The Big Arrival

She's here! Avery arrived Thursday, July 23 at 1:37 p.m. She weighed 6 lbs 9 1/2 oz and was 19 1/2 inches long. I woke up with contractions early Thursday morning, and although had just started to dilate when I got to the hospital, I was admitted because my blood pressure was high. After an uncomplicated pregnancy, I became preeclamptic when I went in to labor. I was started on Pitocin to so that I could deliver quickly. I thought I was moving slowly, but poor Ned went to lunch thinking I was dilated between 3-4 cm and had to be called back because I was 8! Thirty minutes later I was pushing, and Avery arrived less than thirty minutes later!

Ned and I were overjoyed with our new baby girl, and so were our families. My blood pressure remained high, so I had to stay on the IV and catheter and eventually started blood pressure medicine. I wasn't allowed out of bed until Friday afteroon, but I still got lots of love from my sweet girl.

We planned to come home Saturday but Avery became jaundiced and had to spend time under the lights. At this time her resting heart rate dropped lower than normal. The pediatrician orded an EKG and told us we would have to see a cardiologist at CHKD. All of her initial tests came back fine, but we were still very worried. We all went home Sunday and Avery was sent home on a heart monitor. We were thankful to have it checking on her, but it's a bit of a challenge to have a baby with wires. We met with the cardiologist at CHKD Tuesday. All of Avery's tests were great and he said her heart rate was not abnormal and that the monitor was unnecessary. Of course he had to put on another monitor for 24 hours just to be sure, which added more wires! We saw the pediatrician today who said we had a very healthy baby and agreed that the monitor was not necessary. He'll wait until the cardiologist gets his information from the 2nd monitor before he discontinues it, but we hope to be wire-free soon! Above all, Ned and I are so blessed to know that we have a healthy and perfect baby girl.

Sorry for such a long post, but there are many of you that I haven't been able to talk to. Thanks to all of you for your prayers and well-wishes. They have meant so much even if you didn't know all we were going through. I'll post some pictures soon...Avery is ready to eat!