On Monday night, September 1, Mr. Mingle and I were enjoying a leisurely walk along the Municipal Wharf in Santa Cruz admiring the fantastic weather and the barking seals down below. We were staying in a nearby B&B, figuring it would be our last night as a duo, instead of a trio, since the baby was due in a month or less. We even took a picture to make sure to show my pregnant belly, which still didn’t look very big, and would often elicit comments of “you don’t look pregnant at all!” 
We had been warned a couple of weeks prior by our Doctor (Dr. Eager) that it was likely our baby was to be born ahead of the scheduled due date of October 5. However, based on the last appointment we had with her, it seemed likely that we’d be able to at least make it to the next appointment with Dr. Eager on September 10, without having the baby first. This was comforting to us because by that point he would be 36 weeks old.
In the meantime, the hospital had become a second home and I had to go in two, sometimes four times a week for close monitoring. Both my health and the baby’s health was good, however the baby was tracking smaller than ‘average’, which, based on our prior experience with the first pregnancy, made the doctors very sensitive to everything. In our opinion we found them on the alarmist side because it seemed as if they were looking for problems, and so it was hard for us to ever feel completely at ease.
They were monitoring the baby’s amniotic fluid, the baby’s heart rate; the baby’s growth (smaller in the abdomen then Dr. Eager would have liked); and my blood pressure (95% spot on). These monitoring appointments were with a group of very kind nurses who were always so positive and cheery. If they wanted the baby to move so they could see if his heart rate increased they would literally clap and cheer “Come on baby, let’s do some moving today!!” I would leave most of those appointments feeling good that the baby was doing well and we would at least make it to 36 weeks. However, they were also under strict orders by Dr. Eager, who also happens to be the head of the department, to track me closely so any change in either my condition or the baby’s had them sending me over to Labor and Delivery for further monitoring. Two Friday’s prior they had tracked me with one single high blood pressure and sent me over to Labor & Delivery, where I then had to sit in a little room for hours where they discovered that it was one single instance of high blood pressure. But just to make sure, they had me come back on both Saturday and Sunday for 3 hours each… but I digress…..
On Tuesday September 2, when we got home from Santa Cruz we went over to the hospital for what we thought would be a normal cheerful monitoring appointment. After all, I was so relaxed from our night away – how could I possibly have high blood pressure? And the last amniotic fluid check had been off the charts high for our little one, so we thought we were sitting pretty, and may actually make it out of the hospital in an hour. Ha ha. Ha ha ha ha.
During the appointment, the nurses thought the fluid was too low, and they were not happy with it. They called my doctor, who just happened to be the one on-call in Labor & Delivery for this week, and she said “send her over!”
We get over to the other hospital, waited about an hour until Doctor Eager showed up.
In the meantime, the hospital had become a second home and I had to go in two, sometimes four times a week for close monitoring. Both my health and the baby’s health was good, however the baby was tracking smaller than ‘average’, which, based on our prior experience with the first pregnancy, made the doctors very sensitive to everything. In our opinion we found them on the alarmist side because it seemed as if they were looking for problems, and so it was hard for us to ever feel completely at ease.
They were monitoring the baby’s amniotic fluid, the baby’s heart rate; the baby’s growth (smaller in the abdomen then Dr. Eager would have liked); and my blood pressure (95% spot on). These monitoring appointments were with a group of very kind nurses who were always so positive and cheery. If they wanted the baby to move so they could see if his heart rate increased they would literally clap and cheer “Come on baby, let’s do some moving today!!” I would leave most of those appointments feeling good that the baby was doing well and we would at least make it to 36 weeks. However, they were also under strict orders by Dr. Eager, who also happens to be the head of the department, to track me closely so any change in either my condition or the baby’s had them sending me over to Labor and Delivery for further monitoring. Two Friday’s prior they had tracked me with one single high blood pressure and sent me over to Labor & Delivery, where I then had to sit in a little room for hours where they discovered that it was one single instance of high blood pressure. But just to make sure, they had me come back on both Saturday and Sunday for 3 hours each… but I digress…..
On Tuesday September 2, when we got home from Santa Cruz we went over to the hospital for what we thought would be a normal cheerful monitoring appointment. After all, I was so relaxed from our night away – how could I possibly have high blood pressure? And the last amniotic fluid check had been off the charts high for our little one, so we thought we were sitting pretty, and may actually make it out of the hospital in an hour. Ha ha. Ha ha ha ha.
During the appointment, the nurses thought the fluid was too low, and they were not happy with it. They called my doctor, who just happened to be the one on-call in Labor & Delivery for this week, and she said “send her over!”
We get over to the other hospital, waited about an hour until Doctor Eager showed up.
“Well Mingles, I think it’s time to deliver”.
“What? Now?!”
“Yes, I think we shouldn’t wait anymore. Your baby is strong and healthy and will survive the birth, which most likely will be a [non C-section] delivery [although induced]”
“Well.. can we at least go home to get things?? Can we come back tomorrow?? Or do you literally mean NOW?!”
“Mr. Mingle can go home to get things, but you have to stay here. We will start induction tonight”
Dr. Eager left the room at this point and Mr. Mingle and I just stared at each other. “What did she just say?” we were stunned. “but, but, but I left work on Friday with every intention of going back tomorrow…”
Already it was clear that our lives were now out of our control, and was in the hands of our baby kicking within…
To Be Continued….
“What? Now?!”
“Yes, I think we shouldn’t wait anymore. Your baby is strong and healthy and will survive the birth, which most likely will be a [non C-section] delivery [although induced]”
“Well.. can we at least go home to get things?? Can we come back tomorrow?? Or do you literally mean NOW?!”
“Mr. Mingle can go home to get things, but you have to stay here. We will start induction tonight”
Dr. Eager left the room at this point and Mr. Mingle and I just stared at each other. “What did she just say?” we were stunned. “but, but, but I left work on Friday with every intention of going back tomorrow…”
Already it was clear that our lives were now out of our control, and was in the hands of our baby kicking within…
To Be Continued….
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