Delivery Day!

My last preggo photo!

(37 weeks and 3 days)

On the way to the doctor and hospital.

We went to the doctor on Thursday, May 14 for me to get an easy cath that would dilate me to a 4 so they could induce me the next morning.  Let's just say nothing about it was easy, it took them about 4 tries and an hour to get it, and Karson almost threw up afterwards.  

Then we went to the hospital and I ate my last meal for the next day and a half or so and we spent the night.   It was our last night as the two of us and we were anxious and excited, but managed to get 

some sleep.

The next morning, they started my Pitocin and then broke my water around 8:30 AM.  We didn't know how long things would take, but didn't know what a long day we were in for.  It took a while for contractions to start and at first they were so mild, I couldn't feel them.  They had to keep upping my Pitocin and finally around 4:00 PM I started to feel more painful contractions.  They gave me an epidural pretty soon after, which they later had to give me more because I could still feel things.  Anyways, after being in labor another 5 or 6 hours things started to get more intense and I was 

finally dilated enough to start pushing.  I pushed off and on for a 

while and the doctor realized his head was turned sideways and he was having trouble coming out.  FYI: by this point I was completely exhausted, tired of being hooked up to wires, about to have a panic attack and my back and neck were killing me from the terrible hospital bed.  Yes, I complained and cried, but no, I never yelled at anyone or said bad things.  At that point it was around 11:15 PM and my doctor decided that I would push for twenty 

minutes and if he wasn't born then I would probably have a c-section. 

So, twenty minutes later there is still not much progress and I'm completely exhausted and done.  It's close to midnight and we all want him to be born that day, after a long day, and 5-15-15 is a pretty cool birthday.  They rush me into surgery to do a c-section and he arrives at 11:57 PM!  He just barely made it on that day.  I'm  passed out from all the pain meds and have seen from pictures that I held him and even came to for a minute to talk, but I don't remember any of it.  The scary thing, that I later found out, was that he didn't even cry when he was born.  Karson said the nurses tried messing with him and the doctor looked at them with concern, but everything was fine, he just wouldn't cry.  Karson did great taking care of him at first, while I was out of it, especially since this was the first time for him to even hold a baby.  

Introducing:

Ellis Jack Swartz

5-15-15

11:57 PM

6 pounds 10 ounces

20 inches 

We ended up staying in the hospital for 4 nights because of the induction and c-section.  We had a few visitors and started to feel like we had a grip on this new patent thing before we left.  All of our nurses were great and it also helped to have my baby nurse sister there.  We were so happy when we finally got to leave though, it's so much nicer at home than in the hospital.  It was quite an experience, but we are truly blessed and Ellis is a perfect gift from God and worth all the struggles! 

Our family of three :)

Ready to leave

36 Weeks!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How far along - 36 Weeks and 3 days

Size of Baby - Watermelon  (about 17.5 inches and 5.5 pounds)

Development - His liver, kidneys, circulation and immune systems are in working order.  He can almost breathe on his own.

Weight Gain - I was up to +15 pounds from my start weight, but I think some of that was swelling.  Now my swelling is gone, I'm back down to about +12 pounds. 

Maternity Clothes - Since I've been on bed rest, I mainly wearing pajamas and lounge wear.  I wear my maternity clothes when I go to the doctor.

Sleep -  I'm still a little restless at night, but take naps during the day too!  

Cravings - Mainly Mexican food and sweets!  A few specific things I love are chocolate milk in the morning, mozzarella sticks from Sonic and their drinks of course!  I love the blue coconut cherry sprite and a cherry or strawberry limeade. 

Miss Anything - Having energy, being able to breathe normal and being able to walk around and not feel so tired and sore.

Gender - It's a boy!  Ellis Jack!

Symptoms - Occasional leg cramps, tightness and pressure in belly, his body is pushing up into my ribs and lungs making it difficult to eat and breathe, and just general weakness.

Favorite thing - Feeling & seeing baby boy move and kick!

Recent doctor's appointment - If you keep up with my Facebook, then you know I'm on bed rest.  My blood pressure was going up and a couple weekends ago it was around 130/90 all weekend.  I called Monday and she told me to come in after school.  Well, after working all day I had the nurse at school take it and it was 150/98!  I went to the doctor and it was still high and my feet, ankles and legs were swollen.  They sent me to the hospital to get monitored.  Fortunately I didn't have preeclampsia, but I did have gestational hypertension.  I also had a liver enzyme that was high, so they kept me overnight.  The next day my blood pressure had gone down some, but was still high.  My liver enzyme level was lower, but still not great.  My swelling had also gone down some.  After bring there about 24 hours, we finally were allowed to go home, but I was placed on bed rest.  I went later that week to test my blood again and my liver enzyme was normal and all my swelling was gone!  She kept me on bed rest and decided to plan an induction on May 19.  I'm now going to the doctor twice a week, they are doing ultrasounds and this stress/responsive test, and I'm also checking 

my blood pressure about 3 times a day.  Even on bed rest it's still hovering around 130/95, but I have no swelling and everything at the doctor has looked good.  So, we will keep doing this and meet our sweet boy on May 19!  I will be 38 weeks then and I think he will be a good size and the doctor acted like he would be healthy and able to go home!  It's nice to have a plan and know when he's coming.  

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers and hopefully everything will go smoothly and we'll have a happy and healthy boy in a couple of weeks!  

Here are his ultrasound pictures at 36 weeks!  I love his sweet and chubby face!