We had a boy’s name picked out pretty much from the moment Laura found out she was pregnant (again). Girls names this time were more difficult.
Everybody thought we were going to have another boy.
The punchline is that we had a girl, but the set-up is more interesting than not.
From August on down to Tevye the kids have all been born at home. There has been little to no reason to even entertain going to the hospital. That changed with this pregnancy.
Laura’s age (she turns 45 next week) was not the factor. It wasn’t even the fact she tested positive for Group B Strep. That only requires antiobiotics to be administered 4 hours before the baby is born. It was a concern, certainly, because Laura’s labors are usually rather short.
What facilitated the need for Laura to be admitted to the hospital to give birth was her blood work. Her platlet count was low. Nothing horrendous, but the risk of bleeding was enough that, when combined with the Group B Strep, a trip to the hospital was called for as a preventative measure more than anything else.
Since Laura’s labors have historically been short knowing when to go to the hospital was going to be tricky. So it was decided she would go to the hospital to be induced so as to control the pace of the labor – essentially when it would begin so as to make sure the antibiotics were administered in time and to monitor her for any bleeding after the birth.
When? Oh, right now.
Wednesday afternoon Laura was admitted, antibiotics given and Pitocin (a drug meant to cause contractions facilitating the beginning of labor) started at 8:30 p.m.
Grace Marie was born eleven minutes after midnight on Thursday.
Our 2nd daughter. We were all surprised. Ne have never found out the sex of any of the children – until they are born.
Everything went well. There were no complications and in all probability Laura could have delivered at home.
Actually everything went well enough that Laura was able to go home Thursday evening.
The other kids were each born well after their due date. Ciárán was the soonest at 6 days late and Déla at 12 clocking in as the latest (or 17 days late depending on which due date you want to go by). The smallest baby was Ciárán at 9 lb 6 oz and the biggest Xavier at 10 lb 2 oz. Grace was born three days before her due date and weighed in at 10 lb 4 oz. That’s right, our “preemie” weighed the most of any of the kids.
Everybody is doing well, both Laura and Grace are healthy. Grace is doing a good job latching on, she is wetting and soiling diapers at a good rate, everything you would hope for.
And of course the kids are ecstatic.
