Bill was playing golf with some clients in Clayton, a good HOUR away, and everyone that had offered to help out when the time for JR came (in laws, neighbors, etc) were all out of town or not home when I called. Lets just say it was a Friday 13th to be remembered!!
I was induced at 2:30pm, and my contractions started at 8:30pm, so I was REALLY regretting not eating lunch earlier! But, I suppose it was good because I was so crazy worried about being induced so early that honestly I wasn't that hungry until afterwards. The doctors kept warning me that JR might have to be taken away if he wasn't breathing well, and to be prepared that he might only be 3 or 4 pounds. Even though they had all been debating moving my due date up to the 1st of July (and the appointment on the 13th was supposed to make it official if he was still measuring big, but of course he was measuring at the correct size for 35 weeks, making him officially 5 weeks 2 days early) So, my due date was left at the 15th of July, making JR a premie on record and making it a requirement for many tests and observation in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) to make sure he continued to thrive after birth.
So, by 10:50 I was only 5 cm (which if you are a mommy you know that is not a number you want to hear after being pumped full of drugs since 2:30 and having hard contractions since 8:30-side note, I am proud to say I made it with no drugs again). So, the nurses started to warm up JR's table for after birth and get everything ready to wisk him away to the NICU, and the Dr. went to go check on another patient. Wouldn't you know that between the one contraction where I was 5cm, by the end of the next one I was 10cm and JR came out in one push? Yes. I know, I still don't believe it, and I am pretty sure I have become an example case for new nurses.
The doctor wasn't there, the nurses had halfway gotten my bed apart, but had not finished setting up everything as they thought I probably had another 1/2 hour before reaching 10cm. They were across the room, and I said I had to push,and I know the nurses didn't believe me because they just smiled, as if to say, "no way, you're only 5 cm". By then I had grabbed the bed and birthed JR all by myself in one push. The nurses were in shock and one said "Is that the baby crying?" (he was under a sheet, as I was still under bedsheets too)THEN the doctor ran in, and Bill told him we wanted a discount. The doctor laughed, but really, we should get one.
They took JR away, checked him over, and luckily he was breathing well enough at the moment that I got to hold him for a sec. before they took him to the NICU to check out and get stable. Oh, and at birth he weighed 6 pounds. He is so tiny compared to Little Dude's birth size, but still, I am quite proud he was such a large premie!
Over the weekend we had some scary moments with JR's breathing, and we didn't get to spend much time with him at the hospital, so I pumped what I could for him to eat and he got some bottles to help keep his weight up.
We were quite blessed he checked out well enough to come home with us Sunday, as it looked like on Friday night/early Sat. he would have to stay longer. But, he was a little champ, ate well, kept his weight up, improved his breathing, and he reflexes also turned out great. Because of the difficulties he did end up having, and because of his appearance at birth (he still had all of the cheesy skin covering that mostly goes away before birth for full term babies)we know he was earlier than he wanted to be, but considering how well he is doing, I am inclined to think he may not have been as early as my official due date says. He is doing much better than most month early babies and he has actually already achieved rolling onto his side, and physically taking his pacifier in and out of his mouth with his hands. WHOA!
We were blessed to come home on Father's Day with our JR, and Little Dude is doing FANTASTIC with him so far. We have had a few "terrible two's" meltdowns, but all in all, Little Dude is very sweet to JR and even gives him kisses. I think the meltdowns are due to partly just pushing rules as a 2 year old would, and to the change in environment with all the visitors and JR, but hopefully, Little Dude will continue to be sweet to the baby.
At any rate, my next post will have pictures, and I want to thank all our friends, family, and Dakno co workers for their thoughtful gifts, food and play time dates for Little Dude to help us all out. THANK YOU!
3 comments:
Hooray!! I couldn't believe it when Will called John and told him you'd had the baby! Congratulations guys!!! I guess you figured out a good "home made" Father's Day gift for Will after all :)
I am so proud of you! Great job on having that baby and keeping your cool! I cannot wait to see little Ben-Ben! His pictures are so sweet! I'm going to wait a couple days because I feel I have a cold coming on.
Anyway, congrats and I cannot WAIT to see him!
You are truly a trooper to have gone through all that spontaneous worry and uncertainty, and to have been so calm and relaxed on Saturday, even if you weren't really feeling that way on the inside. I still can't believe that 6 lbs. counts as a "premie" because he looks just fine and dandy! I am grateful for your sake that you didn't take him full-term because that would have been a humongous baby for you, and you would have likely not had such an easy time getting him out and into the world! Congratulations and I think this one looks even more like you than AJ... although it is probably too soon to tell what he will really look like.
Post a Comment