Welcome to the World, Little One!

Birth Story of Our Beautiful Ruby June 

*A Little Graphic*

Last Friday, February 22nd, I went to my midwife for one of my biweekly blood pressure checks. I knew going into the appointment that, at 37 weeks (considered full-term for a baby), my blood pressure needed to be steady in order for me to let the little one gestate a week or so more. I went into the midwife's office with a blood pressure of 144/94 and they sent me to the hospital for another Non-Stress Test. Baby J was fine, but blood pressure continued to rise and at 10:30am the midwife said she wasn't comfortable with me leaving the hospital and that we should induce. I called Elliott and he came by the hospital right away.

We were checked-in by 11:00am and I was officially induced at 3:00 on Friday using Cytotek. I was also given a Magnesium drip to make sure that my BP didn't cause seizures.  It was a long process, as I was nowhere near ready to start having this baby. Every 4 hours I was given another dose of Cytotek.  That wasn't the bad part. The bad part was the Magnesium. It made me feel like I had the flu and I just felt AWFUL the full 3.5 days I was on it.  Anyways- by 8:00am the next morning we started a Foley bulb balloon to get me from 3-5cm.  It was a weird experience to say the least and I was really amazed that it actually did the trick. At 3:00pm I was then started on a Pitcoin drip. I was handling labor and the contractions very well but my blood pressure to continued to get higher (go figure- I was in immense pain and having a baby!) especially after the midwife broke my water.  The midwife told me it was medically necessary to get an epidural- something I did NOT want. Epidural medicine actually naturally lowers it! I cried and cried and cried because I refused to believe that I actually needed it but she said it was the only way to decrease my blood pressure.  So, I got an epidural and was told to get some rest because it was going to be a long night and I had about 3 hours before things would get going.  Within and hour I told my nurse- "I think it is time to push" but she told me there was no way I was ready and to continue to rest. She came by an hour later and I was like... "Okay Lady, I really really think I am ready" and she checked me and sure enough Baby J was good to go.

The epidural did not take effect on my right side at all, and I had full mobility the entire time. I pushed for 4 and a half hours and, although we could see Little One's head, she barely budged. To make a long story very short, I had a hemorrhage,  lost a lot of blood and learned that Baby was both "Sunny Side Up" (3% of babies are) and asymmetrical (meaning her head was tilted to the side <1% chance of this). She was literally stuck in my pelvis. Our emergency OB-GYN was called in for a vacuum extraction.  At this point I was on oxygen because I lost so much blood and energy.  The doctor was amazing!  She told me that we had only 3 chances to get the baby out via vacuum and after that we would have to do an emergency C-section but at this point it would be very dangerous for both me and the baby. She told me to push as hard as I could. All 3 vacuum attempts failed. With one last hope, the doctor dove right in and while I was pushing she pulled Little One out. The whole time I was honed in on Elliott's voice telling me how close the baby was, how strong I was, and how I he knew I could do it. It was insane.  I never tried so hard, screamed so loud, and NEVER EVER EVER had I ever been  even remotely as ecstatic as I was when I heard the baby's cries as they placed her on my belly. It was the single best moment of my life. After all that we went through with the labor, I had the worst in mind and had a feeling that something was medically wrong with her. 

Nope!  She (yes, a SHE!) is perfect. She arrived at 5:04 am on Sunday February 24, 2013. 7 pounds 20.5 inches. 

In the midst of all that was going on, the midwife told Elliott to tell everyone the baby's sex and he was in such a daze- poor guy. Then, he looked down and was like, "A GIRL". It was the best surprise God could have ever given us.  Our little Ruby June!

We stayed at the hospital until 12:00pm on Wednesday 2/27 because of my 3rd degree tears, the possible effects of the Magnesium and because Ruby developed jaundice.  

Now that we are home, it is all a blur.  Ruby June is a very mellow baby (most newborns are). She sleeps, eats, and thinks that everything close to her face is a nipple. Poor Elliott has had his nose latched on to more than once!  She has her mommy's nose and lips and her daddy's cheeks, feet and chin.  Elliott can't get enough of her. I can't either. She already seems to associate my voice with food.  She eats a TON as she needs to. She lost 11% of her body weight after birth- her pediatrician attributes this to a "traumatic birth", and so we are desperately trying to "fatten" her back up. With Herndon/Maples genes- that isn't going to be an issue for very long.

We received so many prayers and well-wishes and honestly, they mean the world to us. It was all quite traumatic for Elliott and I. I don't know if we will ever get over the fear we both had that something was wrong. Now that we are all safe, sound and healing, it is nice to take a second and recap all the craziness that this last week has brought to our lives.  As I sit here, Ruby June is snoozing away and it makes me smile just thinking about all that life has in store for her.

Elliott and I have never felt so much love and support. Thank you for your prayers, your concerns, phone calls, etc.  We are so lucky to have so many amazing people in our lives and it is during times like these when we are reminded about how truly grateful we should continue to feel.  

Peace, Love and Ruby Cakes,

The Jepson Family