Macy Olive Beus

 Macy Olive Beus arrived on her due date, August 11, 2020, at 6:54 pm! After an ultrasound at 37 weeks estimated her to weigh 8 lbs 4 oz (96th %tile), we decided to opt for an induction on 8/6. However, on 8/5, I started having a sore throat. The kids had colds over the weekend before that. They were mild colds. But, with Covid going on, I was more concerned. So, when I called the hospital at 4 am on 8/6, I told the nurse that I had a mild sore throat and asked what the protocol was. She wasn't sure but said she would call back. I was supposed to be at the hospital at 5 for the induction. I hadn't heard back by 4:50 so I called again. She said they were still waiting to hear from the infection control nurse (?). How do they not have protocol for this in place? Anyways, I went back to sleep. David stayed home for a few hours so I could sleep in. I was so anxious about the induction that I only slept about 2.5 hours that night. I slept in until 8 and woke up to David making breakfast for all. I'm so grateful for him! The hospital finally called back at 8:30 and suggested I come in for a covid test and wait for the results to be induced. I felt good about that. I really didn't want to have the baby when I wasn't feeling 100%. And I obviously didn't want to pass Covid to others at the hospital. I was hoping I would go into labor or at least get test results back over the weekend. It was such a long weekend of waiting! But nothing happened. No news. Dr. Small finally called on Monday morning- negative test results. She said I could come in Tuesday morning 8/11 at 5 am for an induction. I slept much better this time. 5 hours. Good, not great. I was surprised to see Dr. Small sitting at the Nurses' station when I arrived. She was delivering another baby. :) Dr. Small checked me after I was admitted. I was still only dilated to 1 cm. I don't think Macy had plans of coming on her own anytime soon. We started my first dose of oral cervical ripening meds at 6:30. David joined me at 8:30. Kathy was watching the kids. The nurse checked me at 10:30 and I was a 2. I was bummed. But at least I was progressing. I had another dose of the meds. Dr. Small checked me at 2:30 and I was still a 2. She said she could stretch me to a 2.5 and then she stripped my membranes. She didn't give me time to mentally prepare for that. Very uncomfortable. But I was glad she did. I was so disappointed and annoyed that I wasn't progressing faster. I wish they would let me take the meds and then go home and come back every 4 hours. I started pitocin at 2:30. By 3:30, I was considering if it was time to ask for an epidural. I didn't want to get it too soon and have it slow down labor. The nurse (Brandy) came in and we talked about the epidural. She was so helpful! We decided to go for it after she reminded me that pitocin would keep contractions coming even if my body decided to slow down labor after the epidural. Epidural was in place with meds flowing at 4:30. Just like all of my other labors, once the epidural started, things started to progress quickly. I started feel more pressure on my right lower abdomen. I tried to be on top of communicating every change in pain or pressure so that I could get the meds through the epidural to keep the pain down through pushing this time. With Esther, I should've asked for more meds but didn't say anything until it was too late and time to push. So I felt the ring of fire with her head coming out. I started feeling more pain with contractions. So Brandy pushed the button to deliver a bolus dose a few times for me before it was time to push. She had me lay on my side with one leg up on the stirrup. This position is conducive to baby moving down in the birth canal. She said it's similar to have a peanut exercise ball between my legs. By 6 pm, I was dilated to 6. At 6:15, Dr Small broke my water and said she wasn't going home since she thought she'd have to come back soon. It was comforting to know that Dr. Small was there and waiting for me. I asked David to say a prayer when we had a minute with everyone else out of the room. It was very comforting. I'm so glad that this pandemic didn't keep David from being at the hospital with me. Dr. Small told me to let her know when I felt the baby down low. I said I wasn't feeling that yet. She left the room. But on the next contraction, I told David baby was low and to call for Dr. Small. She checked and said I was complete and baby was in position to begin pushing. I felt very calm and surprisingly in control as they finished setting up the room and my bed for delivery. I remember Dr. Small told me as she was setting up the bed, "I promise we'll be ready for you to push on the next contraction." Everything had progressed so smoothly and quickly that I didn't feel like it could really be time to push. But with the next contraction, I did a set of three pushes. Baby's head came out at the beginning of the second set. I think I pushed once for that set and Dr. Small said, "ok stop pushing now. The cord is loosely wrapped around baby's neck." She assured me that baby was fine as she slipped the cord over her head. I pushed once or twice more and our baby was out! Such a surreal feeling as the baby moves through me and into the air to take her first breath. I was overjoyed to hold sweet Macy on my chest for the first time. I kept saying "my baby! oh my baby!" The first few moments of witnessing the miracle of a baby born are precious memories for me. She wasn't crying a lot at first. But she started breathing and crying well after the nurse rubbed her down and was doing the initial checks. When Dr. Small caught her she said "that's a ten pound baby!" David was admittedly disappointed that she was only 9 pounds 12 ounces! :) She was 21 inches long with a 15 inch head circumference. We got a picture with Dr. Small and some cool pictures of the placenta for Esther. Macy latched well after just a few tries. She's loved nursing from the start and has continued to nurse well! I was surprised that she didn't have much hair. Our babies have progressively had more hair. But it's already started to grow and it's so fun to see the progress on her cute little head! So far Macy is so calm and patient. Our biggest stress has been keeping her safe from her jealous two year old brother. Tyson has been rough with her almost every day since she was born. He's pulled her off me while I'm nursing several times. He tries to bounce her out of her bouncer every time he sees her in there. He throws things at her. He hits her. But he also loves to gently hold her and give her kisses. I wish that's all he did. David tells me to "hold her high and tight, like a football." That makes me laugh. Too bad it's actually necessary. Tyson always asks "could I pet her?" I love that way he phrases that. :) When she was just a few days old he wanted to hold her right at dinner time. I set her on his lap and he immediately waved me off and said "go eat dinner, mom." So funny. Esther and Benson love to hold her every chance they get. Benson always wanted me to take one sock off her hand so he could hold her hand while he held her. He is so sweet with her. He often asks me "why is she so cute?" I think when Tyson was a baby his line was "how is he so cute?" The girls love to pick out her outfits. Annika prefers to talk to her while she's in her bouncer rather than hold her. We're so grateful that Macy is safely here and in our family! She is precious and sweet and so darling!