Birth Story...

Hi everyone!  I am now 12 days old and doing great.  I spend my days eating, pooping, sleeping, and pooping some more.  I'm getting bigger and adjusting to life outside the womb.  I have my 2 week Dr appointment on Wednesday.  I will be sure to let you know how it goes.

So here is the very detailed story of my birth:

On Monday, January 12th my Mommy and Daddy and I went to the Dr for a Non-stress test (NST).  We got hooked up to the monitor to see mommy's contractions and make sure my heart rate was good.  Mommy's contractions were very regular, about 7-4 minutes apart and getting painful.  The Dr was very happy to see that I was doing well.  Mommy's cervix was dilated to 2cm.  The Dr scheduled Mommy to be induced on Tuesday morning.  Mommy, Daddy, Grandma May, Uncle Noah, and I went to Walnut Creek to shop and walk.  Mommy's contractions continued all day long.  

Mommy and Daddy went to sleep about 1am that night, but Mommy was woken up at 3am because her contractions were getting stronger.  At 5:30 Daddy called the hospital to tell them that Mommy's contractions were about 4 minutes apart and lasting for about 45-60 seconds.  The nurse told Daddy that it was time to bring me and Mommy in.  So Daddy called Grandma May, and Mommy called Grandma Debbie to let them know it was time.  Grandma May came over to drive us to the hospital.

We got to the hospital at about 7am, Mommy and I were taken to our room.  Grandpa Bill and Grandma Debbie arrived shortly after.  When we got to the hospital the mid-wife checked Mommy and she was dilated to 2-3cm and 70% effaced.  At 8:15ish they started an IV on Mommy.  About 9am they started a small amount of pitocin.  About 10am my uncle Jonny came all the way from San Francisco to see us.  At 11:30am Mommy was dilated to 4cm.  About this time Mommy wanted some medication for the pain.  The medicine lasted for about an hour, Mommy was able to rest during that time.

At 12:30pm Mommy's water broke, and then the contractions got a lot stronger.  The midwife noticed that there was meconium (my first of many poops) staining.  Because of this we were going to have to have a Pediatrician in the room when I was born just in case I aspirated (breathed in) some of the meconium.  At about 1pm Mommy decided to get an epidural.  When she was checked she was dilated to 5cm.  It was at this time the midwife put an internal monitor on my head so they could watch my heart rate closer.  At 2pm Mommy got the epidural and immediately started feeling relief.  It was around this time that Auntie Melissa and Auntie Karley came to the hospital.  Around 4pm Mommy was dilated to 8.5cm and 100% effaced, and the midwife told Mommy that my head was nice and round.  At 4:30pm Grandpa Paul arrived after working only a half day of work.  He wanted to be there when when I was born.  

At 5:45pm the midwife told Mommy that she was dilated to 10cm, but her cervix still had to thin a little bit more before it was time to push.  At about 6:45pm Uncle Chris, Uncle Noah, and Uncle Lukey arrived at the hospital.  

The Labor and Deliver nurse had Mommy start pushing at about 7pm.  Grandma Debbie and Grandma May were in the room with us helping Mommy as she pushed.  At 7:30 the OB Dr and the Pediatrician came in.  At 7:45pm I was born.  Daddy was crying because he was so happy that I was OK.  And Mommy was just so tired.  

I was 7lbs, 13oz and 20 inches long.  My APGAR was 8-9.  Daddy wasn't able to cut my cord because I had to see the pediatrician right away so he could make sure I hadn't aspirated any meconium.  It turns out that I didn't and I was strong and healthy, with a very strong set of lungs.  

After I was all cleaned up, Mommy was able to hold me, and all the grandpas and aunts and uncles came in to see me.  Everyone was taking pictures of me.  I didn't like the flashes very much.  After everyone left Mommy fed me for the first time and it went very well.  At about 10pm Mommy, Daddy and I were moved to our postpartum room.  We stayed there for two nights, and came home on Thursday morning.