The weeks leading up to the big day were a little crazy for me pregnancy-wise. You can read about of that here. Between a maternity triage visit, extra OB appointments and regular OB appointments I got bounced around quite a bit through the multiple doctors at the OB practice that I go to. All along throughout my pregnancy, the doctors would read my chart and give me their own little scenario for how the end of the pregnancy could potentially go based on the labor and delivery with Lainey. Lainey was not only a large baby (9 lb 4 oz and 9 days late!) but she had large shoulders (shoulder dystocia) which complicated things and actually could have been a lot worse. Since subsequent babies tend to be larger than the one before, they wanted to keep an eye on my measurements and do an ultrasound toward the end to see just how big little mister was going to be. On November 1st, I finally saw the doctor who delivered Lainey and the one that I would say I'm most familiar with and the one I trust and like the most. Based on how big he estimated the baby to be (he said about 8 lbs and some that day) and the fact that I was already 3 cm dilated and 50% effaced, he suggested induction during my 39th week. I definitely would have preferred to go into labor on my own but the doctor was reassuring and since my body had already begun some of the work AND since it was my second baby, he all but guaranteed things would go a little smoother this time around. Dr. H. wasn't even actually on call that day - he was working the clinic which is across the street, but he still offered to deliver our baby and just pop over to the hospital a few times during the day, which was so nice of him. So, we were scheduled for Tuesday, November 6th...
I think with your first baby, it's scary in some ways because you have no idea what you're in for. With your second baby, it's scary in some ways because you know exactly what you're in for. I was definitely battling some nervousness and fear that morning, but I was also so so so excited that by the end of the day, we'd get to meet our baby boy!
 |
| So excited to have a baby! |
We got checked in around 8 AM and were assigned 2 nurses. They were both awesome! Shortly after, the on call doctor, Dr. F. did his rounds and came in to check in with me. The nurse told him that Dr. H. was actually going to deliver our baby (which was kind of awkward) and he wished us good luck and went on his way. Dr. H. made it over to the hospital and broke my water at 8:53 AM. (I only know this because it was written on the white board in the delivery room which I stared at all day) At this point I was dilated 4 cm. They had me get up and walk the halls for about an hour or so and then started pitocin. Around noon, they checked me again and I was still only 4 cm. I was getting more uncomfortable but it was bearable. I definitely wanted to avoid the fentanyl that I got while in labor with Lainey - it made me feel totally crazy and loopy - so I just had to grin and bear it while they continued to up the pitocin. At 2, I was still only at 4 or 5 cm and so I decided to get an epidural. The same thing happened with Lainey - I never progressed past 5 cm until I got an epidural. So around 2:30, I was enjoying the benefits of near numbness from the waist down - ahhh! I was able to relax and even nap for about an hour while Jed watched Jeopardy.
Around 3:45, the nurse came in to re-position my fetal heart rate monitor (which they had to do constantly because the baby was so so SO active!) and said she'd be back around 4:00 to check my cervix. Right at 4:00, the on call doctor popped in to check on me. He said he was going to check my cervix and see where I was at to let Dr. H. know. When he checked me, he asked me to push a few times. The baby reacted to this and the doctor said the nurses would be in any moment (since they watch the monitors from their station in the hallway). Sure enough, they came rushing in and were surprised to see the doctor and we were all surprised when he said that I was at 10 cm, the baby was "right there" and was ready to be born! I couldn't believe it was time already! He said that he didn't have time to call Dr. H. over from the clinic and that he knew he would make 10 patients wait over there if he did, so he asked if it was okay if he deliver our baby, which was totally fine with us!
They finished getting everything set up and at 4:15 I started pushing. I'm not exactly sure, but 5, 6 or 7 pushes and 8 minutes later, Wyatt was born at 4:23 PM! The nurses and Jed were SO encouraging and it all just happened so, so fast. I kept saying that over and over again, I just couldn't believe he came so quickly! They put him right on my chest and we got to meet our son! We enjoyed a few sweet and wonderful moments!
Jed followed him over to the table as he got cleaned up, weighed and checked out. He was totally perfect in every way. He even got a perfect 10 on his second Apgar test and one nurse said it was the first 10 she had ever given! Coupled with his crazy movements while still in the womb and the fact that he cried and cried and cried even louder for a long time after he was born, the nurses told me I probably would have my hands full with this wild boy!
 |
| This might be my favorite picture from the whole day. Look at those cute feet! |
The whole experience after he was born was drastically different than it was with Lainey. He never left our room, he was able to nurse within the first hour of his life (and did so like a champ) and traveled with us down to the mother/baby floor after about an hour and a half. He met his big sis briefly and got his first bath within the first 5 hours of his life - how exciting!
Our hospital stay was great - we had the same nurses both nights and days, which was really nice. Jed was busy with Lainey during some of the stay, so I got to have lots of one on one time with my new little man. He is just the sweetest!
 |
| Those cheeks! All of his weight is in his cheeks! |
That is the story of Wyatt's birthday! We are so thankful for our handsome new addition. We are surely blessed!
So sweet, Sarah!! Thanks for sharing the story. He is beautiful!
ReplyDelete