Mary Margaret is here!

 At 7:30am on Sunday morning September 12, 2021, Mary Margaret Knoll joined the family! 

Less than 12 hours after the previous post, where I finally gave up feigned control and anxiety about when, when, when, Dylan and I called Fran back to New Orleans after having left that afternoon. Upon her arrival around 9pm, I shrugged and smiled, and she chuckled about its being Groundhog Day. Dylan and I got in the car with a Let's-Do-This attitude and headed to Ochsner, where my Dr. Baur was coincidentally on-call in Labor&Delivery.

But I wasn't in labor. My contractions had plateaued at that same shortish, manageable, seldom level, but I was leaking amniotic fluid. When I texted Dr. Baur, she said definitely come in. I was pretty anxious about that for a minute, upset even, because of a strong desire to stay away from a pitocin induction (like had happened with Jack bc of the water breaking), but in we went. Thankfully I wasn't laboring hard because the hospital was full! (Apparently some residual storm effects from the surrounding areas. So we practiced patience.) Its having been after hours, we arrived at the OB-Emergency Dept for check-in about 9:30, were told to have a seat, and 3 hours and a few couples later, we were escorted to an OB-ED triage room. I had the luxury of the bed to lie down on now, but poor Dylan had it better in the waiting room where the chairs at least had cushions. It was here that they confirmed broken waters, started a fetal monitor (great heartbeat), and, since I wasn't in active labor, let us rest a bit. I felt very grateful for not being in pain, but I also started to resent pulling what was looking like an all-nighter before this hard thing I was about to do. A couple of hours later, there was a L&D room ready for us, and here we did get to rest from about 2:45-5. Dr. Baur checked on us, saw us resting, and later told us that she basically decided to leave us a bit until things quieted down for her. She said there had been so many emergencies and out-of-the-ordinaries that she'd save us for what would hopefully be the easy happy birth where the baby just walks out. 

5am rolled around, and Dr. Baur was ready, and so, consequently, were we. She broke the rest of the water sac, which had "loops" in it with different sections of fluid. Sounded uncommon and for a very brief moment, she was concerned about a section of placenta being poorly placed; but praise God all was clear, the sac was ruptured, and things moved on beautifully and smoothly from there! Contractions started shortly thereafter and kept up the familiar rhythm of frequency and increasing intensity. Dylan is a Godsend of a helper and carried me through, literally and mentally, with prayers, and breathing, and reminders. Not long before 7:30, it felt like go-time, so I told Dr. Baur and the nurses so; and after a flurry of setup preparations, little baby made part of its arrival ... with the cord around the neck! Dr. Baur calmly told me to wait a moment so that she could cut the cord right then and there. Then the rest of baby arrived! But we were all so excited to hear the cries and have baby on my chest after things looked potentially scary for a short half-minute that we hadn't even looked to see who it was! Dr. Baur had to ask, ha!, and then the 3 of us looked together to welcome Mary Margaret. Little bundle of perfection.

The rest of the day in the hospital went smoothly, she began nursing well, I got to eat after feeling famished, and we three rested. The night was fairly smooth, too, and the nurses were on fire with knowing how soon Monday we were hoping to get home and facilitating that. They were so very helpful and lovely. We had lunch and brought Mary Margaret home to meet her four siblings and American grandparents.

And so week one began, with lots of cuddles from Paul, Ada, Jack, and Pippa. Paul and Ada were helpful with charting her nursing sessions and diaper output, Pippa is precious with requesting to hold her and showing a great deal of 2yo patience when it might not be just the right time - Can I kiss her when she wakes up? - and the week with Dylan home was quite smooth and restful for me and the baby. Mom and Dad keep popping over from MS to bring meals and clean laundry, too, which is awesome. I've been in good spirits and things are looking like they'll be manageable! I can't quite get my head around going out somewhere - beyond a walk - with all 5, like, in the car, but obviously I'll have to get there one day!

Until then, newborn snuggles are a delight this 5th time around, and we're all very pleased with our newest little addition. Thanks for joining the family Mary Margaret!