Rachel Nightingale Clift

Date Comments Pix
June 8 I’M HERE!!! See me on my main page!  
June 7 The most exciting boring day of our lives! Started the Pitocin induction at 2pm, at ONE milliunit per hour. After 30 minutes, we go to TWO. Another 30 minutes and we are at (gasp!) THREE!  OK, the max they give is THIRTY / HOUR, so you get the idea.  She’s now (9pm) at 12, and while she’s certainly had some contractions, they aren’t very regular or very impressive.  So if they let us, we’re going to plow ahead and keep upping the dosage all night long. Because if we stop to get some sleep, then they start again tomorrow morning at (any guesses?) ONE!  So the marathon Pitocin ceremony continues...

UPDATE! Karin just called me, and Dr. Doherty is going to start increasing the Pitocin every 15 minutes now.  PLUS, Karin is having a painful contraction even as I type.  So I’m OUTA HERE!!!

 
June 5 Karin has two symptoms of mild toxemia, and so she is going to be induced on Thursday! Rachel will probably be born then, although early Friday is also possible.  
May 30 Another appt: everything is fine, no changes. Dr. Doherty is getting anxious too. She says that she's not going to wait more than a week after the due date.  
May 23 The Doppler today seemed to indicate that Rachel had flipped back (the look on Dr. Doherty's face was hilarious!). But a quick ultrasound showed the she is still pointed down, although she has NOT dropped.  
May 14 Rachel is a GOOD GIRL after all!!! She waited until the last minute, but on the ultrasound her head was pointed down! Just last night she was pointed sideways.  
May 9 Rachel is very naughty! Unlike 90% of babies, Rachel has refused to drop, despite many stern-yet-encouraging words from her family.  
April 26 Rachel played hide-and-seek again with the Doppler, but Dr. Doherty found her heart eventually. Rachel is a little dynamo; she does somersaults constantly!  
April 10 We figure out that Karin's pains are Rachel pressing against her kidneys. Changing positions helps a lot.  
April 3 Karin woke up with severe abdominal pain. Rachel seemed to be fine, but we feared appendicitis and surgery. BUT Karin's white blood count was low, her temp was normal, and the pains eventually subsided. We got to see Rachel again on the ultrasound, although no picture this time. Rachel looks FAT & HEALTHY!  
March 28 Heard Rachel's heart on the Doppler. Discussed birth plan stuff with Dr. Doherty.  
March 14 Karin heard that she passed the longer glucose test. All is normal.  
Early March Karin plays first game with Rachel: Round-The-Belly-Button. Karin presses in one place until Rachel kicks in that spot. Then she moves around to another place and presses there.  Rachel always responds by kicking exactly where Karin presses! Rachel calls this game "STOP THAT!"  
February 28 Heard Rachel's heart on the Doppler RIGHT AWAY this time! 
Karin flunked the glucose test, and will have to do a longer test next week. 		 
February 8 Rachel decided to start KICKING!!! Mommy says she's going to be a soccer player. Daddy felt her kick two days later.  
January 30 Heard her heart on the Doppler again.  
January 15 STILL looks like an alien! #1
January 3 Had trouble hearing her on the Doppler, and seeing her on the ultrasound, but we finally found out why: Rachel was doing The Twist, The Hokey-Pokey, The Monkey, and The Hustle, all rolled into one. But we finally saw her. #1
December 15 Amniocentesis results: NORMAL and HEALTHY #1, #2
November 27 Heard the heart beating on the Doppler  
October 30 Visited Denver & told the family  
October 23 Saw the heart beating on ultrasound #1, #2
Early October Confirmation of Thing  
Mid-September Creation of Thing  

 Her art collection is
already getting started,
Thanks to U n c l e K i c o!!!

(Click on the image for a larger version)
(or you can see Kico's sweet note on back)



Developmental Highlights

Week 34:
April 23 to
April 29 		Fingernails reach to fingertips.
More and more baby, less and less fluid.
12 inches, 4.5 pounds
Week 36:
May 7 to
May 13 		Ridged gums, more and more body fat,
Firmer grasp, ossifying bones.
Week 37:
May 14 to
May 20 		Orienting response (turning toward light),
More fat, more fat, blah blah blah.
OK, so there's not much more to say. She's ready!


The Tests

"I don't know, honey.
Maybe we should
try a fourth brand,
just to make sure."



Telling the family

In 1991 we told our family that we were (finally) getting married by mailing them a Doonesbury cartoon, with no explanation, and waiting for the phone to ring.

So to tell them we were having a baby, we sneakily got them all together in a restaurant and gave them greeting cards with another Doonesbury cartoon on the outside, and the ultrasound on the inside. Not many of them finished reading the cartoon before ripping the card open!


Other Stuff

Sutter Maternity and Surgery Center of Santa Cruz
Janna Doherty M.D. Ob/Gyn

Maintained by Dad
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