Henry's birth

Thursday, November 21, 2013

6:00am- We arrived at Methodist Stone Oak for our scheduled induction on Henry's due date.

Between 6:30am-7:30am- The nurse tried to start my IV and my vein apparently "popped" twice. She kept saying, "It popped. Oh no. This is not good. It popped..." and I could feel blood spurting out of my hand, even though my head was turned and I couldn't see anything. This caused me to start feeling very nauseous and lightheaded, just like I had previously experienced at work a couple weeks back. The doctor called this a Vagel response/episode. Basically, the stress of the situation causes my blood pressure and heart rate to drop quickly and drastically. Which also affected the baby and his heart rate. The nurse called another nurse in to try the IV in my other arm. She did so with no problems. I looked up to see 4-5 nurses in the room looking at the baby monitor. My doctor was called in and he said he wasn't sure this baby was going to tolerate labor- not a good thing to hear. So Dr. Feinstein told me he wanted to let the baby and I relax for a while before we started any induction techniques.

9:00am- Dr. Feinstein came in and broke my water and started pitocin. I had been having contractions on my own, so the nurses were thinking this was going to go quickly.

10:20-ish- I sent Kristin a text that contractions were starting to hurt.

11:07am- Texted, "I'm about to say screw this and get an epidural." Then they upped the pitocin, so it was ago on the epidural.

12:00pm- I got an epidural. BUT it didn't work, not completely. My right side of my abdomen was numb, but the left side didn't take for some reason. The pain from the contractions went from being in the low center of my stomach to all of the left side of my torso. It hurt so bad I couldn't talk through them- all I could do was lay on my side and try to breathe through them. At one point I did start crying too. I remember the anthesialogist kept coming in and trying to give me more medicine, or adjusting the line in my back, but nothing was helping.

2:15pm- Dr. Feinstein came into the room dressed in his scrubs and ready to go! The nurse had been getting a little frantic beforehand and was moving around quickly. I'm not sure if I was a little out of it because I was still in a lot of pain, or if she just didn't say much, but the time before this all happened very quickly. A few minutes before Dr. Feinstein came in, Dr. Dubois came in again and gave me a double dose of medicine in the line in my back. So right before I started pushing, I FINALLY was numb on both sides. I remember pushing when the nurse told me I was having a contraction. We would do sets of three pushes. I could feel in my face I was pushing as hard as I could, but I couldn't feel my bottom area at all- so it was hard to tell if I was doing it right. All I could go off of was the nurses and Dr. telling me good job and that I was moving the baby down.

2:27pm- Henry is here! I was shocked when I opened my eyes to see him coming out- it happened so fast! They laid him on my stomach and he immediately started to pee, mostly on me :) The Dr. asked Benny if he wanted to cut the cord, but he didn't since he "doesn't feel qualified for that", so then the Dr. asked if I wanted to- so I did :)
7 lb. 5 oz. 20.5 inches long with beautiful dark hard and a healthy set of lungs. Love at first sight <3

Welcome Henry

Henry,
Welcome to the world baby boy. Today you are a week old and it just happens to be Thanksgiving Day. How fitting :) This year we have so much to be thankful for, and you definitely top our lists. I have adored you since the moment they laid you on my chest second after your birth. Your daddy loves you so much and is always so gentle with you. Your big brother Joel is smitten with you as well, and says the sweetest things like, "I could just hold him all day mommy." (Even though his holding you sessions as usually about a minute long and then he's ready to get up and go again).
At one week old you sleep. You wake up to eat every 3 hours. And you sleep. And sleep. I know this phase won't last forever, so I am soaking up all the snuggling time I get with you. You sleep best at night in our bed lying right next to me, and I definitely sleep better that way. Thank you :)
We had a lot of time together in the hospital since you roomed in with me, rather than going to the nursery. Your daddy went home at night since there was just a chair for him to sleep in, so I was able to take care of you by myself- which I didn't mind and actually enjoyed having the opportunity to get to know you!
Everyone says how sweet and easy of a baby you are. I agree of course. I always wondered how it would be to have two children and if I would be able to love another baby as I do your brother. But you have come into our family seamlessly. I already can't imagine life without you. I have been overcome with emotions a few times since you've been born. Not stemming from frustration or exhaustion, but of an overwhelming sense of gratitude and love. I know I am blessed beyond what I probably deserve with you boys. I am so thankful you are healthy and thriving. And I am thankful to have the opportunity to be your mother. I won't let you down- promise.
So welcome to the world sweet Henry David. I hope you see the best of it.
Love,
Mommy