I'm only about 3-1/2 weeks slow in writing this but I've been busy, really busy.
So I had my baby, we got us another girl, so that gives us 3 of a kind plus a pair -- in other words,in poker talk, we got us a full house! ;)
We named the new baby Ellynn (prounounce it like Ellen) Frances (for my Mom who died over 8 years ago). She is a dark haired beauty with blue/gray eyes, and is well-loved by her siblings. In fact her 2 oldest brothers fight over who gets to hold her and they pout when they don't get to hold her enough each day. Lol, I think if Mom didn't need to breastfeed her and change her diapers (no one wants that job among my males), they'd hold her 24/7.
Anyhow so I was induced into labor with her because of my continued ultra-high blood pressures (several of 170/100 plus 162/97 were the final culprits), starting on January 26th (my Mom's birthday), and she was finally born at 6:11 am on January 27th. Her stats were: 7 lbs 13.2 oz, 20 inches long; lol, her 2nd oldest brother was 7 lbs 14 oz and 20-1/2 inches long so just slightly bigger than Ellynn.
Because she was born so quickly (2-1/2 pushes & she was out), her lungs didn't have time to empty of the fluid in the birth canal... she had developed an infection in her lungs causing there to be holes in her lungs, the right lung was leaking air bubbles that were preventing her lungs from inflating properly. Called pneumo thorax I think.
So.... Ellynn got to have her first airplane ride at 7 or 8 hours of age, off she went to the Newborn ICU at University Hospital in Salt Lake City [UT] with her Daddy along for the ride -- thank goodness her Daddy was along to tell that ambulance driver a few things about driving in the snow (there was a massive winter storm happening on that Sunday and it was really really REALLY bad out in the SLC valley, enough that the plane was diverted to another city and they had to drive up). Mom got to stay behind in Uintah Basin Medical Center to make sure she was going to be okay from having just had a baby and was going to get an infection of her own, Mom was NOT happy about that, oh well.
Ellynn had received a Priesthood Blessing from her Daddy and from Dr Morrill before she left, between that and her own strength, she rallied enough that within a day she was breathing on her own and also off IV fluids -- just had IV's for her antibiotics to help close up the holes and clear up the infection. Daddy also discovered that this little girl loves to EAT and poop!! Just formula while she was in the NBICU, but Mom came Wednesday afternoon to teach her how to drink Mom's milk straight from the tap -- it was touchy for a bit but we succeeded fully!
She was released from the NBICU on Wednesday evening, though Mom & Dad stayed in SLC for another 2 days to make sure all was well and to attend a Dr's appt. at the Pediatrician's clinic on Friday. After 2 more chest scans, her lungs were clear of holes and the bubble[s] were gone!
Home again, and just weekly visits to her Pediatrician for weight check-ups, she was 7 lbs 9-1/2 ounces at the first one on Feb. 5th. Then 7 lbs 8-1/2 ounces at the Feb 12th one which had her Dr concerned and talking to me about supplementing, he said he'd give her another week to get her weight up at least back to her birth weight (oh come'on, anyone with a rough start to life deserves awhile to get back to normal, right?) -- during that week this Mom drank more fluids, pumped & nursed more, and researched greater-milk-producing tips to try out. So on Feb. 19th, back again, guess what?! She weighed more!! Above her birth weight even! She was 8 lbs 4-1/2 ounces... lol, some of that was no doubt due to her very wet diaper, but I wasn't taking an chances. ;)
So many thanks to those of you who were joining me in praying for her still, I really appreciate it more than mere words can express.
Anyhow this is all well and good, but I know that y'all really want to see her! So without further ado, here are some pictures. The ones of her in pink (a newborn outfit that is practically falling off her skinny frame) are oldest, the other was taken just a few minutes ago. So.... I give you Ellynn Frances Jackson!!
Isn't she just the prettiest little pink thing you've seen in a couple of days???!!! Of course, I am rather prejudiced too!
Lactation tips were to take any of all of the following: lots of fluids 2-4 quarts a day, Mother's milk tea, fenugreek (or fennel) capsules, Blessed Thistle capsules (didn't do that one), Brewer's yeast tablets, and lactation cookies (with oatmeal, ground flaxseed meal, and powdered brewer's yeast). Am going to go mix up my Lactation cookies right now -- hoping to increase my milk supply enough to have several days' worth pumped for emergencies. Lol, an emergency to Ell's Daddy is when Mommy is out grocery shopping and she is awake & demanding food -- our sweet little baby gets ferocious when she's hungry & food doesn't show up immediately... she likes to nurse for 1-2 hours (or longer) at a time, then sleep for (sometimes) 3-4 hours.
Oh yeah, for any Peels/Jacksons reading this, we are blessing E on March 31st, that is our Ward's Fast Sunday for April because of General Conference. Maeser 3rd Ward meets at 9 am, street address is 2575 North 1500 West, Maeser [Vernal] UT. Send me an email if you want to come, please let me know by March 20th if you are coming... maeserquilter[at]gmail[dot]com, thanks & love to all!
No comments:
Post a Comment