Macie Grace is Here and Fighting!!!

Macie Grace arrived at 4:40pm on Friday, April 9 to a very tired mommy. We went to the hospital on Thursday around 5p.m. because my doctor thought I might be in labor even though my cervix only dilated an inch and wanted to observe me for the night. At 2:30am, my water broke and I moved to labor & delivery. I labored for 13 hours, progressing to 7-8cm, before the doctors called it quits and took me into a C-section. By then, I felt sick--throwing up, a blood sugar drop to 58, shaking uncontrollably. I was ready for her to come out in whatever way necessary. Macie weighed a surprising 7lb 6 oz even though she was only at 36 weeks and 6 days.

I wasn't the only one who had a tough day though. Macie contracted Group B Strep during labor and delivery (I had tested negative the week prior) and so began fighting infection within her first moment of life. She is currently in NICU and is progressing rapidly each day, adding new reflexes and proving tests negative. We have a strong woman in the making.

I love to watch her get feisty during bath time (which I got to help with last night) and I love knowing that she likes her head stroked and hates having her feet touched--probably because she's afraid of another heel prick. She rarely opens her eyes right now, although I'm sure we miss some of the action since we can't spend all day in the NICU, but when she opens them, she looks like me! I am sitting next to her "pod" right now, watching her pull at her monitors and rest under the blue lights that help get rid of jaundice. I dread going home without her again but hope that tomorrow will provide an accurate time-table for her recovery (hopefully no more than 10 days). Please pray for her quick and full recovery and for my emotional stability during this time of running back and forth to the hospital while trying to recover from the C-section.