Meg's Birth! ( A Memory)

As Meggie Moo turns one today I have been reflecting lots on this past year! And because I never took the time to write down her story I thought I would do that today!

My pregnancy with Meg was uncomplicated up until 27 weeks when I started having preterm contractions. (They weren't putting me into labor, but they made me miserable until the very end). Just to be safe my doctor put me on bedrest until I was far enough along in my pregnancy to have a healthy baby. Within the week, my blood pressure was really high- and then I needed to be down for that as well.

Bedrest isn't quite like the vacation in Hawaii we would all like to be enjoying- rather it is laying in bed while your house is destroyed and your other kids can't comprehend why you just can't play with them. Being a labor and delivery nurse probably made things worse, because I knew the worst that could happen. But I had so many friends, family and neighbors who really came through for me- doing my shopping, watching my kids and bringing me meals. I wouldn't have survived without them.

One friday night I called L&D to see how work was going. They told me it was slow and Dr. D was the OB in house. Sweet- my doctor and my friends what a perfect combo to have a baby. So I asked if my MD would induce me. He knew how miserable I was, contracting every 5 minutes for months and swollen from the BPs. So he told me to come up to the hospital and if the baby's lungs were mature he would start my induction. Boy is it nice to know the right people! I called Nicole to come over and stay with the other kids and I was out the door. I was four weeks early but for the past couple of weeks I was gaining weight but my belly was not getting any bigger. (actually for the past two weeks it was getting smaller.) During the amniocentesis (where they take fluid out from around the baby to determine if the lungs are mature) they could hardly find a big enough pocket to draw from. So as much as it appears I arranged the whole thing- it happened for very good reasons because she didn't have much fluid around her anymore- which means my placenta wasn't doing a good enough job and she would grow better on the outside!

Labor was uneventful and went smoothly until my mom almost missed the delivery. When Annie was born my mom was out of town and had called the morning of her flight home because she had dreamt I had Annie early (she wasn't due for another month)- I told her she had nothing to worry about. And then 12 hours later my sisters met my parents at the airport to tell them their first grand baby had been born. (Annie was born by emergent c/s when my fluid was found to be super low and she was breech.) My Mom also missed Kate's birth. She had just flown into Boston and called from the airport. We told her I was 2 cm and to drop off their luggage at the hotel on the way to the hospital. Minutes later I was 8 cm- and had little Kate right before they arrived! So when my mom went for a walk while I was in labor with Meg- because I was only 5 cm- she didn't even make it to the cafeteria before she was overhead paged to come back. One of the med students even ran to find her!

And then Meg was born right at change of shift! It was a super easy delivery but weighing in at only 5 lbs 2 oz- it should be right! It is amazing that you can love someone so much- and so instantly! She was super little and most people were scared to hold her but we loved every ounce of her.

Meg is named after my cousin Megan Story who was one of my best friends growing up. Megan was killed in a car accident in April of 1999 just before I got married, and I have always wanted to name a daughter after her. Megan and I used to call each other salt and pepper- because Megan had dark dark hair and eyes and beautiful olive skin, and I was blond. So our little Meg is more salt with blond hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion- but just as sweet as Megan was. Because of personality Meg is the perfect one of my kids to be named after Megan, both so sweet and smile so easily!