The McGarys

Jayda and her friend Teton

When I went to my 32 week prenatal checkup my doctor thought the baby might be breech but it was still really early so we didn't do anything about it.

At my 34 week checkup he said baby had flipped to head down so everything was good.

At 36 weeks he was pretty sure baby was breech again so I got an ultrasound to check and sure enough, baby was breech.

At this point we had to talk about where to go from there.

I had a few options. I could:

1. Do nothing, hope baby flips. If baby stays breech I'd need a C-section.

2. Try to flip baby via external version and then induce right after (to make sure baby doesn't flip back, as well as get baby out in case version causes cord to wrap around baby's neck or something like that). If I chose this option he wanted to do it at 37 weeks because baby's still small which means better chances of version being successful.

Induce at 37 weeks??? That's one week away! I need to think about this.

Well after a week of thinking about how uncomfortable I was and how nice it would be to have a baby at 37 weeks, especially since I have really big babies and so far each one has been bigger than the last...

I decided to try the version. I prayed and prayed that it would work because I'd been told it's very "uncomfortable" which we all know is medical talk for "painful". That would REALLY stink to go through all that and then baby still not flip, have to go home and be uncomfortable for another week and still end up with a C-section (which I've never had before).

Applesauce, milk and cinnamon

Cousin Ariana with Kallie

Cousin Aubree

Jayda

Jayda, Kallie, Ariana

Brad took me on a date the night before the version was scheduled. We ate dinner at Da Pineapple Grill which was super yummy and than we saw, on probably the last night it was still in the theater, The Greatest Showman. We were probably the last people in the world to see it. But we loved it!

My sad attempt at angel food cake. It was even from a box!

I was able to peel off the charred outer shell

The inside still tasted yummy.

Early the next morning Brad's mom came over to stay with the kids.

We went to the hospital, were taken to a small room, I was given a gown to change into and a bed to lay on. We settled in and waited. The nurses monitored me for a little while and then were given the ok to stick me with an IV. The nurse stuck it in my left hand right on the side of my wrist below my thumb. I hate that spot. It always hurts me to have a needle there and I feel like I can't move my hand at all. Well, that needle infiltrated my vein which made it hurt even more so the nurse took it out and tried again on my right hand but this time on top just below my two middle knuckles. That felt SO much better. The IV was for pain meds.

Then the nurse gave me a shot in my right shoulder to relax my uterus.

Stake conference doodling

Doing puzzles on Daddy's phone

My doctor arrived and did a quick ultrasound to make sure baby was still breech (I'm surprised they didn't do that before sticking needles in me all over the place?)

The nurse offered to hold my hand and told me to squeeze as tight I need to.

My doctor basically just put his hands on my belly and pushed it around in order to maneuver baby's head back down.

It was uncomfortable but not nearly as bad as I expected (not painful) and it only lasted10-15 seconds. The doctor and nurses weren't even sure if it worked because compared to most versions this took no time at all.

They did another ultrasound and baby had indeed flipped and was now in the desired head-down position! The medical staff were really shocked how easy and well it had gone! Apparently that is not typical. But YAY I'm being induced and having a baby today! It seemed surreal knowing I was only 37 weeks gestation.

After a successful version my doctor informed me that I would be served breakfast and be monitored for a couple hours to make sure everything was ok before the induction.

It took awhile for the food to arrive so when it did I was super excited and happy. Brad left to get his own breakfast from the cafeteria. Right as I was about to dig into my food my doctor came in and had a disappointed look on his face.

Oh no. What the heck is wrong.

He told me we might not be able to induce today.

What????

He said within the last three months the American Academy of OBGYN's (or something like that) changed their recommendation of inducing labor immediately after a version. He hadn't heard about this change until just now at the hospital. If he went ahead against their recommendation, he could be fined, he could lose accreditation of some sort among his peers and all these consequences that I didn't really pay attention to. All I could hear was "No baby today. I'm sending you home to be pregnant and miserable for possibly FIVE more weeks (if baby doesn't flip back to breech). If she does flip back to breech you'll still be pregnant and miserable for another whole week and then get a C-section."

