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We came home from the hospital on Sunday. Baby did great in the car and Darling Daughter watched him very closely the entire ride. She is a little mother hen and loves holding and feeding him. I haven't let her change a diaper yet. Mainly because he still has the plastibel (sp?) from his circumcision and his umbilical cord hasn't fallen off yet. We went outside Sunday afternoon and there was a huge wooden stork with Baby's Birth statistics stationed in our front yard. It's the coolest thing! I'll post pictures once I get them uploaded. (Thanks Cheri!) Baby is doing great! He's 9 days old today. He has his 2 week check up the day before his due date. Kind of crazy... He has his days and nights mixed up totally, but we are adjusting.
As for me... Tuesday morning I got up from going to the bathroom and my C-Section Incision started bleeding quite a bit. Baby and I were here by ourselves so I called 911 and the ambulance came to get me. There was a great lady police officer that held baby and gave him a bottle while my Mother in Law made the trip over. I first went to the local emergency room where they got me stabilized and made sure that I had not lost to much blood. They also found me some clothes to wear as I only had on a bra and t-shirt when they loaded me on the gurney. I then had to go to my Ob-Gyn's office where they assured me that the incision coming open is a normal thing. They explained that a lot of fluid sometimes builds up behind it and the incision has to come open in order for the fluid to come out. They said if they were to close it back up I would be at a huge risk for infection so they've ordered bed rest (ugh! again) and DH has to change the dressing on it 2 - 3 times a day. Luckily my MIL had taken off this week to help out and she's been taking care of me, the house and family. She has other obligations today and my Sister is going to come help us. I guess I was just destined for a LONG PAINFUL recovery! Next week I have to go back to the Doctor on Tuesday for them to make sure the incision is healing and Baby has his appointment on Thursday. So truly... How do I thank all of the wonderful people in my life that have helped so much through my pregnancy, birth, and now postpartum recovery. I'd name everyone, but then I might miss someone and then I'd feel really terrible... I hope everyone is having a great day and enjoying this BEAUTIFUL weather!!
The last update you all had received was on Tuesday after my 37w 5d appointment. I was ecstatic because Mr. Baby Boy had decided to turn and we were going to be able to attempt a regular delivery and hopefully forego the c-section. Tuesday night around 10:00 I had this awful pain come up behind my right breast and it radiated into my shoulder and back. I knew it wasn’t contractions, but I had no idea what it was. I tried taking Tylenol and through it up. I took a hot shower. I took Rolaids. I could not get any relief from the pain no matter what I tried and it was becoming so severe that it was making me nauseous and unable to think clearly.
At 6:15 Wednesday, September 10, 2008 I gave in and called the On-Call Doctor for advice. He recommended I meet him at Labor and Delivery (L&D) to be checked. Jon was already at work and had to come back to Rowlett and pick me up. While waiting on him, I packed the hospital bag, fed the dogs and cried I was in so much pain. Finally, he gets there to pick me up and we head to the hospital. Of course, its 7:30 on a weekday morning and traffic is bumper to bumper. We get checked in and put in an L&D Observation room and await the Doctor. Doc comes in and explains that the pain I’m having sound as if it’s related to my gallbladder or liver. He ordered some lab work be done and sends me for a level 2 sonogram. No pain meds until we figure out what the issue is…
They come in and take me upstairs to have the sonogram done. First they check on Baby Boy. He is doing great! Heart and lungs appear to be functioning. He’s still head down, but he’s not engaged (ready to come down the birth canal). The sonogram also estimates that Mr. Baby Boy weighs about 8lb 15oz (10 oz more than yesterday!) Also, it does not appear that I have any type of gall stones and my gall bladder does not appear to be inflamed. The Sonogram Doctor (Patton?) comes in to explain his thoughts on the results. He first explains that since my Gall Bladder looks fine that the only other explanation for the pain I’m having is that my liver is preparing to get very sick or fail. This is caused by the hypertension I have experienced the last month. The only “cure” at this point is to get Baby Boy delivered. The Doctor then goes into a discussion around delivering Baby Boy. He points out that 1) Baby Boy is a BIG baby, 2) Baby Boy is not engaged in the birth canal, 3) Inducing labor will probably not work, it will just put my body through 12 – 14 hours of hell to end up with a c-section anyway. 4) Baby may not fit through the birth canal. He’s talked through his recommendations with Dr. Griffith (my Ob-gyn) and they are in agreement that a c-section would be the best way to get Baby Boy here. He sends me back to L&D to await Dr. Griffith so we can make the final decision.
