McKinley Mae Bagley is here early!

McKinley Mae Bagley

Born Thursday, August 13, 2009
At 9:48 am 5 1bs 8 oz, 17 1/2 inches long

McKinley decided to join us almost 7 weeks early! We certainly were not ready for her but couldn't be more excited that she's here! She is doing amazing! We are in the NICU in St. George. We went into labor in Cedar but they only want babies to be born there that are at least 34 weeks! If only she came two days later we would've made it, instead they sent us by ambulance to Dixie and a few hours later we had her.



She is an amazing little girl. She has already gotten rid of her oxygen tube, IV, and she was off her bili lights but she still has some jaundice and so she is back on those. Now this little girl just needs to learn how to eat and keep her temperature by herself and we can take her home! Unfortunately that will still be at least a week or two or maybe more, at least that is what they are telling us for the moment! The doctors and nurses are really great here. They take such good care of my little baby who really isn't so little considering how early she is. She may have been a ten pound baby if she was full term. She has lost weight since being born which is normal for even full term babies. Right now she only weighs 4 lbs 15 oz. I can't believe she's so tiny. I just hope and pray that she will catch onto that eating thing pretty quick. One of the neonatologists here had a baby at 32 weeks that was born on Mother's day and she didn't go home because of the same reasons as McKinley until father's day. So this could take a while but that's okay.



This picture was me at 32 weeks, I thought for sure I would be one of those women who would go way past their due date and just wait forever but I guess not! Last Wednesday was our 3 year anniversary and my back had been hurting really bad all day but I called the doctor and he told me that it was probably normal and I didn't need to come in but then around one in the morning it got a lot worse and I went to be checked. I think the nurse at the hospital thought it was probably nothing as well but she said she would just check to make sure I'm not dilated. Well she checked, and boy did she get a surprised look on her face instantly, apparently my back wasn't just hurting but I was having contractions! I was dilated to a four and 100% effaced! There was no turning back then! It terrified me, but the whole time I was confident she would be okay in the end even if it took some time.

She is adorable and whether we were ready or not she came. I think Matt must have been "nesting" in my place since I didn't have time to. All day on our anniversary he was just wanting to get things done for the baby. That day he had our floor fixed in her nursery, put more insulation in our attic so he could make sure her room would stay warm, put together her crib and last but not least we went and bought a mattress for her. Just a little advice to all you pregnant first time mothers. Get ready for those babies early. It certainly is not fun trying to figure out what you need and buy everything you need for a baby sitting in the NICU. Oh well!


She is so cute. I think she looks exactly like Matt. She didn't have a name the first four days of life and so we called her Minnie Matt. I can't wait to take her home. I must admit it really made me jealous those first two nights I stayed in the hospital I could hear crying babies in their rooms with their moms and I knew they got to take them home the next day. I know we truly have been so blessed! Under the circumstances things couldn't have gone any better. I really know Heavenly Father was really watching out for us. I just hope she continues to progress and we'll be able to take her home soon!