Introducing Ona

Well the day finally arrived. Tuesday afternoon (at 4:30pm to be precise) Ona Lily Brown was born. It was not without its drama.

Tuesday morning Melanie knew that today was the day. We got up, made a few phone calls to our own personal birthing team (yes it is REALLY nice to have your friends as the local hospital staff). Carol came right over and it turned out to be quite a pleasant morning. Labor was progressing along nicely, Melanie and Carol even went for about a mile walk! Liz (a friend of ours and Melanie’s midwife) suggested that to aid Melanie’s comfort she should hang out in her own little kiddie pool (complete with smiling fishes). Melanie contended that this was the best $26 she had ever spent.
Well, as with any good drama, the fun and games had to stop sometime. Melanie got checked out with the small fetal heart rate monitor and things did not look bad, but it was time to get to the hospital and Melanie’s contractions were becoming, um… lets say uncomfortable. Once at the hospital, the real fetal heart rate monitor confirmed what the little recreational grade one was showing. Every time Melanie would have a contraction it was slowing bloodflow to the baby. A decision was made for an emergency c-section as it was going to take far too long naturally. So in an effort for this country to frustrate me just that much further, I was not allowed to go with, but instead had to sit on the floor outside the OR with Carol, nervously wondering what was going on.

It turns out that the cord had been wound twice around the baby’s neck. Scary. Other than being a little cyanotic (blueish) she was just fine though. She did however have to go into the nursery and get placed under a “hood” so she could be given 100% oxygen for awhile. So while Melanie was in recovery I hung out with Ona.

Once Melanie got out of recovery it was announced that she had to remain in bed for at least the next eight hours. Ona had been moved into the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) for observation. So Melanie couldn’t even see Ona. So I would take the camera over to the nursery about every hour and take some pictures, then return to Melanie and give her the update and show her the latest pictures.

By Wednesday morning Ona had stabilized, but Melanie was still bedridden as her surgeon needed to give the okay for her to get out of bed. Something like 30 seconds after the approval was given and her IV being removed, Melanie was gingerly setting down into a wheelchair to be whisked over to the NICU nursery. Finally, both Melanie and I got to hold Ona.

At the time of writing this Ona and Melanie are both looking strong and healthy. Both are much happier having gotten to meet each other in a more civilized manner. Ona is still in the NICU (until a doctor can clear her during their daily rounds; which only happens at 8am) but is looking really great. Melanie is also making a great and speedy recovery, mostly out of sheer willpower, I think.

Emma got to meet Ona for the first time this afternoon as well. After band practice I picked up Emma and she got to look through the doorway into the NICU to see her new baby sister (only parents are allowed in NICU).
So here they are, the cute baby pictures you all want; one beautiful, healthy, happy little girl. She is 18.5 inches tall and weighs in at a commanding 5 lbs 14 ozs.