Fullmer Fam: Paisley Makae Fullmer

Isn't she just precious?!

ok...so where do I begin? So I thought June 14 would be any normal day for me...wake up, eat breakfast, get Adey ready, we go to "work", come home, play, eat dinner, shower, and go to bed. um...most of that was true on this particular day until around dinner time. We had a picnic on the deck and while we were eating she asked for a drink. I stood up to get her something and sure enough I had quite a large gush (mind you since about 25 weeks I had been having gushes and was already admitted twice for them and low fluids). But this one was different I just knew. So I called my mother in law who then told me to call the women's special care up at the hospital. Therefore I did and they told me it is always safe to come in then to not and worry and have something worse happen. I waited for my in laws to come up just in case I was admitted and someone could take Adey since Josh was at work (I know the typical the husband is at work so of course something bad must happen). Once they arrived we left and I was still having small gushes and as we approached the hospital I had yet again another quite large gush. Once I get into my temp. room they check me and sure enough yep...I am PROM (my water broke). I am admitted now until Miss P makes her big debut but their goal is 34 weeks (mind you at this point I am 31 weeks and 4 days which is 17 days away) and if I made it to that date then they would just induce me because a baby can only be in the womb for so long before it becomes dangerous once you are PROM. At least I did have a few good nurses (Thank you Rachel, Netti, and Alli) Every day I had contractions and was hooked up to NST's and they watched me so closely to make sure I wasn't progressing and that Paisley's heart rate stayed normal and that we would get no infections. I got poked quite a few times during my stay for IV's (12 to be exact in 15 days) and white blood counts (4 in 12 days). I was watched quite closely and Paisley was still doing so well until...when I woke up in the middle of the night on June 28 and started bleeding some...it didn't go away when my doc came in to check on me at 6. So she said to watch it and keep my nurses updated. So around 10 am same day my doc came back and I was still bleeding. We talked and made the plan that even though I was a few days away from 34 weeks it wouldn't make that big of a deal to go ahead and take Paisley first trying VBAC since Paisley was still doing so great. Around 3pm...they come to get me to move me to labor and delivery to start my Pictocin on a low dose. To get my labor IV (the biggest) in the not so nice labor nurse who was quite big headed insisted that she can do this IV no problem...mind you it took her 3 tries and then she went and got the anesthesiologist whom my doc told her to have do it in the first place since the night before they had a hard time getting in my small IV (3 pokes and it went in on the 4th try luckily my nurse was gentle and they actually didn't hurt too bad...thanks Alli) and he put it in without even hurting me...I wish sometimes nurses would listen to the docs. Anyway so now at this point I am 1cm. and 40% effaced and having little contractions. Around 10 I was checked and still 1cm. and like 60% effaced but asked for my epidural because they were getting intense and I don't do too well with pain. It was a pump epidural so it wouldn't wear off and I could do a few extra pumps an hour if needed (which I did use towards the end quite often...lol). At 3 am I was checked and still 3 cm. but 80 % effaced...a little progress but WOW....this was taking a long time! Paisley had dips here and there that they were watching and at times I got nervous that I wouldn't get to do my VBAC. At times they would increase my pictocin but there was once Paisley was having a hard time so they gave me a 20 minute break and turned it off. So at 730 in the morning (16 hours in to this labor) my doc came in to check me and I was still only a 3 and 100 % effaced. She said if nothing changes within the hour we may have to consider another c section because a preemie can only handle so much...of course I cried. I DID NOT WANT TO BE CUT AGAIN...I really wanted to experience a natural birth (with epidural). So the contractions were getting hard and intense and to help Paisley's heart rate they had me turn on my belly like a dog and rest on pillows (which helped TONS with the pain). But let me tell you everyone thought I would be uncomfortable but I SURE WASN'T...everyone kept asking if I was feeling this hard contractions coming quite often and I wasn't...thank you epidural. But around 1030am (less then 2 hours later) I sure felt the need to push. My doc was doing a c section at the time so another checked me and she was like um...wow: congrats you are a 10 and your baby is right here so try not to push...um OK. so around 1110 my doc comes in and is getting ready and she preps me and tells me ok this won't take long. You progressed fast and your little girl is right there and ready. So yep...started pushing at 11:18 and Miss Paisley Makae Fullmer was born at 11:25am, 6 weeks and 2 days early, weighing 5lbs 3ounces, and is 16.5 inches long...she even cried which we were nervous she wouldn't being so young. I DID IT...I HAD A VBAC...very incredible experience and I would totally recommend anyone that is a perfect candidate should try! So once she was born we got a quick glance and then they had to pass her through the NICU window to start doing tests and make sure she was breathing and all that wonderful (?) stuff...I am glad they took great care of it but it took almost 4 hours before we got to even see her...but once we did we KNEW OUR FAMILY WAS COMPLETE!

She was on a breathing ventilator for about 8 hours and had tubes in her belly button for 8 hours...then all taken out and moved to another room because she was stable. they did have her on antibiotics (blood culture at first was positive but turns out it was a false positive and was taken off after about. 6 days) and iv's until she was week old. She started out great learning to eat on her own (bottles and nursing) but has taken a step back and so they are slowing her down to 4 bottles a day...nursing as often as she wants and the other 4 feedings in a tube. Once she establishes eating 75% of these 4 feedings on her own they will increase to 6 bottles/nursings a day and once those are 75% then up to the full 8 and once she does these 8 for 48 hours...OUR BABY COMES HOME! some days I feel like she is in baby prison but I am glad she is safe and being well taken care of. We have 3 primary nurses right now: Carrie (day), Rebecca (night), and Rachel (day). Paisley is doing well...she is in a big girl crib as of yesterday and doing better each day with her oxygen (she has been on a low dose but still needs that extra boost..one day I keep telling myself). I try to maximize my time each day with both girls...but let me tell you...such a hard experience to be torn btwn. two different places with the two most precious blessings in my life! I do know this will all be over soon...but until then prayers are welcomed!