The second half of Baby #5's story did not get any less exciting and unpredictable than the first half. Since baby turned breech during the attempted labor induction, the induction was halted, and we went home to see if baby would flip back to the vertex position. On Friday, July 17, we went in for a non-stress test and a sonogram. Baby was still feet first. We had the option to schedule a Caesarean birth or wait again until Monday to see if baby would flip. If baby did not flip by Monday, a Caesarean birth would take place then. Being tired of waiting, wanting to meet this little one, and not having much confidence that baby would flip again, I decided on the Friday C-section. That decision was made around noon, and our scheduled operation was made for 4pm.
Steve & I went to the pizza shop, at my request, to take my mind off of the C-section. I was both a little nervous about the operation/medical part and a little frustrated & sad at the fact that I wouldn't be pushing this little one out myself. Steve got a good meal, and we visited with the fam.
Once back at the hospital, they got me ready for surgery, told me what to expect, and pumped me full of hydrating fluids. We got bumped back in the schedule twice because of emergency C-sections. At 4:30pm the doc came in and talked with us, and they did one more ultrasound to check baby's position. I had hope because as we walked through the parking lot, the baby seemed to do an amazing move inside me. But, no, baby was still head up. About 90 minutes later, around 6pm, we headed to the OR.
After I was prepped and numb over about 3/4 of my body, they brought Steve in. We were excited to meet this baby. As the doctor made the incision and found baby, she said something like, "I can't believe this kiddo!" Baby had flipped to head down! Aye. It would've been easy for me to freak out, but I think all the prayers going up for us helped me immensely. My thoughts went something like this: it's already done, freaking out now will not help anything. And if we had found baby head-down on the ultrasound, what's to say that during an induction, baby wouldn't have turned breech again? So, my logical won out over my emotional at that moment. Yea!
A few minutes later, baby Josselyn Rose was born. Steve was able to take some pictures. She was just so beautiful. I felt like we had been waiting so long for her. We were both surprised it wasn't a boy. Maybe it was the hot wing craving (like I had with Cyrus), maybe it was the basketball belly (like the wive's tale says), or maybe it was just a wrong hunch, but we were kind of expecting a boy. Got over that in an instant. :o) Josselyn weighed in at 8 lbs, 12 oz, and measured 19.75 inches long. Weight-wise she was our "middle-weight," with Shelby & Cyrus born a little lighter than her, and Elle Mae & Angela a bit heavier than her. I had narrowed my boy name down to one and my girl names down to two, so I had to hold her and meet her a little before I could pick Josselyn.
Now she is waking from a nap, so I will close. But pictures are coming. Josselyn is an amazing addition to our family, and we thank God for her every day.
