Ellie's Birth Day: Part 2

So the doctor was concerned. Ellie's heart rate was NOT doing well no matter what they did. It was low and staying low.

She wasn't progressing any further as far as dilation was concerned and something seemed to be wrong. The doctor manually turned the baby to see if that might help. It didn't. The doctor then sat us down and let us know that Ellie was stuck. She was too big for me and she was essentially being head butted against me over and over again with every contraction.

We asked lots of questions. Neither of us really wanted to have a c-section. One thing we asked was whether or not we could back off on some of the drugs to slow the labor down. The doctor agreed that this would relieve some of the pressure from Ellie... but it wouldn't solve the problem. We could take her pain away and keep her from head butting against me, but it was bringing us no closer to getting her out.

To be honest, I wasn't entirely shocked. I was born c-section, so was my sister, and all of my nieces and nephews are c-section babies. My sisters and I are very petite and some people are just not structured to push a baby out :)

I did get really scared. This wasn't what I wanted and I did NOT want to have surgery. Grant asked everyone to leave the room. Nurses, doctors, family, everyone. The two of us talked about it, and then Grant prayed over us. He prayed over me and over our daughter and when he said "Amen", we both knew what had to happen.

As soon as we said "go", it was a whirlwind. I was prepped for surgery and given more anesthesia and Grant was given scrubs and they started wheeling me down the hallway. I closed my eyes to pray and take deep breaths as we were headed down the hallway. I was afraid they were going to have to give me oxygen again. I went into the operating room alone while Grant waited in the hall with a nurse. When they were ready for him, they brought him in and he sat next to me. And before I knew it, my daughter cried.

Grant and I looked at each other and smiled. I said "oh my gosh" about 5 times, and then they showed her to me. And then they took her away. And then Grant left and I got realllly dizzy but I was just so deliriously happy even though I was so out of it.

I sat in recovery and my parents came to see me. They had seen Ellie through the window and told me how beautiful she was. I kept falling asleep and then I would wake up and ask for ice. When I finally got ice, I immediately threw it up. Lovely :)

Then they brought me my Ellie. I held her and she slept in my arms and Grant and I just stared at her. She was and is so perfectly beautiful. I was just amazed at her perfect, tiny little nose, her full lips and dark hair. I just melted.

Ellie had a giant bruise on top of her head, and also her ears and shoulders. This was from her rough day of labor. My baby girl was trying so hard to get out but she just couldn't. The big bruises were so sad, but they also were such validation for me, proof that we made the right decision. I don't regret it for one moment.

The day didn't go exactly how I thought it would, but it's our story of how we met Ellie. She got to us safely and the Lord proved once again how He knows best for us and He had His hand of protection over us the entire time. We are so, so thankful for the blessing that is our precious Ellie Paige.