40 weeks
My life has changed dramatically since I last blogged. I am a MOM!! Allison was born on November 12th at 3:01 a.m. She was smaller than expected and weighed only 5 pounds 15 ounces, 18 inches long. I was induced on my due date, but she was born the next day. I was really hoping that I would go into labor on my own without being induced. The day before my due date I didn't feel her moving very much. I was a little worried so I called my doctor the next day and they asked me to come in and get monitored. When they hooked me up to the monitor her heart rate wasn't going up and I wasn't feeling any movements. They told me to go to the hospital and they would monitor me for a few more hours, if it didn't improve then they would induce me. I drove to the hospital by myself (Ryan was still at work) and checked in. They hooked me up to the monitors and then she started doing much better. Ryan finally arrived. I thought they were going to send me home. Then the doctor came in and asked me if I was ready to have a baby tonight. He told the nurse to start the pitocin at around 7:00 p.m. My contractions started getting really bad after about 4 hours, but I was still only dilated to a 3. I held out as long as I could, but after only a few really bad contractions I was begging for my epidural. The anesthesiologist was incredible! I didn't even feel the epidural, and then I didn't have any pain. I could still move my legs and feel a little pressure during contractions. The doctor broke my water around midnight and then I started to dilate quickly. The nurse checked me once and I was 5 centimeters, then she came back an hour later and I was 9 3/4. They told me not to push until the doctor arrived. I only pushed for about twenty minutes and she was here. She came out pink and screaming. My first thought was that she was so tiny and perfect! She weighed only 5 pounds 15 ounces, but she looked healthy with cute chubby cheeks. My parents and Ryan's mom were in the room for the birth. Nobody got any sleep that night. Her blood sugar was low right after she was born and they had to give her some formula. Luckily, she is a good eater and she didn't have to have a feeding tube.
We had lots of visitors in the hospital. We were both discharged together on Saturday. All of the cute outfits that I brought to the hospital were too big. I wasn't expecting her to be so small. She wore the smallest pajama's that I had and they still looked way to big. She hated her car seat. After we left the hospital, we went straight to Babys 'R' Us to buy some preemie clothes and diapers.
We are currently living with our in-laws and I still don't have a crib. She will be sleeping in a bassinet until we move into our own house. I had been nesting for the past two weeks. I put together her bouncy chair, swing, stroller, and glider chair. She has a closet full of clothes, but they are all too big. Hopefully, she will grow into them soon. She is a good eater and a pretty good sleeper. Neither of us got much sleep the first few nights, but she is getting better.
We took her to her first doctors visit when she was 4 days old. It was a big ordeal to get her loaded in the car seat and out of the house. She weighed 5 pounds 14 ounces at her appointment. The doctor said she is doing great! Unfortunately, Ryan woke up with a sore throat and fever the next day. He hardly ever gets sick. I was really paranoid that he would get her sick, so I wouldn't let him touch her. I took her down to Richfield while he was working. So far, mom and baby are healthy and Ryan is almost 100% better. We are having so much fun with her! She is a good baby. All she does is eat, sleep, poop and occasionally cry. We have been taking tons of pictures, so check back often for updates. I wish she could stay this little forever, but she keeps getting bigger and cuter everyday. 
