Labor and Delivery

So I went on Thursday to the regular doctor appointment and they did a few extra tests since I was past my due date. When they did the ultrasound, they found the baby had very little amniotic fluid around him and sent me to Labor and Delivery to start the baby-having process. I was so excited to really be going, although apprehensive about all that was ahead of me!

When I was put on the monitor, they found I was already contracting quite a bit. They decided to do an non-medicine induction, but will spare the details for now. Within a few minutes of the induction, I was feeling "good" contractions. They were strong and every few minutes, and some of them doubling and tripling up to make for 6-7 minute contractions. We went through the night that way...walking, rocking chair, jacuzzi. My water broke around 4 am and then they took out the induction-starter around 6. Within and hour, our little man decided the contractions weren't for him and had a drop in his heart rate. He recovered, but his mama hardly did! He did it again a few hours later and the doctors came in to talk about our plan of action. They offered to start pitocin or other induction methods as the baby had recovered from his heart rate drops. They also suggested a c-section as an option. As I was only 1 cm dilated and the baby still high, I opted for the c-section. I knew at that point my baby was safe and well and although he had recovered twice from the heart rate drops, I didn't want to wait for a third...especially being so far from delivery. So we decided to go forward with a c-section delivery when we could do it calmly and I could be awake, rather than an emergency one when I may have to be put to sleep and miss it.

The c-section was fast and smooth. Within minutes I got my first glance at little Josiah. When they pulled him out we found that he had meconium fluid, so at some point he had been a little stressed inside. I was so relieved to see him, to hear him, to touch him. My fears melted away as I knew my little boy was fine, and finally here! He was born at 11:22 a.m. on Friday, November 12th.

He weighed 8 lbs and 5 ounces and measured in at 19 inches of perfection. He was alert beyond belief and wanted to be looking around at everything. He got to stay with me the whole time which I loved, no heading off to the nursery for his checks or anything. I watched him as I recovered and got feeling back in my body and waited for the shakes to pass. How great, how very great it was to hold him, to know he was well and safe and with me.