Surprise! We're Having a Baby!

SURPRISE!  We're having a baby!

My due date was July 30th, but I was scheduled for induction on July 23rd.  Last Tuesday (one week ago) I went in for my routine non-stress test.  They monitor the baby heart rate and measure amniotic fluid and such.  There were no problems, everything looked good.  Near the end of the test I had a contraction and her heart rate dropped a little bit.  I told the nurse that I was sure it was fine, but just reassure me, that what I see on the screen in not a problem.  She said it wasn't, but she decided to call the high risk doctors that monitor these tests just to make sure.  

When the Dr. on the other end heard they had an AMA (advanced maternal age--how rude), with gestational diabetes, and a previous fetal demise at 37 weeks, they determined to keep me there at the hospital for prolonged monitoring.  This just meant an hour or two more hooked up to monitors.  No problem.

My doctor came in shortly thereafter and decided that because the baby's heart rate had a couple more decelerations, it was better to be safe than sorry.  He wanted to induce TODAY!  

I should have been worried.

I should have said, "No, it's better for the baby to cook a little while longer." 

But I said YES!!! Let's do it!  Nothing is ready at home, nobody is prepared, no laundry washed, no meals planned.  But I felt amazingly calm and peaceful about the decision to induce 2 1/2 weeks early.  37 weeks 3 days to be exact. 

And it was the right choice!  Greta was born at 12:50 AM, 6 lbs. 14 oz. and perfect in every way.  

I contracted all day with a cervical ripener that was removed around 10:30.  Epidural went in, water was broken and shortly thereafter, Great made her appearance before the doctor was ready and with no effort from me whatsoever.  She literally fell out and the nurse caught her.  Maybe it's because I didn't have the days of anxiety leading up to it, but the whole experience was quite wonderful and peaceful.  

I don't have the words to describe our joy at her birth.  She completes our family.  She is the very spirit that communicated to me last summer that she still needed to come. 

The result of a moment in a sacrament meeting many months ago when Abe and I exchanged a note and knew we weren't done, but that there was another spirit for our home.

She is perfection.

Welcome to this world, Greta.