Welcome Colin James!

Baby Colin decided to make his debut five days early.  After months of thinking he'd be early because of pre-term labor, we are so glad to have him here at full-term!  I've had irregular contractions for weeks now, but last Tuesday, between 11:45 p.m. and 4:30 a.m., I was up with strong contractions that I had to breathe through, though they were still very irregular in terms of duration and frequency.  Sometimes they were two minutes apart and sometimes they were twelve, and I just wasn't sure they were strong enough to be considered real labor, though they were very painful.  By 5 a.m. Wednesday morning, they were extremely intense and painful, although still irregular (8-10 minutes apart and then 2-3 minutes apart, and then a fifteen minute break), and there was no sleep to be had.  At 6, Jarom said I should just call the doctor, who told me to come in to the hospital even though the contractions weren't exactly regular.  

So we grabbed Bryson and our bags that have been packed for weeks and headed to the hospital.  By 6:45, I was in my hospital room dilated to a 5 and had my first round of antibiotics for Group B Strep and an epidural shortly thereafter.  Thankfully Grandma Jane was there to take B out to the lobby for the epidural and later the delivery.  Contractions really slowed down after the epidural, which was fine with me because it takes four hours for the Strep antibiotics to take effect and Jarom and I were able to rest for a few minutes.  The doctor broke my water around noon and soon after, my contractions kicked up and I was ready to push.

 

At 2:15, I started pushing while waiting for the doctor, but Colin's heart rate dropped to the 80s and low 60s at times, and the nurse had me stop pushing and start panting while she put a heart monitor on Colin's head.  She had me wait until his heart rate came back up and the doctor came in to start pushing again.  Apparently, Colin swallowed some fluids  on his way out because of the distress, but because he was delivered fairly quickly and his heart rate went back to normal, they let me continue with the delivery.  After 36 minutes of pushing, Colin James was born at 2:51 P.M.  Colin weighed 6 pounds, 9 ounces and is 18 3/4 inches long (In our family we have to stretch height as far as we can) with a 14 inch head circumference.  His Apgar scores were 8 and then 9.

Having a full term baby is so much different than our experience with Bryson, our 35 weeker who had to stay in the NICU.  They didn't have to whisk Colin away from me and I was able to hold him immediately and establish nursing soon after birth.  Bryson came in to meet his brother and I loved how excited Bryson was to finally greet the baby we've been waiting so long for.  I was overcome with emotion that Colin is here safe and sound and that am in awe of this new little person. 

Bryson has been very loving and gentle with Colin.  He helps put in Colin's pacifier when needed and likes to comb Colin's hair and hold him occasionally.  However, Bryson doesn't appreciate hearing Colin cry, especially when we go in to change Colin at 3 in the morning.  We were in the hospital for two days (it was a full house with my mom and Bryson in one bed and Jarom, Colin, and I in the other).  We have now been home for two days and are grateful my mom is visiting to help with Colin.  Colin is doing well, though he is a big spitter and has had to have the mucous and fluid build up in his stomach suctioned a couple times in the hospital and at home.  I am going through all the woes of nursing a newborn, but the physical recovery has been way easier than when I had B (though B continues to tell me that I "still look REALLY pregnant").  After the roller coaster of bed rest, we are so glad Baby Colin is here and made it full-term!  Bed rest works, and Colin is our little bed rest miracle!