Last Wednesday night, the 11th, my contractions began and since I was seriously trying to avoid showing up at the hospital unnecessarily again, I stalled as long as I could. At 4:30am we were back at the hospital only to be told at 5am that I was only dilated to a 2 and was barely effaced! Seriously, you would think after two other kids I would know when I was truly in labor! I was shocked at how easily fooled I had been, not once, but twice! This made me rather emotional and I found myself tearing up when they were suggesting I go home and wait out the next 4 to 6 hours. Really I just didn't trust myself to know when to come back. If it wasn't for them not being able to appropriately monitor the baby's heartrate, I would've been booted out of there but within 1/2 hour the contractions got a whole lot harder and more consistent. By 6am I was sobbing to Todd and begging for the epidural. I've always believed I had a high tolerance for pain...but apparently I do not. Finally at 7am they endulged me and found that I had reached a five and was cleared for hospital admittance and more importantly, the drugs! By 9am I was feeling good except for one small area on the right side of my uterus that just didn't want to go numb...but at least it only took about 4 breaths and a strong fist shoved into my pelvic bone to ease the pain. Eventually that went numb too and I was certain this baby was ready to come. Now I know that the nurses have more education and baby birthing experience than I do but I really got tired of them telling me that they know better and that I was not ready to push and then refusing to check to be sure. I really think Andrew hung out waiting for about 45 minutes...but what can you do. I would've gotten mean and angry if it wasn't for the fact that I was really tired of being wrong and didn't want to go through it again. Only when they decided that they couldn't get a good read on his heartrate did they decide to check and surprise, surprise, Andrew was ready to come. And that was it - Andrew Todd was born at 10:10am on Thursday, July 12th.
Everything from there seemed to go great. I was able to spend the next 4 hours uninterrupted with him and Todd until they came in to give him his bath. I guess he didn't like being cold too much and soon afterward forgot to breathe for a moment. Big mistake as it sent him straight to the NICU for the next 3 days. I cried a bit too much for the next day and a half and tried to get some sleep all by myself in the hospital while they poked and prodded and tested my baby for every possible cause of blue. Turns out, after 3 days, an EKG, x-rays, blood tests, IV antibiotics and feeding, a tube down his throat to his stomach and who knows what else, he is just a healthy baby. I guess that will teach him to hold his breath!! Kaiser is really thorough especially when it comes to their babies. I suppose this is good but I had quite a hard time with it at first and it was frustrating not to come home in my short 24 hours as I do every time. Now that I am home, however, I really miss the amount of sleep I was able to get in the hospital. We are busy with the adjustment phase of Andrew's life. He just needs to figure out what to do with himself once he has been fed and is awake. I've been trying to tell him that I'm not a pacifier but he doesn't seem to agree. Wow! Already stubborn and argumentative. I'm really in for it! But honestly, what a beautiful kid! I feel so blessed and grateful to have 3 healthy little ones and so grateful that there really wasn't anything to worry about with this one. It's good to be home!
Yes, Andrew has been home for about a week and a half now but I had to share some of these photos from the NICU. The day he came home with us, they had to put another IV in for his last dose of anitbiotics...unfortunately, they had to do this in his head. It really looked like some kind of snow cone hat - sad - but really funny. See, even he thought so too!
So I'm finally at the end, though I suppose that could mean 2 more weeks! It's been a great 9 months but I really don't hope to repeat it again - 3 seems enough, right?? A decision to be made a bit later I suppose...
Is she in labor???? Mmmmm...not likely - she's still smiling:)
