Labor and Delivery

The laboring process is long and very difficult, as anyone who has ever done it knows. Melissa was so amazing through it all! I was priveledged enough to be in the room through the whole process. Mom, Julie and Emily were also present. As was Elliott, obviously! Melissa decided quite a while back to not have an epidural if she could help it. She is tough. The long process began with her having contractions in the bed while one nurse put all of her history in the computer. This took FOREVER! When was finished, Melissa was finally able to get out of the bed. She spent the next few hours standing, dancing, leaning on the bed, in the shower, and focusing to push the pain away. She was amazing! At one point her poor arms fell asleep because she had been leaning on them so long! The midwife knew the time to push was coming, so Melissa was instructed to get in the bed to be checked. Several times before this the midwife or nurse had put the monitor on Melissa's belly to monitor the baby. I did not realize there was any reason for concern since they were monitoring intermittently, but after she was in the bed the baby got tougher to monitor. the baby's heart rate kept dropping and there was reason to insert an internal monitor. Meanwhile, Melissa was feeling the urge to push. When she did the baby's heart rate dropped into the 50s! YIKES! They gave Melissa oxygen and told her to relax. They inserted another internal monitor for the baby. Every time Melissa had a big contractions the baby's heart rate would again drop. The midwife calmly told Melissa that she was going to need a c-section. We were all scared, I think, but I definately was ready to hear this news because I had the best view of the baby's heart rate and was getting concerned. The bad news was that since Melissa had not had an epidural and that this needed to be QUICK they were going to have to put her all the way to sleep. The anesthesiologist came and explained all that was going to happen and broke the news that Elliott would not be able to be in the room when the baby was born since Melissa would be put completely asleep. This was REALLY scary and upsetting for her and again the baby's heart rate dropped. I remember fighting back tears and telling Melissa that the baby did not like her being upset and that she needed to breath deeply on the oxygen. She actually listened! Before we knew it, they were hurrying her out of the room to the OR.
About 15 or 20 minutes after they left (I guess--it seemed like forever), Elliott walked out with a HUGE baby in his arms. I threatened his life it he told us what it was since Melissa obviously did not know yet. He went to show his new bundle off and I waited by the doors to hear from a nurse how Melissa was and when she would be awake. Again, it seemed like forever! I was so worried that she would wake up alone or with some strange nurses! I went to check on Elliott and he asked me to stay in the nursery while he went to be with Melissa when she awoke.
I gowned up and went to see my big bay niece or nephew for the first time! After letting the baby hold my finger and stroking his/her head and just standing and admiring, I accidently saw the name bracelet. IT was a GIRL! I tried not to show my surprise and glee--since there was lots of family watching me and baby Olivia through the glass--but I know I must have been beaming! After a while, Elliott came back and I videoed Olivia's first bath. Melissa came by and looked at her through the window.
Shortly after she was put in a room, the nurses brought baby Olivia to meet her mama face to face. It was very sweet despite poor Melissa's drugged state. The nurse helped the baby to nurse a little. What an amazing and unexpected day this July 16th was!
Welcome to the world Olivia Maree!

Oh--my camera is officially a piece of CRAP! I have NO pics of my own and will post some when Melissa and Julie send me some!!