Baylee's Birth Story

        It all started on Tuesday November 11, 2014. I went to see my doctor for a routine visit, and she noticed my BP was up and protein was starting to show up in my urine. I was admitted to the hospital to see if they could get my BP to come down. We stayed the night and they allowed us to go home the next day on strict bed rest.

Saturday November 15^th (of course the opening day of deer season), I called Taylor to tell him my BP was raising and Dr. W had told us to come in and that it was time to “get the baby out”. At just 35 weeks 1 day. We got to the hospital around 11am, and started on IV meds and magnesium (which is the worst feeling ever). At 1:15 they gave me Cytotec to open my cervix and get things going, as they wanted to take it as slow as possible to keep my BP down. By 3:15 I was dilated to 2cm. Dr. W came by around 5:30 to check on me (still at a 2), and started Pitocin. She said she was hosting and MU basketball game party at her house and would come by after the game to see how things were going. She said it could take a while and probably wouldn’t have a baby until the next day. Mom had brought Hunter to see us, and while Taylor was getting restless I had him take Hunter to burn some energy and get some dinner. Around 7 they came back in to check and now at 4cm. I texted Taylor to tell him that things were actually progressing and would probably get an epidural soon, to try and keep my BP lower. He came back around 7:30 to eat and so I could see Hunter again (as an only child). Mom took Hunter home around 8:30. He was not happy seeing me all hooked up and would start to cry anytime any of the nurses would touch me. After everyone left Taylor and I just talked about what she would look like and how everything would go, also we hadn’t picked a name yet so we talked about that. at 9:00 they came and broke my water , Around 10pm it started getting hard to breathe through the contractions and even harder to try to keep my BP down. The magnesium still had me feeling pretty terrible. Hoping I could get a little relief I got a “light” epidural. I still wanted to be able to feel things and control my legs and body. After the epidural Dr. W came back to check on me… now at a 6. She decided she would stay the night in hopes to have a baby sooner rather than later. Looking back it all went so fast! Myrl and Susan came by and visited for a little bit, and of course nurses were in and out.
              A few minutes before 1am I said to Taylor “I think I just felt her head move down”. weirdest/coolest feeling ever. At 1:00 Dr. W walked in the door to check on us, I told her what I just felt and she took a look… sure enough I was complete and ready to push! While the peds team got everything ready Wink asked me to do a “practice push”. She then had me stop because baby was almost out and they weren’t ready yet. Once ready… 2 pushes at 1:07am and Baylee Ann Frevert was born! Taylor got to cut the cord and of course go with her to make sure she was ok. All the time I could hear her screaming, and all I could do was praise God and cry tears of joy. 5 minutes later Taylor walked out with the best bundle of cuteness. After that she never left our sight. I got to hold her close for hours before we shared her with the world. Around 2:30 Taylor’s parents came in to just peek at her, and to say they would be back in the morning. Those hours with just the 3 of us were bliss. I didn’t get that with Hunter so I savored every second. Baylee Ann weighed 5lbs 4oz and 20inches long. She nursed great and loved looking at her daddy from the start.

I had to be on Magnesium for another 24 hours after birth, which was absolutely miserable! I could hardly open my eyes or speak. I would apologize when people would come in because I felt so miserable. I would wake up enough to nurse Baylee and go back to sleep. I was also so swollen still from the extra fluid, I felt like my eyes wouldn’t open. Mom, Dad, and Hunter came to see us that morning, but didn’t stay long. I wish I had felt better to enjoy Hunter and Baylee meeting for the first time! After about 48 hours of not eating and only the magnesium, they finally stopped it. I kept saying how “drunk” it made me feel coming off of it. I couldn’t walk and hardly could talk. My first meal I had Taylor go get me at 2am was a cold turkey and cheese sandwich with pickles, hummus with pretzels and 2 big cookies. By Monday morning I was feeling soooo much better, just a little swollen and sore. After some begging Dr. Wand peds cleared us to go home that evening. I felt terrible for missing Hunter’s birthday and wanted to see him so badly! Of course my BP stayed high for a few days and Baylee had her weight checked every day that first week. All I could do was pray for us to both be healthy! The rest is history and more or less closely documented.