Baby News....

 Monday afternoon I felt it strange when Craig said to remember our bag as we headed out for my NST appointment. "But Craig, it's just a quick appointment to make sure baby is doing well!" "Just bring it." And so that's where we start.... We headed to the doctor's office for our scheduled non-stress test for baby. I wasn't in labor even though I was 42 weeks along, but I did have a couple of contractions. After one especially long one, baby's heart rate dropped considerably. This caused concern with the nurse and she asked the doc what he wanted us to do. So, we headed over to labor and delivery for a more detailed monitoring and ultra sound. Baby continued to not look so good. The ultra sound revealed a deteriorating placenta with very little amniotic fluid and not much movement of the baby at all. The doctor came in with concern on his face as he brought the results to us. With such distress showing up after every tiny contraction, we were all worried what affects real labor with intense contractions would do. A c-section was very likely. They gave me a bag of fluids and baby seemed to perk up a bit. Enough that the dr. seemed very optimistic about a natural delivery!.....

Mommy meeting Tirzah while still in surgery

Several hours passed and baby's activity and heart rate made a turn for the worse. Baby seemed to like it when I was put on oxygen, but again we were faced with the danger of intense contractions should I go into labor- which of course was what needed to happen. Craig and I felt at complete peace with the decision to go ahead and go straight into a c-section rather than risk labor and eventual emergency c-section. I was wheeled into the operating room at 5:30 am for an epidural (the anesthesia that would be safest for baby's heart) I have never had one before and let me tell you....I would never ask for one! Ugh! I will admit that I was very nervous about the procedure but I knew I was in great hands! With Dr. Christen and Dr. Caulkins doing the surgery, we had a great team. There was a pediatrician there to take care of baby as soon as the delivery took place. At 6:22 am, our sweet little Tirzah Hope was born! She weighed in at 7 lbs 14 oz and was 20.5 inches long. A small one for the Houston family. We are so thankful for the wisdom of doctors who really care for their patients and for the technology to find out when something is wrong. By every appearance, our dear little one was at least 42 weeks, she may actually have really been "due" on her original date of November 4- putting her at 43 weeks and 1 day. We are rejoicing in a beautiful and healthy baby girl!!


Tirzah means delightful, pleasant, beautiful and is in the Old Testament of the Bible 18 times!
Hope to place trust, to believe
Houston

Happy birthday little one!

"Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners." Song of Solomon 6;4