Our little Aurie arrived exactly 5 weeks early on April 5, 2013! She was 5 lbs. 11 oz. and 19 1/2 inches long. Her due date was May 10, 2013. I would have NEVER predicted her coming that early or on that day. On April 4 I was feeling great. Went to water aerobics, planted vegetables in my pots outside, and froze a bunch of strawberries that day. I was having no contractions or aches and pains. On Friday morning, 4-5-2013, I woke up at 6:00 a.m. to some slight wetness in my underwear. Thinking it was just discharge I went to the bathroom and slowly just kept leaking fluid. I then realized my water had broke and woke Rillz up. We calmly got things in the car and luckily I already had my bag packed and a list for Rillz of items to complete bag. Arrived to triage at 7:15. Aurie was sideways in my stomach when we went in. They made sure it was my water breaking. The nurse told me I probably just peed myself. Heck lady, that would be a lot of pee! After verifying that it truly was my water, they did an ultrasound and baby had gone heads down but sunnyside up. My doctor warned me this was going to be a long labor and to prepare as I was only 1 1/2 cm dilated. We were admitted into a labor room at 9:15 a.m. Supposedly started pitocin but found out after baby was born that there was a clog in the line and had received no pitocin. I had been feeling NO contractions but by 9:45 had REALLY strong ones. I then really had to poop. I asked the nurse at least 5 times to go to the bathroom but was told I needed to wait until paperwork was done so she could take me off monitors and the feeling would go away soon. It only got worse. So she checked me and by 10:15 a.m. I was dilated a 10 and ready to deliver! I asked the nurse if I could still have an epidural and she laughed at me and said no but you can have this baby now! By 10:54 a.m. our baby girl was born. Didn't have any time for pain meds or to even process what happened! Right when she came out she was taken by NICU staff and analyzed. They started a CPAP on her right away but was on it for less then 12 hours and was taken off all IV's by the 4th day. She was on a bilirubin blanket for 3 days because her jaundice was on the verge of being to high. We ended up being in NICU for 9 days. Her weight kept her in there. She dropped to 4 lbs. 9 oz. and when we left the hospital was at 5 lbs. 2 oz. Those 9 days were SO long! The hospital was incredibly accommodating and let Rillz and me stay in random surgical rooms every night. It was exhausting and emotionally draining for both of us! Rillz would work, prepare for a catering and come stay in the hospital every single day. My day was usually trying to teach her to nurse, pump, clean pump and repeat every 3 hours from the start of the previous. And that process usually took me 2 hours each time. So finding time to eat and sleep in between was difficult. But Aurie is a beautiful baby that we are so proud and in love with! Also, I was so blessed to have such an amazing supportive husband through the whole thing.
The morning of Aurie's birthday right before heading to the hospital
At the hospital in triage
Right after giving birth. I only got to hold her for about a minute before they rushed her to NICU
Beth made that cute hat and brought it to the hospital
Natalie Zarate holding Aurie
Grandma Robin
Tommy Zarate holding Aurie
Rillz feeding Aurie
So tiny!
Aurie's first bath
Her little NICU bed
Her bilirubin tanning bed
Me cuddling with baby Aurie!
The day we left the hospital. Her take home outfit was a bit big.
The night before leaving she had to take a 90 minute car seat test to make sure her heart rate didn't drop in the car. She past with flying colors!
Braking out of this place!
