONLY WORSE.  My husband, Scotty walked in about 5:05-5:10 am.... I was in so much pain, contractions were on top of one another... "Please, I need the epidural"  "honey we called, they're on their way down.  You can not sit up, do you think you can stay still on your side"  "I need it, tell them to hurry, call them again"   It was awful.  As soon as she came in to administer the epidural, I felt I needed to push.  In my own words i told my doctor what I was feeling, she looked and yelled "no epidural!  WHERE ARE PEDS.... call them again!!!!"  "We've paged three times"...  "get them here  now!!" ....  IT WAS CRAZY!   Two loud screams, and two pushes, and Austin Allen was born (5:18am)... It was like a football pass off, the nicu peds and nurses were walking in as he was coming into the world.... He had a very rough start.  Apgar at 1 minute was a 1.  At 5 minutes, a 2.   At 10 minutes, a 7.   But he made it!!!!!  After he was revived, and stable, they walked him over to us for just a second to see him, and then off to the nicu.  He had one eye a little open - peeking at the world.  His color looked great.  I knew he was fine.  My little baby boy!!!!  I love him so!

From this post forward, you will be reading about Austin- a miracle!!!  A child from God, blessing our lives and giving us strength we did not know existed!!! I hope Austin's story touches your heart as much as he touches mine each and every day.  He is the strongest person I have ever met in my entire life... and he's also the smallest. Imagine that!!!  We always said this would be like having a first again (7 yr span between kids).  Little did we know, it was really going to be a first.  My happy little family just grew from a family of three to a family of four, as planned, just a little early.  And thats okay.... because he is so special and so amazing.... OUR LITTLE MIRACLE!!!!