if you’re just tuning in, you can read the first part of maisley’s birth story HERE.

with the suspected accreta + planned hysterectomy, the stakes were high going into delivery. the plan was to open my uterus, get maisley out then wait to see if the placenta would detach. zach was to go with maisley and assuming the placenta would not detach, they would put me to sleep and complete a full hysterectomy. i also had an anterior placenta meaning they would cut through the placenta, which then cut off maisley’s oxygen meaning it was a race against time to get her out quickly.
as soon as they cut through the placenta, the placenta detached itself immediately. there was no tugging, no scooping, it just fell off…meaning there was no need for a hysterectomy. there was a sigh of relief in the room and then a nurse started counting. i tuned in and realized they were counting the seconds maisley was going without oxygen. while her teeny body came right out {she was breech} her head was stuck in my ribs…hence why i couldn’t breathe most of my pregnancy! when they finally pulled her out, she was blue and not breathing so they quickly whisked her away to focus on her.
while it seemed like forever, within 20 seconds we heard her cry and it was the greatest sound in the world.

when the doctor looked at me and said, i have to ask one more time, do you want to do the tubal ligation? i wanted to cry. of course not. but i calmly replied, ‘would it be safe for me to get pregnant again?’ and when he answered, ‘no, it wouldn’t be safe.’ i did a hard swallow and said, ‘then yes, let’s take them out.’
i’ll spare you the pictures of the tubal + placenta…because i’m a total freak and asked for them… but we did the tubal ligation, then closed me up. at some point, they asked me if i wanted to meet my baby girl and of course i squealed, ‘yes!’ they brought her to me for a quick picture before whisking her away to NICU to be cared for.

maisley genevieve

born at 8:33pm
5lbs 6oz
19.25 inches

while maisley got settled in NICU, i wanted zach with her so she wasn’t alone and my mom + sister were with me in recovery. i was on one heck of a trip… exhaustion + a whole bunch of drugs = a leeeetle crazy.
i begged and begged for them to let me see her and basically said i refused to go back to my room until i got to see her..

on our way to my room, they let me swing through NICU and the nurse asked if i wanted to hold her.. my whole heart.
the first time i got to hold our sweet girl.

so tired. and so so so in love.

the week that followed was a blur. honestly, the days of NICU are one giant rollercoaster. the ups and downs are exhausting and whether you’ve spent 24 hours or 100 days in those sterile rooms, you know how hard it is. you’re in survival mode. you take it hour by hour, day by day. and you most certainly don’t finalize plans until they’re actually happening.

maisley’s goals to bust out of NICU

get a little older {35 weeks}
gain weight
learn to eat
take a bottle
maintain blood sugars
get those bilirubin numbers down
maintain body temperature

all things fairly typical for a 34 weeker…and she was doing great.

we started off on NICU 2… the most intensive unit where nurses are usually on a 1 nurse :: 2 babies ratio. we know the ropes and it all came back very quickly.

the typical routine:
feedings at 12, 3, 6 and 9…both am + pm
about 10 minutes before feedings, we would take her temperature, change + weigh her diaper and at shift change, do a full workup with the nurse.
after feedings, we tried to do skin to skin time because this is the most beneficial for maisley + bonding… it has SO many benefits!
at 9am were rounds when we got the chance to talk to the doctor and hear the plans for feedings, any changes and ask questions.
after 6am, 12pm and 6pm we would leave to grab some food and change clothes/shower

reading books with daddy

maisley couldn’t nurse for the first 24 hours so she received nutrition through her IV. after a few days, the IV in her hand wasn’t looking good so when they needed to change it, they opted for the forehead and as awful as it looks, it really is preferable. we were familiar with this because lila had her IV in her noggin for most of her NICU stay and it stays so much better… it’s out of the way, makes snuggling easier and less tugging…all with less complications.

we moved downstairs around day 3 or 4, which is the less intensive NICU and got a room with a window!!

it was also about the time that maisley’s bilirubin numbers started to elevate and she needed both the overhead + blanket lights. her numbers weren’t in the ‘danger’ zone, but she hated the lights. we had been doing a lot of skin to skin time and because she needed to be under the lights as much as possible, i was only allowed 20-30 minutes to during her feedings to hold her. it made for a really long 24 hours and probably our worst day and night in NICU. i was up with her all night standing by her isolette, holding her hand singing to her because she was so uncomfortable. with the need for lights on as much as her body as possible, she wasn’t able to be swaddled or contained, plus the facemask… it was a rough 24 hours.

luckily each day is new, and that’s just as true in NICU. her numbers came down enough to move to just the blanket, meaning she could do skin to skin again and be swaddled with the bili-blanket and we had a happy girl again…

it was touch and go with her bili numbers each day, but this is how we slept which we were SO thankful for.
we are so blessed that miami valley hospital has parenting rooms for parents like us to stay in which makes breastfeeding possible around the clock…as well as a place to eat, take a shower and recharge. zach typically would skip one of the night feedings to get a decent stretch of sleep and i usually slept in her room for a stretch at night.

maisley was a champ at feedings as soon as we put her to breast and this was her first picture without any tubes!!

just look at that sweet face.

tuesday and saturday are ‘bath’ days and she finally got a ‘real bath’ on saturday!! our favorite nurse, who had been parker {my nephew} and the girls’ primary nurse, who we have come to trust with our whole being… was on shift that day…and she also helped us give piper her first bath! i’m totally sentimental about things like that so it made my whole day that she was the one to help us with her first real bath!

the sweetest squeaky clean little baby….with a real outfit too!!

it didn’t last long…the ups + downs are real. right after this, the doctors rounded and had some bad news that her bili numbers were back up and she needed to go back on the blanket. they were’t so high that she needed the overhead lights too, thank god. but with a hopeful discharge on sunday, i was bummed we had a setback.

the night before piper was supposed to be discharged at 23 days, she had an panic event {she stopped breathing} that landed us 5 solid more days in NICU. i knew to not rely on leaving until you were walking out the doors..but it still hurts. it wasn’t anything super scary, so we remained hopeful that we still may discharge and the doctors weren’t overly concerned at all.

back to the lights.

i slept the last night with maisley and came back for a shower after the 6am feeding. i had a leftover coffee from the day before and i was feeling good. it was going to be a GREAT day…and it sure was.

at rounds that morning, the doctors proudly announced her numbers had come back down and it was time for us to bust out!!! it was hugs all around and we were more than ready.

sunday march 31, we packed up our teeny 5lb babe and headed home to start our life as a family of 6.

we are truly SO thankful for the amazing care at miami valley hospital. maisley, all things considered, had a pretty smooth sailing ride, but it is hard + emotional in those walls. the nursing staff, doctors, all the way down to the amazing men + women who help to keep the hospital clean… they’re amazing and i will forever be grateful for the care they have given us and our babies.

i also have to thank our amazing friends and family who helped us pull this week off without a hitch. going into labor 6 weeks before we planned is stressful and quite honestly, i hadn’t even thought twice about what was happening with the 3 older kids. from friends that came and cleaned my house so it was ready for us to bring a baby home to, to my stepmom who took multiple days off work to watch the kids… my mom who transported and was there for me every time i asked…my sister who brought all. the. stuff. helped navigate preschool for the girls, and virtually did everything with me, our aunt who kept the kids over night… they all made it so fun for the big kids so i didn’t have to worry.

it takes a village, guys. and i am SO grateful for ours. so many people who love us and i truly can’t thank you enough for all the love, support and prayers from everyone. we’ve felt it and i read every single message from you all. i am SO sorry if i didn’t get back or didn’t respond…it certainly was a whirlwind.. THANK YOU!