June 2008

I wrapped up my last newscast before going on maternity leave. I had to stop working one month before my due date because I wasn't going to be able to fly after the eighth month. The next morning, I saw the OB in Minnesota. The baby was still breech, but I wasn't dilated, so I got the OK to fly and hopped on my flight. I connected in Chicago and landed in DC at about 7pm. Chris picked me up, we grabbed some dinner, and went home. We headed straight for the nursery because Chris was excited to show me the newly painted room. As soon as I stepped in the baby's room, I had an urge to use the restroom. I no sooner closed the bathroom door, when my water broke. We called the doctor and she said I had to get into the hospital for an emergency C-section since the baby's head hadn't turned down yet. When we got to the hospital 45 minutes later, I was already five cm dilated and the contractions were getting intense. Fifteen minutes later, I was in the operating room and at 11:58pm on June 2nd, Elise Danielle Dowling was born. She was exactly one month early, but perfectly healthy.