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!

 

Anti-Climactic

I know these pictures are getting more and more anti-climactic as I come upon full-term, but I thought I'd keep posting them as long as this baby is staying put.  I'm having irregular contractions, but it seems like Baby Boy is hanging on until the very end.  We'll most likely have to wait to meet Baby Boy until I'm induced this Friday.

Waiting Game

I am now 38 1/2 weeks pregnant with Baby Number 2.  Had you told me that I would have made it this far when I was in the hospital with preterm labor ten weeks ago, I would not have believed you.  Baby Boy has decided to extend his residence in utero for who knows how long.  I've had irregular contractions that come and go in terms of duration and intensity, but they haven't done enough to put me into active labor, so obviously, there's no baby yet.  The last two weeks of being off of bed rest have felt great, and I've been doing a lot of "nesting" lately.  I've made freezer meals to eat after the baby arrives, organized cupboards and closets, and cleaned every room in our apartment.  I'm now running out of projects and think we're just about as prepared for this baby as we can get, but we still have no idea of his actual arrival date.  I can schedule an induction for the week after next (when I'll be full-term), but we're trying to work out the details since Jarom just started his new nursing job and has different hours, and there's no way I'm scheduling a delivery if I know he's not going to be there.  We're hoping that I'll just go into labor on my own, but like I said, Baby Boy finds himself in a comfortable position and has decided to stay put for the next little while.  Looking at the bright side, we will be holding our newborn baby boy anytime now.

B and I made some freezer meals for the hectic days with a newborn.

The Long Haul?

For those of you who check our blog every day to see what's happening, I am still pregnant, so there's no baby yet.  I am 36 1/2 weeks pregnant today, and I might just be in for the long haul.  Jarom has been convinced all along that I'd go full-term or even go past my due date.  Wouldn't that be ironic?  I was taken off of bed rest and my medications on Monday, and even with increased activity and without medicine, my contractions are still only occasional, though they are getting a little more intense and I have progressed slightly since last week.  But active labor could still be a ways off.  People keep asking when we think this baby will make his appearance, and we honestly have no idea.  He's just taking his time, and that's OK with us because it will mean we'll soon have a healthy baby in our arms who we can bring home with us.  Thanks for your prayers that got us this far and for the continued prayers for Baby Boy.  Here are a few pictures from the last two weeks of this pregnancy.  We'll keep everyone posted when something starts happening!  

     

Another Milestone

Today I am 34 weeks pregnant with our second son and the countdown is officially on.  I have 14 more days of bed rest (if all goes well and the baby doesn't come before that).  After seven weeks of bed rest so far, two weeks seem very doable (though I doubt they'll pass any quicker than previous bed rest days).  I'm also looking forward to a wheelchair field trip this week.  We've been setting up baby stuff in preparation for the baby's arrival, and have been having fun with that.  But we still have lots to do, so we all need this pregnancy to last longer.       

 

I'm glad that my contractions haven't become regular and that my everything has stayed stable for the last six weeks and thus Baby Boy has stayed put.  34 weeks is a great milestone because Baby has an excellent chance of survival and will likely face few health effects.  Right now the baby is putting on weight, learning to suck, and developing his lungs.  If needs be, those things can be done outside the womb, not that I'd like that.  This pregnancy is still going strong, and I'm not giving up anytime soon, as I don't want a second premature baby.  Having one preterm baby was hard enough, and Bryson was only mildly premature.  Bryson came at 35 weeks, just one week from now.  At that point I'd gone back and forth from the hospital several times because I  had been having contractions one to two minutes apart all week.  The doctor broke my water because my labor was progressing so slowly and I was in A LOT of pain.  Bryson had jaundice and was in the NICU for five days to learn to eat.  Having a premature baby in the NICU was a very difficult experience that I do not want to repeat, so I wouldn't get my water broken this time around, thus giving this baby as much time as possible.  I'm hoping that given a similar situation this pregnancy, doctors will be able to control my pain until this baby s actually ready for delivery.  Each day counts, so as long as Baby Boy is willing to hang out, so am I.  Now it's on to 35 weeks, and then AT LEAST 36!

Bryson the day after he was born, five weeks early