Monday, September 12, 2011

Harper's Birth Story

For those of you who followed my other blog, thank you but it's time for me to move on. This purpose of this blog is to keep my creativity satisfied but to also keep a diary of my family. Will it be all about Harper? No. I still plan on posting recipes but also other fun items, suggestions, and/or stories that I come across. But for this post, it's all about Harper! 


Some of you may already know Harper's true birth story, some of you may know the birth story without details. Nevertheless, here is it. From the dramatics of her 20 week ultrasound to today...Harper's story.






Tuesday, August 30th at 11:54 am we welcomed our little bundle of joy, Harper Alice. She was born at 36 weeks 5 days and decided that she wanted to join us in the world early at 4 lbs 9 oz and 17 inches long. Her delivery was a quickly scheduled c-section. We had an ultrasound scheduled at 8:15 am and by 9:30 am I was in triage getting prepped for a c-section. The reason? Little H had stopped growing due to the placenta that had stopped giving her the nutrients she needed. The blood moving from the placenta to the baby was moving forward but it wasn't as great as it should have been. Therefore, it was time to take her out and to see what she could do on her own. The plan: c-section for me and NICU for the baby. Obviously, it was a whirlwind of a morning but my pregnancy after the 20 week mark was equally as dramatic.


Yep, I must still be on the pain meds for posting this picture!




Friday, May 6th was the day we found out that our daughter, most likely, had Down syndrome but definitely had an AV Canal heart defect (more on this later). We decided to have an amniocentesis done to confirm Down syndrome but the heart defect was immediately evident on the ultrasound. The official confirmation of Down syndrome came the Tuesday after but, call it mother's intuition, I knew that our daughter was going to have Down syndrome.






The diagnosis of Down syndrome was something I could handle. I knew, first hand, how normal life can be for people with Ds but my major concern was, and still is, her heart defect. I thought about it every day I was pregnant with her and think about it more that I am able to hold her and watch how strong she is. But with constant doctor appointments she is closely monitored for any signs of her heart weakening. In the 10 days of her life, she has proven everyone wrong! She did not spend one minute in the NICU despite being 3 1/2 weeks early, under 5 lbs, had a heart defect, and thought she was going to have feeding issues. She keeps gaining weight, at least one ounce a day, she eats from any bottle we give her, and her heart isn't giving us any surprises.




I am keeping this blog not for sympathy...I don't want it. If you feel sorry for me, my husband, or my daughter then this blog is not the blog you need to be reading. We have to come to realize that she chose us for a reason. She is amazing and I couldn't imagine my pregnancy or my daughter her any other way.


Not the best I've ever looked! 

After that 20 week ultrasound I took to the blog world and found some fantastic blogs of other mother's who have children with Ds and/or a heart defect. These women (although we've never met) have helped me through a difficult diagnosis for my (then) unborn daughter. My goal is for this blog to be as supportive as all the blogs that helped me... a special shout out to Patti at A Perfect Lily  and Kelle Hampton at Enjoying the Small Things for having 2 of the best blogs around for showcasing that children with Ds can have a normal life. 









Please follow this blog and pass it along....all with a smile on your face! 


XOXO,

Kaiti

19 comments:

Mama Bird said...

Lovely. I love it and can't wait for you to keep us updated on Harper (like often);)

amomsworld said...

Strong doesn't begin to describe this little one!

Momma Jorje said...

Congrats on the arrival and especially for getting to skip the NICU! Spencer is due to be born (with Ds) in early January. I worry about NICU stay and heart defects. We're having an echo-cardiogram on Tuesday of this week.

Also, is that a foot-long sub next to the baby? :-)

http://www.mommajorje.com

Holly. said...

I had NO IDEA! I am confident that you will inspire others with this blog and your stories of Harper!! Congratulations again on a BEAUTIFUL baby!

Patti said...

okay, bookmarking this page for when I have a crummy day and need a lil' pick-me-up. I love love love this post, and your attitude! that little girl already has me wrapped around her finger:) And you do look beautiful post-delivery!

Heidi Ehle said...

Congrats! Little Harper is going to teach you some truly amazing lessons, be prepared! :) My Lydia has taught me more in her 8 months on Earth than I could have learned in a lifetime without her!
Harper is gorgeous btw! :)

Anonymous said...

Congratulations...I just came over from Lily's blog and had to come see your sweet baby girl. My daughter Emily has DS and is 2 years old and she totally ROCKS!

Kelli @ http://livinglifewithes.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I have just found your blog through Lily's. You little one is adorable.

CM said...

Harper is absolutely gorgeous! Love the name and the beautiful photos. We are almost a year into this journey and would not change a single thing about our Bailey! She had surgery for her AV Canal defect on March 29 and is doing wonderfully! Many hugs, and welcome!!

Kellan's momma said...

Oh my she is absolutely adorable!! Congratulations!! My son, Kellan, will be 2 in 9 days and has Ds, and I couldn't love him any more if I tried!!

April Vernon said...

Congratulations. Harper is beautiful (and that is my favorite name for a girl!!) My little guy with Ds is 16 months. Hope you'll stop by & check out our blog. http://secondtimearound-vernyvern.blogspot.com/
I will definitely be following yours!

lovemy3 said...

Congratulations!!! She is absolutely adorable. I popped over after seeing Lily was set free :-) That is fantastic that she spent now time in the NICU, has no feeding issues and is gaining weight. The DS community is extremely supportive and through all of us, we will show everyone how wonderful our children are and how normal our lives are (if anyone really has a normal life :-)

Kaiti said...

Thanks everyone for the comments and for following me!

Laura said...

Congratulations on sweet Harper!
You are in for the treat of a lifetime!!!!!!! It's the best!

kim said...

congratulations, she is so beautiful. A precious treasure, you are very blessed.
We have 5 children, our youngest has DS and had a complete AV canal and tetrology of fallot...repaired now and four years old, he is a treasure.
Our older kids say "its good to be Will" because he lives a charmed life...so loved, so happy, so funny, and so so so cute.
Going out with Will, even to the grocery store, is an adventure...he has his "poperatzzi", strangers constantly telling us how cute he is, how his smiles lights the room...he truley is joy filled ...but not always an angel...he gets in trouble now and then : )
congratulations on your daughter, I will keep her little heart in my prayers...that heart surgery stuff is no fun, but it is faith changing.
Our son has a carepage www.carepages.com the page name is HeWill feel free to read up on his journey to a repaired heart

RK said...

Welcome to a great club! Congrats on your precious little doll. I have an extra special cutie who is almost 5. We've been through AV canal repair and she's been Miss Fun-and-Silly ever since! :o)

Feel free to come by and take a peek ... http://BraskaBear.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

oh she is BEAUTIFUL! CONGRATULATIONS! i am a huge patti and lily fan and i sense i will be of you lot as well! my beautiful eldest daughter has smith magenis syndrome and the extra special designer genes club is a great place to be! much love janex

KateY Johnston said...

Congratulations on your beautiful baby Harper - what a honey! And total "here here!" for Perfect Lily and Enjoying the Small Things, I too have found great encouragement from their blogs. We had our little Hope in late December 2010 - she is 9 months old and makes my heart bust with pride ...you have an awesome time ahead as momma to your little one and I'm soo glad her heart is beating strong and she is guzzling away..what a blessing!

tekeal said...

congratulations....enjoy your sweetheart and hope you're getting some sleep:-)