I turned my head away from my doctor to look at the computer monitor on the other side of the bed and let a few tears roll down my cheeks. I don't cry in front of very many people.

Eventually Brad came in so I turned my head back in the general direction of my doctor and the door through which Brad had just entered but I didn't look directly at either of them as the doctor told Brad what he had just told me. As my doctor finished talking, apologizing and got ready to leave I nodded and gave him a fake smile since there was nothing else he could do.

Loved this book

I keep him around just to do all the stuff around the house I hate doing.

I bring these rascals with me to Kallie's school library time.

As soon as the doctor left the room I broke down and sobbed to Brad for quite awhile. I got so close to the induction and then it was yanked away. I was so mad I just wanted to go home and eat junky food and take a nap. But I had to stay at the hospital for a few more hours so they could monitor baby.

I angrily ate my breakfast. I played on my phone. I read my book. I watched Netflix.

Exercising with friends and pregnant belly

At some point a nurse came in and said told me that she's not promising anything...but if my contractions increase at all or if I dilate, even a little bit, on my own they have reason to keep me and induce me.

Hmmm....do I dare hope?

After FIVE hours laying in this really uncomfortable bed that's meant to be taken apart and moved in all sorts of ways, which means NOT meant to be slept in,

the nurse informed me I had dilated ONE centimeter since I arrived at the hospital and my contractions had picked up a little as well...which means I get to stay at the hospital and be induced after all and it's time to move me to a comfortable room and bed!

YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!

We changed rooms and I realized I'd been waiting so long I was hungry for another meal! I asked for lunch before we induced but they said NOPE only clear stuff now. So I stocked up jello, broth and flavored ice chips.

It seemed to take a while, even after moving to the new room before they actually finally gave me the Pitocin. I think that was at 2pm. They put the two monitors on my belly.

I settled in and read my book. Brad and I listened to the Greatest Showman soundtrack and then other musical soundtracks we hadn't heard in a while.

Every couple hours the nurse came in and asked where I was on the pain scale (have I mentioned how much I hate that scale no matter how many babies I have?) but I never felt different so she'd increase the level of Pitocin.

After a few hours I started to feel the contractions a little more but then my butt was so sore I had to get out of bed. I couldn't really walk around because of the cords attached to my belly but I could stand right next to the bed and dance! I discovered I couldn't feel the contractions at all when I was dancing! So that was great but then it seemed the contractions weren't progressing.

My doctor came in to break my water and guys...you know how in the movies when a woman's water breaks it gushes out like a huge balloon just popped? That gushing has never happened to me before but this time it did! And then it happened again and again in waves. I couldn't believe how much was coming out. I thought I was for sure emptying an entire full bladder along with it. It soaked the bedding AND spilled down to floor. The nurses had to change the sheets and throw towels all over the floor.

Doing a puzzle with cousins

They're always harder than they look...

As evening wore on the nurse asked if I wanted an epidural because the level of Pitocin I was getting was pretty high but I still didn't feel very much in pain. I started to think though; maybe I should request the anesthesiologist because it'll probably take them a while to get here and by that time maybe I'll be ready for it.

What the heck! The one time I feel fine and don't mind if the anesthesiologist takes her sweet time, she shows up within 10 minutes! I still felt pretty good but...she's here, I'm planning to get the epidural eventually anyway and I feel bad sending her away so I might as well just get it now.

While she was getting prepped I was told my friends Morgan and Denae had arrived but they weren't allowed in the room until after I was given the epidural.

During all my past births I was able to sit on the edge of the bed and wrap my arms around Brad while getting the epidural but this time she said I had to sit way back on the other edge of the bed near her, which meant I couldn't clutch Brad for dear life so how the heck was I supposed to stay still?!?

She warned me of the dire, miserable consequences of my moving a single muscle while she sticks a giant needle into my back (ironically that's exactly what I want to do when I feel a sudden poke and burn back there!) which again begs the question, how do I stay still if I can't hold onto Brad??

She gave me a pillow to clutch. And I did for dear life. I jumped when she rubbed my back with the cold alcohol or iodine or whatever but I actually never jumped when she put the needle in.

