I had a great pregnancy with Maddie at the beginning.. All I wanted to eat was salads and fruit.. I went the first 5 months with only gaining 7 lbs or so... I think I only gained 20 or 25 lbs with Maddie.. (with abby I ate everything and lots and lots of Cold stone Ice cream) . Maddie's Due date was Febuary 8th... (one day after Abby's bday)
During this pregnancy they watched me very closely and I kept close track of my Blood pressure at home.. Early on in my pregnancy I had some bleeding.. The Drs said not to pick up Abby anymore.. That was HARD..
As my pregnancy progressed my Blood pressure was slowly increasing.. I would go in for DR's visits and my BP was high and then they would lay me on my left side and take it again and it was normal.. I would be at home and have high blood pressure then get to the Hospital and it be normal.. (they said that is normal in the beginning stages of preeclamsia) We made it through christmas and my head was starting to hurt more often (a sign of preeclamsia)
At one point they send me home on bed rest.. Not only bed rest but I had to lay on my left side all the time.. That was miserable!!!! I was in so much pain on my left side from laying on it so much..
I was like that 5 days (i think), Then my head started to hurt really bad.. I called the DR after 24 hours of a non stop head ache .. Dr Brown was on call.. She is the Dr that Delivered Abby.. She knows who I am and said why did you wait to long to call.. Oops.. Well i went in and she admitted me. She said you know the drill you will be here till the baby is born..
So started our hospital stay until madelyn was ready to come out.. I made it farther then I did with abby so I didnt need steroids shots.. I was in my 34th week when I went into the hospital.. One day I started vomiting and having head aches both symptoms of Preeclamsia. So Dr DIll. The Dr that was on call when I went in the hospital with abby was on Call that night to deliver Maddie..
Dr. Dill said will you are going to have a baby tonight.. I looked at her and asked with tears in my eyes will the baby be ok? She assured me she would be fine and probably not even need the NICU. Feeling at peace I was happy and ready to have Maddie..
When we were in the OR I couldnt help but notice the mood was so much lighter then when I had abby.. They turned music on they let us take pictures during the birth. (things they didnt do last time). Eric was there taking care of me as always. He was chatting with me and we were laughing and ready to see our baby.. The Dr. said when I take her out I will pass her to the nurses have her cleaned and then you can hold your baby girl.. I didnt even think about that.. I wasnt able to hold abby so I assumed the same would happen with Maddie.. I said you mean I get to hold her first.. She said yes! I was so excited! This time I would get to hold her first! I would be able to get a picture with her in my arms in the OR.. Pictures I see many moms have I was always a little envious.
When Eric met me in the recovery room He said Maddie was going to be taken to the NICU because she was breathing funny but it was nothing to worry about.. So we went about the rest of our night I had to be taken to my room and he came with me.. I dont remember to much about the rest of that night. I was on a lot of drugs..
I was able to go see maddie the next morning and got to hold her more..
I would go down and feed maddie in the NICU every 3 hours.. I would stay and hold her as long as i could. When the pain from the c section was to much I would go back to my room... I was being examined by my nurse and she said arent you in pain.. I said yes why.. She said because you get up and go every three hours to see your baby.. You are walking all over this hospital. Every lady up here says how bad it hurts and wont get up to go to the bathroom and you are walking everywhere..
I looked at her and said oh yes it hurts that bad.. However I have a baby in NICU and if I dont get up and walk I dont see her.. So I suck it up and get up and walk.. The thought never crossed my mind I should stay in bed...
Maddie did exceptional in every way in the NICU except for eating.. So they said... A nurse made a mistake and said she had to eat more then she did.. and every nurse after her followed her instructions.. to where a 9 days later she was still in the NICU..
I was doing better after this pregnancy then the last. My BP was going down naturally without meds.. I was on track to be released on day 3. Maddie however was still having to stay in the hospital..
Eric was still staying most every night just like he did with Abby.. I kept trying to get him to go home but he stayed anyways.. I wanted him to go home so he could rest.. However I was happy he chose to stay with me every night.. When he isnt with me I always feel a little lost.
I had to leave the hospital again without a baby! Every day I would hope and pray she would come home and every day I would get more and more depressed that she had to stay.. I felt so torn.. I needed to spend time with abby because I was in the hospital for so long and she was craving my attention. I also had a newborn in the NICU that needed to be held and let her know I was there.. So everyday my mom or dad (eric was at work) Would drive me (cause I wasnt cleared to drive) to tampa and stay there with me and watch abby in a waiting room. We would be there for 4 to 6 hours a day.. I would feed maddie love on her and when she was asleep come and see abby in the waiting room. Then when Eric got off work we would come back so he could see her and then go home for the evening..
I was in a pitiful state every day finding out today wasnt the day she would come home.. I know I shouldnt complain there are so many people that have to wait months for their babies to come home.. I know I am blessed... However It was still hard!
Once I found out the nurses had mixed up the orders for her food intake I was admit (with the encouragement of my Husband) that Maddie be able to come home the next day... The NeoDR Called every morning.. But on this particular morning I asked if She would be coming home today He said no maybe monday.. I said No I want her released tomorrow at the latest.. He wanted us to stay over night at the hospital in a regular room and make sure we could handle a premie.. I said ok If we need to I will do whatever.. WHen I got to the hospital with my husband that night I talked with the Dr in person.. I told him if he was requiring us to stay the night we would however I didnt feel we needed to.. I reminded him I had had a premature baby before and non of this was required. I assured him I knew how to take care of a premie.. After all abby was even earlier then maddie.. He told me Yes well your last baby was really not born at 32 weeks.. she mental capability was that of a 37 week old.. This is where I saw how much more a Miracle abby really was..
I insisted she be able to come home the next morning. He finally agreed. He said he would let her come home if I took her to her peds Dr monday morning.. I said sure anything.. I kinda felt like they didnt believe I was a good mother.. I didnt really care their thoughts about me I just wanted my baby home...
She was born on the 6th of january...on the 15th she was able to come home.. First place we took her? To church.. My dad was having a surprise 50th birthday party and we all went.
Abby seeing maddie without a window inbetween them for the 1st time...
