First off meet our sweet girl!
Hi guys I’m Esther Ann Lee!!! But you can call me Essie! My momma and daddy like to call me Star Girl. Maybe some of you guys thought my name was Star, but really... my name MEANS star!!! Daddy and Mommy picked my name, “Esther”, because Jesus put on their hearts that I am and will be a light in the darkness AND a warrior for Christ! That I will live my life loving people and guiding them to Jesus! Stars have been used for YEARS as navigation and fill the dark sky with bright and beautiful twinkles!!
B I R T H S T O R Y
I was diagnosed with Chronic Gestational Hypertension during my pregnancy with miss Essie. My blood pressures regularly sky rocketed putting baby girl and I at risk for complications if we waited to deliver at 40 weeks, so we planned for induction at 38!
On January 21st at 5:30 pm, Jonathan and I checked in at North Side Gwinnett Hospital, filled out our paper work and headed back to the room (after nurse took my weight and height) where our star girl would soon make her grand entrance!!!
The 1st sweet nurse we met was younger and so kind. She had me change into a hospital gown, strapped me up to blood pressure, TOCO and fetal heart rate monitors, TRIED to give me an IV in my forearm 😂, and walked me through what to expect! She was so reassuring and kind. She did have to call in another nurse who is the IV queen apparently because my veins were not cooperating. They had to stick me twice and dug around in my arm for a hot second. Definitely though I was gonna pass out. I don‘t do needles BUT we laughed through it. After she hooked me up to IV fluids and Jonathan, her and I prayed together before she had to clock out. Peaceful start to our night!
After all that shenanigans, our new night nurse who clocked in at 7, checked my very closed and very NOT effaced cervix and started me on cervadil (over time would efface and dilate me). The cervadil was basically stuck to my cervix for 12 hours from 8pm to 8am the next morning. She found Jonathan an actually chair to sleep in that reclined and expanded which we were SO thankful for. There was only a stuffy recliner to begin with. 😂 We wanted to get as much sleep as possible. We were told this induction could be a long and exhausting process. So Jonathan and I watched Netflix for a little while until he fell asleep. Our nurse was in and out of our hospital room all night trying to readjust Essie‘s fetal heart monitor since she was SUCH a wiggle worm in my belly. On top of all of the in and out... the cervadil initiated some contractions... bearable, but they were uncomfortable ones. I did not sleep more that 2-3 hours that night. I couldn’t get comfy BUT I made it through!
The next morning at 7:00 am, we had another new AMAZING nurse who talked to Essie in my belly and prayed with us actively and was speaking Jesus over her. By 8:00 am my midwife Tonya had arrived, she removed my cervadil, checked my cervix (now 67% effaced and around 1.5 cm dilated), and was now able to insert a foley balloon. THIS was painful especially since my cervix is located really high. Again, we made it... but it was painful enough to take my breath away. Within 30 minutes of the foley balloon being inserted and blown up to help me dilate, heavy contractions started. I panicked. I didnt know how to handle the pain yet and it came on strong. I couldnt sit because it hurt so bad. My midwife recommended walking around and my nurse recommended maybe trying a bath. Jonathan stood there holding me up because I was feeling like I could hardly stand. I tried a shower and I couldnt stand the water on my body. It was INTENSE to say the least. Jonathan helped me calm down and help me navigate the pain. I really think the panic I had made it worse than it should have been. J helped me breath. He was the most amazing birth/ labor partner. Around 10:30 the heavy contractions started to ease up, which oddly enough... disappointment me... I was afraid I had stopped making progress. I was able to talk through contractions and eat and even laugh some. It was bitter sweet I guess 😂. There was definitely alot of relief from pain.
Tonya came back at 12:00 pm to remove foley balloon which she said at that point was deflated (as it should have been) and was why my contractions weren’t as strong but it was totally normal and we had made ALOT of progress. When she checked my cervix I was dilated to a 6... almost 7 and was basically completely effaced.
