Henry Randall White
born 1-19-2011 @ 12:47 am
8 lbs 3 oz
21 in
This little guy does things his way. Near the end of December I was so nervous he was going to come early. Little did I know this little cookie was going to be well-done gestationally speaking.
His due date came and went but physically I was feeling fabulous. I credit this to my memory foam mattress and 3rd trimester lap swimming. When the nurse asked me the routine "and how do you feel?" at my appointment on the 18th, she said I was the first "over-due" woman she has ever heard answer "awesome." The nurse-midwife checked me and said "Oh Wow! I can't believe you haven't had this baby yet!" She confirmed what my doctor had said the week before, that I would go fast and to get to the hospital sooner rather than later. She stripped my membranes and I went home.
The rest of the day I felt a general yuckiness. Mildly achy back and slight cramps, but nothing to suggest labor was eminent. By the time Brian got home, I suggested we take Ellie to grandma's for the night. Not because I thought I was going to go into labor, but because I knew I would sleep better knowing that I didn't have to wait an extra 45 min for someone to come get Ellie if I did go into labor. After dinner we went to Brian's parents' house to drop off Ellie. I started to really focus on feeling contractions. I could feel them but they were no more intense than Braxton-Hicks and they were more than 10 minutes apart and not consistent. I was sure I had a good night's rest ahead of me. We went home. I packed some last minute things into the hospital bag and got ready for bed. By 10:30 pm I realized that we would be going to the hospital that night. Because I was GBS (+) and because of the doctor's warning to get to the hospital early, I decided we should leave, even though I wasn't in pain and still not having consistent contractions. On the way to the hospital the contractions came every 6 minutes. On the walk from the car to OB unit at the UofU hospital they progressed to every 3 minutes. By the time we were approached by the OB nurses I was having difficulty talking during the contractions. They asked "are you here to be evaluated?" I answered "I'm here to have a baby."
At 11:30pm I was put in a room and checked. I was dilated to a 5 and 100% effaced. I told them I was going unmedicated (in the end I really wouldn't have had a choice in the matter). Our nurse gave us some helpful hints and went to get a birthing ball. . . we didn't get a chance to use it. From there things got intense. Nurses brought in a delivery table and started heating up the baby warmer. Erika, our right-hand nurse, kept saying things like "in case things go fast," and "you are progressing quickly." At one point when she left, Brian asked me "what do they mean by "fast"?" I told him I figured in labor terms 4 to 5 hours is fast. They started me on penicillin for the GBS and turned it on the fast drip because as Erika said "just in case things go fast."
I threw up and my water broke. That pulled two resisdent Drs into the room. "We've called Dr. Sharp, hopefully he'll make it." I knew he lived 5 minutes away, so this gave me a better idea of what they were meaning when they said "fast." After I threw up, I felt the need to push. The contractions were intense. It was incredible! The hardest part was resisting the urge to push through the contractions. Dr. Sharp came into the room and I was so relieved thinking surely he would let me push now. He checked me and encouraged me to make it through a couple of more contractions to open up the last little bit of cervical lip. Finally after reaching pinnacles that I didn't know existed within my body, I was told to push. I could feel him move quickly through me. After one contraction he was well into the birth canal and his heart rate dropped drastically, I could hear it on the monitor. "If you can push, push." Dr. Sharp said. No problem. The animal mommy in me kicked in and pushed that noggin out before the end of the next contraction. It was absolutely euphoric. Every metaphor I have ever read or heard before referring to a woman in travail or relief after labor took on a whole new meaning in that moment. My body was humming and I had this little man in my arms.
From the time we got the the OB unit to the time of his birth was 77 minutes (11:30 pm to 12:47 am).
1-18-2011 at approx 11:30 pm
77 minutes later
Being GBS (+) has turned out to have been a blessing and a curse. I am certain I would have waited much longer to go to the hospital had I not been concerned about getting the antibiotics started. This baby could have so easily been born at home or in the car . . . scary thought. However, obviously we didn't get the antibiotics going in time to protect little Henry. While infections to infants from GBS are rare, even in cases like this, the complications from such infections are so serious to newborns they have to be watched carefully. Right away some small and seemingly minor symptoms of infection started showing up in our little guy. Yesterday they did some bloodwork and a spinal tap. He was having a hard time regulating his temperature and glucose levels so they had to take him to the NYI (this is a nursery that is a step down from the NICU). Initial culture results have come back negative for infection, which is awesome! But it takes 48 hours to confirm absolutely no infection. Depending on how well he does with his glucose levels and the results of the cultures, he may need to stay longer. Not ideal, but nothing we can't handle. He looks so good with his chubby cheeks and rosy complexion it is hard to feel the worry we felt with his half pint sister. He is more than twice the size she was at birth. We are cautiously optimistic that all will be well and he can go home on Friday. Time will tell and we know from experience how fickle those glucose numbers can be.
Today is discharge day . . . but not for our little guy. I am not surprised, but I am a little disappointed. There is a guest room available to me for tonight so I will stay at the hospital with him for at least one more night. He is doing well. They mostly want to keep him for observation since his blood sugars have not completely stabilized and infection is still a threat. Oh boy does he look handsome! He reminds me of a little turtle the way he stretches his neck up and squints at me. I love this kid.
Brian and Ellie brought some treats to share with me last night. I miss my little girl but she is having the time of her life with dad. She got to meet Henry once before they took him into the nursery. It was such a sweet moment. She wasn't surprised in the least to see baby brother in my arms. She hopped right up on the bed and started talking to him and commenting on his diaper, ears, nose, hands and everything else she could pull out of her vocabulary. Since then she has been a little upset that he hasn't been here with me. Sadly, but understandably, she is not allowed in the NYI.
Thanks Jen and Nathan for the 'big sister' present. It has kept her occupied while Brian gets daddy-time with his boy.
This little guy does things his way. Near the end of December I was so nervous he was going to come early. Little did I know this little cookie was going to be well-done gestationally speaking.
1-18-2011 at approx 11:30 pm
77 minutes later
