Overcooked and Underweight

It's amazing how time ticks away when a Newborn dictates your life. All he does is eat, sleep, and mess his diaper. All I do is feed, rock, and change him. And time just slips away. I've been meaning to write about his birth.. well... since he was born. For you to read and for me to remember.

My last doctor appointment was on May 12/08. Dr Hellawa had some concerns about the Baby's weight and growth. In addition, there was only minimal amniotic fluid around him. The decision was made to get the baby out. I was scheduled for induction the following day.

The next morning we went to the hospital. The syntocinon IV was started and increased in dose every half hour. From 1130 AM till about 300 PM I felt tightenings with no pain. I was on constant monitoring - routine for an induction. At 315 PM Baby's heart rate dropped and took what felt like forever to return to baseline. A resident was called and she ruptured my membranes and attached a scalp clip to my baby's head to make sure we were getting an accurate reading. Labor increased in intensity after that and about an hour later I got an epidural. It decreased the intensity of the pain to a tolerable level, but I could still move easily and feel each and every contraction. I was glad for this as I wanted to be an active participant.

Some time later (I couldn't see a clock and lost track of time) the Baby's heart rate dipped again. A resident was called. I turned from side to side to try and ease the burden on the Baby. Eventually he recovered. At this point dilation was 6 cm. We began to talk about a c-section. The decision was made that if the heart rate were to do this again, we would head to the OR. Consent was signed and I was prepped. The syntocinon was turned completely off.

Dr Hellawa was called in to assess the situation. He arrive about a half hour later, checked and found that I was 9 cm. I continued to labor and was shortly fully dilated. Dr Hellawa stated that Baby was low down. He wanted me to push at his command, with or without a contraction. He warned me that the Baby's heart rate might drop and that if it did, he would be ready to pull the Baby out. Sure enough, Baby's heart rate dropped into the 60's. A quick cut and forceps pulled out my baby boy into the safety of the delivery room. He let out a lusty cry before being whisked away for assessment.

Shortly after he was placed on my chest, squirming and red. And we named him Isaiah Jack.

Active labor only took 7.5 hrs. I was surprised that I didn't feel an instant bond with my baby. I knew he was mine, but I didn't know him. In fact, it took a few days until I really felt "bonded" with him.

Isaiah was a bit overcooked and underweight. He struggled the first few days with keeping his blood sugars up. He would put out more energy trying to eat than he got from the feeding itself. He spent a couple of days in ICU being force fed along with breastfeeding until he got a bit stronger. They called him the "sugar Baby" and asked him to give breastfeeding lessons to the others in the NICU.

We went home after 4 days in the hospital. Our family more complete and our lives forever changed.

The First Week

Going home!

In Grandpa Funk's Hands

Curled up in Mum's arms

What a big soother!

The Pout

A Few Details

Further to the pictures posted by the Husband on my behalf;

Isaiah Jack was born on May 13/08 weighing 5 lb 12 oz. Because of his small size for dates he had a hard time keeping his blood sugars up. He would expend more energy trying to feed than he gained with the meal. He went to Neonatal Intensive Care for a couple of days for IV therapy and some tube feeds. Despite these concerns he has a good appetite and is an eager feeder. We were discharged home after 4 days in hospital with stable weights and blood sugars. Now we're busy trying to adapt to life at home.

I'll post the details of the labor and delivery some time this coming week.

It's a Boy!

Tomorrow

Induction day.

Overdue

It's mother's day and I'm officially overdue by 2 days. Tomorrow I go see the doctor again. In the meantime the Husband and I have enjoyed a childless weekend. We went to the theater just because we could. We ate out, went for walks, and accomplished a couple of things around the house.

Here are some recent pictures:

Pre-Baby Family

40 weeks 2 days

Nursery with Blanket from Mum

A Pregnancy 13

Tomorrow marks 40 weeks of pregnancy. This kid is fully cooked. I'm starting to reminisce over what the pregnancy has been like before it's even over. Multiple small concerns over the size of the baby (small), amount of amniotic fluid (small), and words about "growth retardation" (isn't "restricted" a more acceptable way of saying it?) and "placental insufficiency" will ensure that this baby doesn't cook much longer. Here is a list of 13 things that have struck me during the last 9 months:

1 - I do not love being pregnant

2 - I don't hate it either

3 - I'm way more excited about the end result than the process. Truth is, the process has taken over my body. And I don't like to share. I'd like my body back, please.

4 - My biggest symptom this whole time has been a growing belly - the unpleasant symptoms decided not to visit me this time around.

5 - The scariest moments were 2 episodes of spotting at 6 and 8 weeks

6 - I've felt more temperamental, possessive, and emotionally reactive in the last month than I did for the entire previous 8 months of pregnancy. Perhaps a symptom of too much time on my hands? I sit at home, on EI.

7 - Favorite part - fetal movements. Kicks, flutters, rolls, hiccups. And now I can see practice breathing.

8 - No stretch marks. Yet

9 - No significant cravings. But acceptable excuses for having whatever I want on a whim.

10 - My back has been surprisingly tolerant. Worse, yes. Unbearable, no.

11 - The Husband has read way more books than I have. I just don't care to. Books will make me feel guilty and I do that well enough on my own, thanks.

12 - I've worried more about the well-being of my kid in the last couple of weeks than the previous 8 months. Will it be healthy/normal? What if I think it's ugly? What if I don't even like it? What if I die before he/she grows up?

13 - I may be 9 mths pregnant, but I can still clean house, walk the dog daily, climb stairs. I could probably still do a half hour of cardio at the gym.

May labor and delivery be just as easy!

Maternity Leave

I don't know what is with me. Perhaps end of pregnancy hormones. Maybe a sudden change of pace from hectic to s-l-o-w. Maybe I have too much time on my hands to obsess.

I am just plain temperamental. Cantankerous at times, as my Dad would say.

I have a list of things I want to get done. But I don't feel like doing it. I feel like being alone, but then I'm lonely. I think I want this, but then I end up doing that. I react emotionally instead of rationally.

I've been off work for about a week now. I'll be 39 weeks pregnant tomorrow. The kid is set to make a debut any time between now and 3 weeks from now. I can't grasp the leap from pregnant to parent. It thrills and terrifies me at the same time. Although I feel connected with the life inside of me, I can't imagine it in an independent form. I am going to be a parent for... ever. It's kind of a big deal.

If I had known how good I would be feeling, I would have worked longer and brought home a good pay cheque. My back is tender, but I imagined it would be far worse. I can still bend, walk, lift. I'm not particularly huge or awkward. It's a bit too early for gardening. I've come through this remarkably well.

Tuesday I spent one more day with my Mum. We went to multiple medical appointments, did some shopping, and enjoyed each other's company. We've done shopping days for a long, long time. This is probably the last time she'll just be my mum, and not my kid's grandma.

I suppose I'm just bored. I should tackle my "to do" list. I'd like to have the car, but the husband takes it to work most days. So I feel kind of stuck at home. The dog gets me out daily and more often than not, we run into the regulars at the dog park. I have time to get all the things I've procrastinated on completed. But what fun is that?