Welcome Selah Rae!

Selah Rae Erickson joined our family on October 26 at 8:18am.  Her birth was unique in its own way, but was fast just like big brother and sister!

 

Selah was breech, so we had an external cephalic version performed less than 48 hours before her arrival.  My OB was able to turn her, and we had planned on an induction at 39 weeks so that her birth could be more controlled, like Cameron's.  But Selah had her own ideas....

 

On Thursday morning, at 37 weeks 6 days, my water broke at 6:20am.  I had had some painful contractions the night before, and was sleeping on the couch.  But the contractions honestly weren't any worse than my usual Braxton Hicks, and I had fallen back asleep.  The big kids usually got up at 6:45, but they were up at 6 that day and we had some snuggles on the couch.  Then I felt a little 'pop', got up from the couch, and realized it was go time!  From that moment on, it felt like we were racing the clock. 

 

Mom came over, we got to say goodbye to the big kids (a small blessing that they were up early that day!), and we headed down to Mercy.  Once we got to triage, things seemed to enter slow motion.  I kept saying, 'I'm contracting every 3-4 minutes, I have a history of fast labor...' but there are so many steps between getting to the hospital and getting to the delivery room! 

 

I can't remember what time we made it to the delivery room - 7:45 maybe?  My contractions started getting more painful, and Mark and I both knew we didn't have much time.  Due to a scheduling snafu, Mark couldn't easily figure out who in his group was covering for epidurals.  So I got the best of the best - hubby put in my IV and epidural!  He did a great job, and worked so fast once we got back to the room.....but even by bringing my own anesthesiologist with me, I ran out of time.  Selah was born 3 minutes after he dosed the epidural, so it hadn't set up yet.  The OB barely had time to glove up.  We tried to warn everyone that I deliver fast! 😂

 

 

Selah weighed 6 lbs, 8 oz (same as Chloe), was 17.5" long, and had Apgars of 8 and 9.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meeting big sister and brother

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Meeting auntie Anna

 

 

 

 

 And all four of her grandparents!  We are so blessed that they all live in Ankeny.....we've had so much help this time around!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Selah's middle name was chosen for Mark's grandfather, Ray.  By coming early, she actually arrived on his birthday, which we think is pretty special!  We are so happy to have her here safe and sound!