Aliza Sue Miller
Sept. 25, 2009
6 lbs. 8 oz.
19 1/2 in.

After 22 hours of contractions at 35 weeks we were happy that Aliza stayed in for another 2 weeks. She was born at 37 weeks. We arrived at the hospital around 8:30 AM thinking that my water had broken. It turns out it was a pre-sac, but the main one was still intact. But when it was discovered that I was dialated to a six, there was no sending me home. I was getting quite uncomfortable with the contractions, and was more than pleased when I got my epidural, but it did take until close to 10:00. They said to let me know when I felt pressure, and about 20 minutes later I was at a 10. In the mean time my water had broken and they found out that little Aliza had pooped and so there was now a risk due to the meconium. They got the respiratory specialists in there for the delivery and got my OB there quickly before they had a baby coming out on her own! It took two and a half short pushes and Aliza was born at 10:40.

We were relieved to hear her cry right after birth and she was put on the table for the respiratory specialists to check to make sure she hadn't inhaled any meconium into her lungs. All of a sudden there were 12 medical staff in my room surrounding my little baby. We didn't know what was going on exactly, but knew it wasn't good. They worked on her for a little while in the room and got her breathing again before rolling her off to the NICU. Nathan went with her, and my room emptied out. I was left there with the nurse wondering what all just happened. I knew nothing about my little one, no weight, height, health. I did overhear her time of birth, but that was it.
After what seemed like forever Nathan returned with all of the news. Aliza had come out crying and breathing, but at 8 mins old had stopped breathing, and they had called in the help with a little button on the wall. They had to intubate her (tube down throat to lungs) and she was on oxygen. She had aspirated the meconium and had quite a bit stuck in her lungs. They were able to suck a lot of it out, but some stayed in there. They sucked out 3 1/2 cc. out of her lungs and 4 cc. out of her stomach. They immediately started antibiotics. They were able to do some catheters right through her belly button and she was receiving the medicine and liquid nutrition through that. She had a tube down her throat to her stomach monitoring the oxygen in there, and to have access to eventually give her nutrients through if needed.

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It was so hard to get to see my baby girl for the first time looking like this. I just wanted to pick her up and hold her, but all I could do was touch her with even pressure. I couldn't even stroke her skin, due to too much stimulation. Seeing her like this made me realize that this was going to take a long time for her to recover. But just 4-5 hours after they took the tube out and just put her on regular oxygen that she received through her nose. This was much easier to handle. But she was still on a high amount of oxygen and Nathan and I were losing hope that we might get to take her home in the next week. She had also gotten a small tear in her lung.

The next day (Saturday), we went to see her and they had already started to ween her off of oxygen. She went from receiving 5 liters that morning and by six o'clock that night she was completely off! It can take babies weeks to do that, and she did it all in one day! And after about 24 hours the small tear was healed. I know this was only possible due to the prayers and fasting in her behalf. They also put a pic line in that day and took the catheters out of her belly button. That meant that we could finally hold our little girl.

Not only could we finally hold her, but I was allowed to nurse her. She did great her first time and got quite a bit for the first feeding. She was still receiving her vital nurishment through the pic line. But within the first day of nursing she was taking in enough milk to get her weened off of the intraveinous nutrition. They moved her out of the NICU and into the special care nursery and the girls were able to see her through the glass windows. They were not allowed in, but got to peek at her through the glass.
She kept doing great and was taking in more than enough milk! She is a little piggy! It seemed that she was now only in the hospital due to the 7 days of antibiotics she needed. So we were looking forward to bringing her home on Thursday. Then on Tuesday night she was not breathing in enough oxygen and even stopped breathing for 23 seconds. So she was put back on a low dose of oxygen and that helped. They ran x-rays, and lab work, but nothing turned up a reason for what was going on. The doctor decided on Thursday that it must just be her age now causing this. Although 37 weeks is considered full term. He said he has seen a lot of babies that age act almost like babies born at 35 weeks. The doctor had her taken off the oxygen again and if she did well we could take her home on Friday with no monitors or oxygen. But she also had to be in her car seat for 90 minutes without any breathing episodes.
She did not pass this and only lasted 30 minutes. So on Friday the doctor decided to send us home with an apnea monitor but no oxygen. But the regulations are that if the baby does not pass the car seat test they can not go home without oxygen, at least while in the car seat. So they did the car seat test again, and she lasted only 20 minutes this time.
So we finally got to bring her home on Friday at 5:00 PM with an apnea monitor 24/7 and oxygen when she is in her car seat. We are so happy to be home though. That week was hard on our whole family. My mom was able to leave her mission for the week and came down to help. I would go to the hospital starting at about 7:00 in the morning to nurse. I would go back every 3-4 hours until midnight, then I would call it a night. Then the next day I'd do the same thing. It was hard being away from home so much, and I could tell it was wearing on the girls. I averaged the amount of time each day spent at the hospital and it was 8-10 hours a day! And then I would get up 1-2 times each night to pump. I was sleep deprived, and exhausted!
If my mom hadn't been able to be here, that week would not have worked at all. We are so grateful for her help and all the other help we've received. Meals have been brought in, a family fast was done for her, and lots and lots of prayers went out in her behalf. I know that it was through the help of our Heavenly Father that Aliza recovered so quickly, and we are truly humbled by this whole experience.

Aliza finally ready to go home!

Waiting for the equipment so we can go home.

Ariah holding Aliza for the first time.

Aida getting her first time to hold Aliza.

Aliza with Grandma Finch. Thanks so much mom, we really could not have done it without you!