At this point she threw out a new option... because I had made so much progress, instead of pitocin... she said she felt totally comfortable with breaking my water and letting things progress naturally.
We chose to break my water. She took a rod with a hook on the end and plucked open the amniotic sack (wasn’t painful) and within 10 minutes my contractions were SO much heavier than anything I had experienced. They brought me a birthing ball and Jonathan sat behind me rubbing my back and timing my contractions while walking me through them as I bounced to help progress labor and relieve pain. My contractions were SO rhythmic at that point, he was able to tell me when I was halfway through a contraction and when it was about to be over... that and by watching the TOCO monitor. An hour to 2 hours into these contractions, they were so intense I was yelling. My nurse helped teach me how to relax my body and breath through each set of contractions.
At this point I was running on no sleep and ALOT of pain. My nurse and midwife gave me the option of an IV medication rather than epidural, that basically helped me sleep between each set of contractions. I woke up and felt EVERY contraction. The meds werent meant to suppress my pain... but basically make me sleep and rest between contractions. I hated the feeling when I woke up to the pain all groggy and drugged up... I panicked at first when I woke up in pain, not 100% sure where I was... BUT as scary as it seemed, it ended up being a blessing. I NEEDED that rest to finish delivery and push Essie out. And ultimately I got through it one set of contractions at a time. Everytime I woke up in panic Jonathan, my midwife, and nurse were there to reassure me and walk me through the pain. To relax. They all were amazing and JUST what I needed.
Finally my contractions were right on top of eachother and the IV meds had worn off enough that I was able to move around and be more coherent. They had me try my hands and knees to relieve pain... which we did for 30 minutes or so, until all of a sudden I HAD to push. I turned to my midwife and said “are you sure Im not dilated enough to push yet?????” And she said “let me check”... she checked and gave me the green light if I thought I was ready.
So then we started. I ended up turning onto my back and pushing for about 30 minutes with everything I had. I screamed so loud the nurses down the hall could hear me apparently 😂. I went tunnel vision trying to get that baby out. Nothing else mattered.
All of our nurses from the past 2 days came flooding in to cheer us on and see our girl come! They were AMAZING!! They even were taking pictures for us and ALL of them were helping talk me through labor.
Finally we saw a sweet little furry head and Tonya had me slow down my pushing so I didnt tear. With one last big push... out came our girl!!! The first thing I said was “baby girl!!!” And they handed her sweet little slimy self to me! Jonathan was crying. He had been the most amazing support system and for him to finally see that chick that had been in my belly for so long... made it all the more real. My heart was so so full in that moment. My midwife removed my placenta, I did’t even need to push. Jonathan got to cut her umbilical cord and was able to hold her right after me so I could go get cleaned up.
I was up walking around within 10 mins of delivery... even eating a sandwich lol. It was crazy. Although I did track a trail of blood across the floor lol... I obviously wasn’t in enough pain to keep me from walking! Praise God!! I was laughing and walking and talking and was just OVER THE MOON!!
Jonathan sat on the bed next to me with our girl in his arms and we just stared at her in absolute awe. She was BEAUTIFUL. Swollen and slightly purple but BEAUTIFUL.
She had some bruising and cuts from being pushed out so quickly, but other than those tiny things... she was perfect and healthy. Our 21” long and 8 lbs 2oz little chick. January 22, 2021. Born at 4:56 pm. What a day. We did it!
After that we packed up our room and headed to the second floor where they wheeled me and Essie along with J following behind... to our recovery room! They kept us for 2 more nights because my blood pressure was still high. I didnt sleep much and when I did it was because I slept with her in my arms in bed. Not really because she was fussy, but I had/have new mom syndrome. 😂 I worry about every little movement and noise she makes. They ran tests on Essie through the course of our time in the recovery room, all except one she passed! She failed her hearing exam at first because of amniotic fluid in her ears, but we learned that was normal! She passed the next day! After prescribing me blood pressure meds they discharged us to go home at 3:00ish that Sunday!
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