Welcome ADELE!

Adele's Birth Story......

Adele Jamie Collins

5 pounds 4 ounces

17.3 inches

On Tuesday, July 23rd, Home Care came by for a regular visit and to do an NST. Baby's heartbeat wasn't showing any accelerations, so this concerned the nurse. She told us to go to The Rockyview and just get things checked out.
Baby was showing the same pattern at the hospital, so the doctor decided that after multiple visits to the hospital, it was time to have this baby. James and I expected this to happen; we even brought the overnight bag and baby's outfits.
The induction started at 5:00pm and I was pretty sure that the contractions would start within 20 minutes, as they did with Brinley. The cramping started, then it all went away when I ate dinner. I was happy and disappointed all at the same time. Ange and James really wanted it all to get going and for me to push out a baby. After all, it was all about them and their sleep schedule. ;)
At around 10:00pm, the nurse came in and informed mom, James and Ange that they weren't allowed to stay the night and that they would have to go home. UMMMMM......I'm sorry, what did you just say?? They can't leave. Are you insane??!!?? I need them here, I need the support and encouragement. I need them to hold my hand when the contractions hit hard. UGGGGGGHHHHH.
So, they left.
I kept it together. I was surprised that I didn't cry. I didn't get upset. I just pressed on. Ok, I need some sleep. Once the contractions start hitting hard, I will call James and they can come back to hold my hand.
At around midnight, the cramping hit, it wasn't hard, just a bit uncomfortable. The nurse offered me some morphine and gravol. No way!!! I wouldn't subject my baby to anymore drugs. I'll press on.
Ok, I'll take some morphine and some gravol. Well, that didn't help at all. Not at all. The cramping hit hard and I took some more drugs. The nurse decided to check me...I was 2cm. Well, it's a start, I guess. I ONLY have 8 more to go. OH MY GOODNESS!!!
At around 3:00am, the pain was now VERY uncomfortable and the cramping was painful and making me breathe harder and I was trying to go to the happy place. All I saw was a place filled with fire, I was guessing it was a type of hell. I pressed on, I had no choice as my sister would tell me.
At 4:15am, I pressed the nurse call button and wanted to tell her that I'm sure I had a million more hours to go and that she better stick a huge needle in my spine and get rid of this pain. I am now not able to speak through the cramping but the contraction strip didn't show anything obscene. I guess I'm a wimp. Man up Krista and press on.
The nurse came in and said that she would check me because she wasn't going to wait for the doctor and she didn't even know where he was.....
All I heard was "you are 10cm!!!"
The second that she invaded my vagina, the labour hit and it hit hard. I needed to call James and Ange. I rolled over, grabbed the phone and barely managed to call James.
"IT'S TIME!!!" Click.
In the meantime, actually, I believe that right after I was told that I was at 10cm, I asked if I could still get the epidural. The nurse giggled a bit and told me that we are way too late. Oh frick!
I remember being whipped down the hall into labour and delivery. The pressure in my bottom and the urge to push was overwhelming. They said not to push. 
HA!! HA!! HA!! HA!! HA!! Now that it funny. 
Once in labour and delivery, they told me to move myself onto the other bed in between contractions. I managed to move myself, not gracefully but I did it.
My body started to push and the nurses, whose average age was 22, told me not to push and to wait for the doctor. 
You obviously have not pushed out a child before. I am pushing and she is coming. I was pouring with sweat. She is coming.
The doctors showed up as well as the NICU team because she was 5 weeks early. She would need some extra loving. 
My water broke at 4:30am. 
No James and no Ange. It had only been 10 minutes since the call.
Push Push Push 
POP!!!
She's out! 

At 4:39am, our precious Adele Jamie Collins made her appearance into the world. I exhaled and felt like a queen. No more pain. No more pushing. I could hear our little princess crying. 

I got in one kiss and she was whisked away. She was so cute.

In the meantime, Ange and James showed up at the hospital. The nurse saw them walking down the hall and she informed them that things happened a little quicker than expected and that baby was here. They were shocked.

When they walked into the room, their faces were priceless. I told them to go see baby and to check to make sure that she was doing ok. 

Then it all started to go downhill....
I had two doctors staring at my vagina like it was a drive in movie screen. They were trying to figure out how to get my placenta out...it was stuck. Ok, just get in there and pull. Let's get moving. The doctor said that I would have to go to the OR and get an epidural and then get it removed. Oh, I'm sorry, you want to give me an epidural now?? I don't think so. Get it out of me. This popcorn eating, drive in movie continued for 30 minutes until another doctor walked in, grabbed the cord and pulled. There you go, my placenta is out. :)

The NICU doctor then walked into the room and asked me how I knew that she had Down Syndrome. I was a bit confused. I told him that we had done non-invasive and invasive testing and both came back above 99%. The doctors were not convinced that she had Down Syndrome. I knew that she did and it just didn't matter. I love her with all my heart. The other doctor in the room started talking about maybe she's mosaic. I had no idea what this meant, but it sounded exotic and fancy. I guess it means that she still tests positive for Down Syndrome but it could be very mild. Who knows. She's perfect!

Next, my blood pressure sky rocketed. I was injected with so many drugs that nobody could keep count. I guess I was a bizarre shade of grey and I was puffy. Nothing was getting it down. The doctors were getting concerned so they hooked me up to some anti seizure drugs and I was told that I wouldn't be moving, eating or drinking at all for the day.

I was given 4 IVs, oxygen, heparin, catheter and leg pillows. I didn't get to see Adele at all that day but was told that she was doing well.

I remember when James walked back into labour and delivery, he had tears in his eyes. I could see that he was in love all over again. Another baby girl to snuggle and love. He is such a good father and husband.

My blood pressure improved.

Adele was hooked up to some machines so that they could monitor her closely. We had no hiccups. Thank god!

Momma's first visit

The following evening, all of the crazy equipment was removed from momma and I was about to have my first visit. James rolled me in and I saw my baby girl. I cried.

I cried because it has been such a journey. I cried because she was healthy. I cried because I have never in my entire life felt so much love for another human being (except her sister). I cried because it was all over. I cried because my hormones were so messed up. :)
It was a great moment.
The love that you feel for your children is above any emotion, any feeling that you have ever experienced. You see no flaws. All you see is this human being that you made. You see the love that went into making this beautiful child. All you see is absolute perfection. There is no better feeling in the entire world then holding and loving your child.
I have to be honest, I was worried that maybe my love would take a while, maybe I would be so overwhelmed by the Down Syndrome that I would need some time to come to terms with everything....I needed no time. I loved this baby from the second she made her entrance into the world. I loved every inch of her. She is ours.

Adele is doing great and is eating like a champ. She is almost back to her original birthweight and we've been told that she is a mover and a shaker. Momma can't go for snuggles until this cold goes away. I'm sad but I know that she is in great hands. The nurse told me today that she is getting tons of love in the NICU.

Thank you to all of our friends and family for the love and support over the past months. Thank you for the gifts, the words of encouragement and for never judging. You are amazing. <3

I LOVE MY SUNTAN!!