John Robert's Birth Story

On Monday, June 10, we were told to schedule a routine Non Stress Test for Friday, June 14, just shy of 41 weeks to ensure baby was still looking good in utero. When we showed up at 9AM that morning, I'll admit, I was a bit nervous. I wrote it off as taking another test I couldn't study or otherwise prepare of, and my blood pressure showed it, up in the 140s/90something.  Then, during the NST, he was not particularly active. Blood pressure was down to 136/82 by the end of the test, but we were sent on the Labor and Delivery for further monitoring.

It was about 10AM when we arrived at the hospital and made our way up to OB Triage. My blood pressure was way down when I laid on my left side, and, while I felt baby reacting on the fetal heart monitor, his heart rate was not accelerating like they had hoped. (Good news was, though, that it wasn't decelerating, either.) My Dr came back and explained the results. The next plan of action would be to admit me, do a Contraction Stress Test, and decide from there how the baby was going to get here. Regardless, she told us, "You're having a baby today." Nick promptly went home to switch cars and get our stuff.

About 12:30, we were moved into our Labor and Delivery room. I got hooked up to another Fetal Heart Rate Monitor, a contraction monitor, and some pitocin. The goal was to get the pitocin to bring on 3 contractions in 10 minutes and see how the baby responded. Once again, baby was non-responsive. Around 3:30, the decision was made we'd move forward with a C Section. The concern was baby would not tolerate labor well, and eventually require an emergency C Section after a long (and unnecessary) labor. 

It was 8:45 before they walked us down the OR-quite possibly the longest 5 hours of my life. We kept thinking we were getting to I back, but another woman was ready to push around 6, which turned into an emergency c section, so we continued to wait. Even as we walked down the hall. The stopped us as they thought the doctor was being called into another emergency situation. (Thankfully, for everyone, he was not.)

Nick waited outside the OR while they gave me my spinal and did the final preps for surgery. (He said it was the longest 15 minutes of his life.) Once he to back there, they began the actual cutting and 5 minutes later, John Robert was here with us. Hearing him cry for the first time was one of the most amazing experiences ever. 

Once they finished putting me back together, Nick headed to the NICU with Baby Jack (for standard transitional tests and measurements), while I hung out in recovery. Recovery went pretty quickly-I was finally able to get a cup of water and some ice chips. Nick and Jack joined me about 15 minutes before we started on our journey down to the post partum unit.

As they sat me up in bed, I felt the nausea strike...and I just got sicker with every turn we made. I was thrilled to see my family waiting in the hallway, but I would have been just as happy to curl up in a dark corner somewhere. We got settled in our room, and my family greeted little Jack. It was wonderful to see how excited they were over him. I mowed down on some beef broth, cranberry juice, water, and a Popsicle. And as my family was leaving, promptly threw it all up. I threw up again around 2AM and 4AM. I think it was a combination of the anesthesia, exhaustion, hunger, and eating too quickly. At 6AM I took some anti-nausea medicine. For breakfast I had toast, jello, crackers, and cranberry juice, but by lunch, I was eating a normal lunch.

Saturday, I was slow, stiff, and sore to stand up, but otherwise well. No pain killers, until about 10PM. No poop yet (I know that's what you were wondering about), but I've been peeing like a pro, and generally recuperating well. We were expecting to be in the hospital until Monday, but we were doing so well, they sent us on home by lunch time.