Jessica Liesl's Birth
I was at a BBQ helping to clear the table when all of sudden my water broke.
I sent a friend for my husband as I was terrified because I was only 29
weeks pregnant. I wasn't due for another 11 weeks. After calling the
doctor, we rushed to the hospital which was about an hour away and when we
arrived, labor and delivery was waiting for me.
They quickly assessed both
my condition and the baby's and decided to move me to a delivery room. It
was agreed to slow my labor long enough to administer 2 shots of steroids to
help mature the baby's lungs. These shots had to be given 24 hours apart so
they wanted to buy at least that much time. It was already determined that
the baby was in good shape and in no distress.
After several hours, my labor
began to progress, so stronger medication was given to me which worked, but
made me feel awful. After receiving the second steroid shot, the medications
were discontinued because they were affecting me greatly. I was admitted on
a Saturday and by Monday morning I had finally gotten a little sleep and
started to feel better. My husband practically lived at the hospital and was
an absolute godsend. He had the job of fielding phone calls and letting
everyone know we were all ok.
On Tuesday, June 13, my contractions began
once again and the nurse sent me back to the delivery room around 3:30 am.
My husband arrived shortly thereafter and it became increasingly evident
that this baby was arriving today. After a relatively short labor, in
comparison, and finally some pitocin to help my pushing, my daughter arrived
at 8:38 am, Tuesday, June 13, 1995. She weighed 3lbs 1oz and was 15 inches
long. She was taken immediately to the NICU where she remained for almost 6
weeks.
She was discharged on July 22 at 4lbs, 13oz and 17 inches long. We
used cloth diapers as blankets for her and even the smallest clothes wer big
on her. She drank about 2oz of milk every 5 hours. It was a very scary time
for us, but Jessica just needed to grow and we visited her twice a day every
day until she came home. We had so much support from friends, family, and
the hospital staff that the only thing we had to concentrate on was getting
Jessica home. We were even able to get some sleep which most new parents
don't get.
I'm happy to report that she's a happy and healthy 17 month old
and has caught up to her peers in size, weight and development. She's a
trooper and has met every challenge given her. I think the fact that
everyone was so positive about her helped us through the time she was
hospitalized as well as now.
Thank you.