I think it was easier to get an epidural before my contractions got really painful. Last time, with Taylor, I was sobbing from pain by the time they gave it to me and it was hard to catch that perfect moment in between contractions when I was calm.

Epidural: successful. The anesthesiologist and the nurse did a few more things immediately afterward, talking and explaining as they went. I started to feel a little weird, and then lightheaded and then nauseated so they laid me flat and gave me a barf bag. Luckily I never actually threw up and felt better pretty quickly.

Denae and Morgan finally got to come in after waiting in the hallway for quite awhile. We hung out and talked and then decided to turn down the lights and watch a movie. Denae's husband David showed up and watched with us. At some point my doctor came in to check on me and he knows my friends so we all chatted. I got tired and fell asleep during the movie.

The nurse came to check my dilation and by this time I had to have progressed pretty far right?

I was STILL in between 3 and 4 centimeters!

I started worrying really bad because I knew that after my water breaks I can only go so long before getting baby out because it becomes dangerous for her without amniotic fluid. So I started asking the nurse, what will happen if I just NEVER dilate to 10cm? How much longer do I have? Will I have to get a C-section???

Brad, Morgan and Denae laughed at me. The movie ended, it was like 2am and I wasn't dilating so the girls decided to head home to sleep and the nurse told me to nap as well. As they were leaving they said to call them NO MATTER WHAT as soon as I was dilating more and baby was coming soon.

As soon as they left the nurse came in to adjust my belly monitors and I told her I was gonna try to get some sleep so she decided to check me one more time before she left so she wouldn't have to wake me up in an hour. As I'm waiting for her to finish checking me so I can go to sleep she says, "You're at 9.5cm so it's time to call Dr. Prince." and I replied very sarcastically, "Ha. Ha. That's hilarious. Yeah right."

"I'm not joking, you're at 9.5cm. Do you want to reach down and feel your baby's head?"

I was like, "What?! Seriously? I was stuck at 3.5cm all freaking day and suddenly within this one last hour I'm ready to push her out???"

Denae and Morgan had barely left the hospital parking lot when Brad calls them to turn around and come back. You can imagine their reaction. "What?!?!? Hold on, we're coming!!"

This happens every time I have a baby but as soon as they say baby is ready to come out, the room floods with nurses that start setting everything up, and the big ceiling spotlights turn on I get really nervous and start shaking! It's embarrassing.

It's baby time!

Push!

Reese Lin McGary

6 pounds 9oz

Feeling my deflated tummy while they check baby's vitals

I think she looks like Jayda here

First bath the next day

Clean and fuzzy

Reese was born in the middle of the night between a Wednesday and Thursday.

I planned to go home on Friday morning because that's when the nurse said I could go but then I found out I didn't have to go then. I could stay another night at no cost. My first day and night I didn't get that much sleep what with the excitement and visitors and all that so I decided to stay one more night so I could have a little more time alone with baby, a little more rest, be waited on hand and foot just one more day...

And it was glorious.

My only goal for the entire duration of Friday was to sleep as much as I possibly could, all day and all night. I did take one bath in the jacuzzi but that was about it.

While I was in the hospital Brad sent me this picture captioned:

"She couldn't make it just 2 more feet! Just 2 feet."

First day home from hospital

Teeny little peanut in this car seat! And this newborn size outfit

Testing out the Baby K'tan I bought at the ABC Kids Expo a year and a half ago

Kallie's school "Bulldog Run"

The students got a hole punch in their necklace for every time they ran a lap around the school

Kallie and Jayda ended up running like 17 laps!

Jayda's last music class puppet show for the year

I just think newborn baby bums are the cutest thing ever.

Kallie wasn't feeling her last EVER puppet show

She started her 3 year Let's Play Music journey loving the puppet shows. She used to sit up there with her class and do all the moves but by third year she got stage fright and didn't want to perform for the mommies. She stopped participating and opted instead to sit on my lap and watch her classmates.

Reese was looking very jaundiced and was also very lethargic and wasn't eating very much so at her 2 week checkup the doctor sent us to the hospital for a blood test and then we rented a bilirubin light for her to use 24/7 for about 4 days.