Metuli Lapreal Fuimaono
Introducing our Baby #5, our 3rd Baby girl, and first preemie baby...
Metuli Lapreal Fuimaono
Born January 22, 2018
3lbs 8oz
Provo UT
Utah Valley Intermountain Hospital
Her Name
She is named after these two cool cats. I pray that she grows to be just as strong and loving as these women.Metuli- after the OG Mama, Aljay's grandmother, and her great Grandmother
Lapreal- after her sweet Aunty Lapreal Flemings, who passed away almost a month before she was born
Her Birth Story
Monday, Jan 22
2:45pm
I was going in for a regular check up with the midwives. Shortly after I arrived at their clinic, I was brought to the back room and proceeded with the standard blood pressure (bp) and weight check. The nurse took my blood pressure and was alarmed at how high it was. She attempted to take another reading on my other arm and then again with another cuff. Just from her face I knew it was bad. She called in to my Midwife, who was at the hospital delivering another baby, and then told me I needed to go to the hospital right away.
My blood pressure was 217/144. NOT GOOD. She said that with those pressures I was at risk of having seizures.
So I let Aljay know and headed over to the hosptial. I also texted my co-workers to let them know. I really thought I was just going to go for a quick appointment and then go back to work. Yeah leai.
around 3:00pm
I checked in with Labor & Delivery at Utah Valley Hospital. They moved me right into a room where I got dressed in those cute hospital gowns and waited until they came in to get monitors hooked up and IV's flowing. They checked my blood pressure often and started me on a magnesium drip.
p.s. Magnesium suuuckkkssss!!!! That stuff is wicked. It makes you super drowsy and overall just feeling yuck.
going into the evening
From this point on I lost all track of time. My blood pressure wasn't showing any signs of lowering. Because it was still so elevated, the doctors started talking about the possibility of having baby that night. After my labs came back, it was was confirmed that I had preeclampsia.
Also called: toxemia
A potentially dangerous pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure.
You can only imagine the things that were going through my head. I was doing everything in my power to keep my head on straight and stay positive and calm....and on the outside I was doing a great job.
On the inside I was struggling to figure out all the emotions running through me. I wanted my husband to be there to hold me and tell me everything was going to be ok. I wanted a blessing. I wanted the medicines to work. I was worried about Aljay...and the kids...but mostly our baby.
I was doing everything in my power to keep my mind from stressing, but there wasn't much I could do but to take it to the Lord.
Prepping for Surgery
They decided to go ahead and get the epidural placed in case I have to have a c-section at any moment. Aljay wasn't there yet so I held on to the nice nurse who did her best to comfort me while the anesthesiologist stabbed me in the back (literally). Sounds dramatic but it took like 20 minutes and multiple attempts to get the epidural in properly. He was the worst anesthesiologist I've had. Aljay finally arrived right after the epidural was in.
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| Yes I had Aljay take a pic of my ashy back a week after surgery because I wanted to see all the attempts that were made to get the epidural right. So irrits. |
After that I was feeling super groggy and had a hard time staying awake. There are few snippets here and there that I remember clearly and then several moments where it's just blank.
All I remember is that baby's heart rate was dropping and she was under a lot of stress. I remember being taken to the operating room, an oxygen mask being placed over my face, and lots of people working really fast.
During Surgery
When it was time for the operation, I could feel the pressure on the lower half of my body as they cut me open. I could feel pressure when they pulled her out. I remember trying to sit up to see her but only seeing the drape when I lifted my head. I tried to tell the nurse to speak up and just tell me what was happening since I couldn't see a thing. But my mouth and brain were disconnected and everything was mumbles and slurs. The only thing I heard was "ok baby's out!". I remember feeling angry and swearing in my head because I was so groggy and unable to communicate with anyone! It was so frustrating.
At least with Viiga's operation I was awake and attentive. This time I could've been awake but the magnesium was knocking me out and making me all sorts of loopy.
Aljay said I kept asking "did I see baby?" over and over (see how junk it is being under magnesium?!!??). And then while I was being stitched up I knocked out and was snorrrriing away ahahahah
Anyways....here are the first pics he got right after she was born.
Post Surgery
On my way from the labor and delivery room to the recovery rooms, they took me to the NICU where I got to see our baby girl. I can barely remember this part, but Im so happy Aljay got pics.
I stayed in the hospital for four more days, recovering and trying to get my blood pressure down. I'm not sure how they expected my blood pressure to go back down when I had just had a C-section and all I could think about was baby. *Add on top of that many other stresses, but I'll save that for another post.
The only thing that brought me comfort and relief was the fact that baby had no complications. She wasn't sickly, not in need of any surgeries, and doing well in the NICU. What a blessing!!! Metuli doesn't know it, but she has brought so much joy and comfort.
The kids haven't even met their baby sister yet. We couldn't risk bringing them in since they all were taking turns with colds and coughs. They are so anxious to meet her and bring her home though. We can't wait either.
We love our Metuli!
I went to visit Baby in the NICU when I could and took as many pics of her as I could. Here's some pics of this cute little peanut's first week on earth :)
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