 |
| Going to have a baby! |
Arrived at the hospital to be induced at 7:00 am Wednesday morning (8/17/11). Started Pitocin, broke my water, and waited. Things were moving VERY slowly (if at all at times). When I finally hit 4cm and was able to have an Epidural, I decided to wait a bit. I just didn't feel like my contractions were strong enough for an Epidural. After awhile of more nothing happening and being stuck at 4cm we decided to get the Epidural and see if things would start to happen when I wasn't so focused on every little contraction. Well I have to say that I had the most brutal Epidural ever administered on any human being ever. The anesthesiologist tried 8 times to get the Epidural in. He kept on hitting my vertebrae. HURT LIKE HELL - and of course I couldn't move because well, the man had a needle in my SPINE! Well he finally got the damn thing in and it didn't take too long for me to start to feel better.. By this point I was off the external monitors and all of the monitors for the contractions and Hunters heart rate were coming right from the source.
 |
| Hurry up and wait! |
I was so glad that all of my family was there. My mom, Dad, Sister, Husband (Josh), and for a good portion of time, my son, Avery.
 |
| Daddy and Big Brother! |
Soon after my little one went to stay with my sister in law, the rest of my family got silly. It made for a good time even though we were all exhausted and my moms car had been involved in a minor fender bender in the parking lot because some teenaged twit was talking on her cell phone and not paying attention to anything else around her. Then some lady came in with my nurse demanding I flip over and get on my hands and knees to try to get things moving to "avoid surgery". I FREAKED out. She just walked in, started flipping me this way and that way. I couldn't feel my legs, let alone did I trust they could hold me up. On top of it all she said the "S" word (surgery). Well my SuperMom basically told her to shove off and I never saw her again. After that I kept having to roll from side to side to try to get things moving as far as getting Hunter to push on my cervix.
 |
| Side to Side, trying to get things going. |
Well by the end of the night I had not dialated past 5cm. My family all went home to get some well deserved rest (with the exception of my husband). This was sometime around 11:45pm. About 15 minutes later my OB came in to check on things and. . . no change. Hunter's head was beginning to swell and with nothing progressing she called for a C-section. SCARIEST WORDS EVER. Well the only anestesiologist that was there was busy with an emergency apendectimy, but as soon as he was done, we were going to go have a baby. Josh called my parents back to the hospital and filled them in on what was going on. I had decided that I wanted to be completley put under for the C-Section because Josh would not be able to keep me calm if I had to be awake while I was being cut open. It was very important to me that he cut the umbilical cord. Well, they got us all dressed up for going to the OR.
 |
| All dressed up. . . don't wanna go! |
When it was time for the anestesiologist to come in and talk to me he had said that he did not want to put me under because it was more dangerous for me and baby to be completley under. Well instant change of plans because I just wanted to do whatever it took to bring Hunter into this world in the safest way possible for HIM. I agreed to be awake. I really wanted my mom to be there with me because I had to be awake, but Josh was already dressed for the job and I still really wanted him to cut the umbilical cord. So we went back to the OR and I managed to fit myself on the narrow table and I got all strapped down, legs together and one arm out to each side (imagine, if you will, a lethal injection execution). The anestesiologist (who was amazingly wonderful) began to administer the anestesia. . . 1st try - no luck - 2nd try - no luck - 3rd try - no luck. . . well. . . remember that brutal Epidural from earlier? It wasn't in the correct position to numb my body where my body needed to be numbed for the C-Section. So I ended up having to be put completley under anyway. I hate to disappoint you, but this is where we skip ahead (as I have no recollection of what came next lol). When I came to there were nurses rudely poking and proding my belly where I had just been cut open. I put an end to that immediatley. Things were kind of a bit of a blur and I couldn't see very well.
 |
| Hunter is Here! |
 |
Finally got to hold my Hunter! (look like hell but.. . who cares?!)
|
Josh had brought Hunter over to me so I could see him. To be honest, I could barely make him out because my eyes just could not focus. When I finally got to the post natal room I finally got to hold my baby. Hunter John. He was born at 1:30AM on Thursday 08/18/2011. 8lbs 15oz 20 1/2" long. Hunter was born with a complete cleft of the lip and palate on the right side and an incomplete cleft lip and incomplete cleft palate on the left side.
 |
| Papa holding Hunter |
My dad had held Hunter while I was waiting to be coherent enough to hold him. I just want to share this and why it means so much to me. My dad had never held a baby this small before. He married my mom when my sister and I were older. When my older son was born it took him at least 6 months to trust himself enough to hold him, and by 6 months my older son was a good size. My dad held my tiny baby when I couldn't. He let Hunter know that everything was going to be okay. He wanted my son to know that he was loved and safe. He wanted him to know so much so that he didn't let his fear of holding such a small baby stand in his way. When Hunter was born my dad's love for him grew so big that nothing was going to stop him from letting his grandson know from the first moment that he was going to be there for him now and for every time he is going through a tough time. This meant the world to me (when I heard about it after I came to, of course).
 |
| Mommy, Daddy, and Hunter |
During my pregnancy my main concern was whether or not I was going to be able to feed Hunter. Feeding is often difficult for a baby born with a cleft. Hunter fed like a champ right away. They had been feeding him with a Mead Johnson Nurser. I had packed 6 different nipple/bottle combinations to take to the hospital - I was determined to find the best way to feed my baby. A nurse from the NICU asked if I had brought with me a Haberman. I had. She came up and we figured out the Haberman together and Hunter was feeding better than ever. I had yet to be successful at feeding him myself. For Hunters next feeding I asked to be alone with Hunter. I felt that without the pressure of someone looking over my shoulder, expecting me to be able to feed my baby, I'd be more successful. I was right. With just me and Hunter alone together feeding took less than 15 minutes. He is a feeding champ!
 |
| Daddy feeds Hunter with the Haberman |
Another concern we had was whether or not Big Brother Avery was going to warm up to Hunter. During our stay in the Hospital Avery was not too keen on the idea of Hunter. He did hold him a couple of times in the hospital. When he wanted him he wanted him but when he was done he was done. When we got home Avery was wonderful! he just wants to help out. He tells us when Hunter wants a "baba" and gets Hunter blankets and covers Hunter with a blanket and gets under the other side of the blanket and lays with him. He loves to give Hunter kisses. They are both so wonderful :)
 |
| Brothers |
 |
| 2 tired boys |
 |
| Welcome Home Hunter |