Back in L&D, Dr. Griffith comes in and we collectively decide that a C-Section is best and we will do it in 4 short hours at 4:00. I finally get some stadol to ease the pain in my side and shoulder and begin to drift in and out to sleep. About 3:30 the anesthesiologist comes in to start my epidural. The process goes fairly quickly and in a matter of minutes I am completely numb. They then try to lower the bed and get me back into a resting position. Unfortunately, the bed has decided it no longer wants to work at the hospital but it would rather be a see-saw at the local playground. Only the foot of the bed will move at this point and that’s where I’m sitting as numb as can be! So picture a hugely pregnant woman, numb from the waist down, sitting on the down side of the see-saw and a panicked anesthesiologist and 3 nurses trying to figure out how in the heck they are going to keep me from falling and get me back up into a bed and ready for surgery… The staff at my hospital is very innovative and cleverly figures out that a lot of people lifting and a working bed is the best way to save the day.
At 4:16pm they wheel me into the Operating Room (OR). The room is not what I had imagined. It’s very white and cold. They put up the sheets all around me so that I can’t see the incisions they are making. They turn on a country music radio station and get to work. At 4:38pm Wednesday, September 10, 2008 we welcomed Baby Boy Chandler to this world weighing 7lb 7.8oz. He was 19 ¼ inches long. (Not such a BIG baby after all!) I didn’t get to hold the baby right away, but Jon did and he brought him over to me so I could see him and the nurse snapped a couple of pictures. They all went off to the Nursery while Doc finished sewing me back up and I headed for recovery. I finally made it up to my post partum room about 6:00. They finished up Baby Boy’s admissions and brought him to the room around 8:30. Big Sister had to leave about 8:15 to go home and get ready for school on Thursday. She was NOT happy that she didn’t get to hold her brother! She will get to hold him on Friday afternoon and there is a picture of her that she made him at Sibling Class in his hospital crib, so he always has her nearby.
Sorry this was so long! Baby Boy is precious and I love him dearly.
7 pounds 8 oz
19 1/4 inches
4:39 pm sept 10th
So I went in today for my final OB visit before my scheduled C-Section on Friday afternoon. To everyone's surprise Baby Boy decided to turn in the last week or so. I really think it was yesterday as he was a lot more active than usual. He is currently weighing about 8lbs 5oz, is still practicing his breathing and his HR was 142.
Doc says due to baby's size, my history the past month with high blood pressure, seeing floaters, protein in my urine and almost passing out, that we still need to go ahead and get baby delivered. He gave me the option of inducing or continuing with the scheduled C-Section. He did give me the disclaimer that my Bishop's Score (http://209.151.26.25/bishop.htm) does not really put me in a favorable position for an induction and that I may end up with the C-Section anyway.
I chose to try the induction first... I REALLY don't want a C-section if I can avoid it. So.... instead of going to the hospital on Friday afternoon at 2:30 for a 4:30 c-section, I will be going to the hospital Thursday night at 10:00pm. Around midnight they will place the Cytotec to start to ripen my cervix. Then about 7:30 or 8:00 Friday morning they will start the Pitocin.
Here's hoping for a regular delivery on Friday, September 12th and THANK YOU Baby Boy for turning around for Mommy!!!!
I went in to see Doc for the first time since my hospital stay last week. He said all of my tests came back High Normal... meaning as long as I don't see any more flashers, black out or start swelling in my hands, abdomen, or face then we are good to let baby boy cook a little while longer. I'm still officially on Bed Rest.
Tuesday I go back in to discuss all of the details for a c-section, have a final sonogram to see if Baby Boy has turned (Doc said he was still head up today and he doubts it, but for me not to lose hope...) Doc wants to schedule the C-Section for Friday, September 12th. I'll be 38 weeks and 1 day at that point. At the last sonogram (week ago today) Baby Boy was approximately 7lb 5 oz and was practicing his breathing and moving around really well. Doc says he should be fine if we can keep him cooking another week.
So now.... I'm waiting on the Scheduler to call so we'll know what time on the 12th baby boy will be making his appearance.
I'm worried of course....
I'm hoping baby boy doesn't act out and decide that he wants to pick his own birth date a week earlier than planned....
I don't want to have a c-section. The only surgery I have ever had in my life was my wisdom teeth removal. I'm going to try and get my mind set around it soon....
I still don't have my "To Do" list completed. (Hubby says we'll get it all done this week and weekend.)
I am also excited... I in just 10 days I'll have my baby boy in my arms!!
Thanks for listening... I hope everyone is doing well today!
