Michael William France was born on 5/4/09, at 11:20 am PST, weighing in at 8 lbs 07 oz (3.65 kgs).
While our doctor stated the due date would be 5/3/09 I wanted a couple of extra days to get some work done. So, I had made up my mind that the baby would only arrive between Wednesday & Friday later that week (clearly I was very wrong)! Luckily, given that it was the weekend I wrapped up my work 'just in case' putting in 6 hours on Saturday & 2 more hours on Sunday. We then packed the hospital bag, installed the baby's car seat, & created a 'contractions log' for next to Noah's side of the bed. After all that we got to bed around 11 pm. After only 2 hours of sleep the contractions kicked in at 1am.
Noah was ready & kept track of 'the stats'. We were also laughing quite a lot in a vain attempt to come up with hand signals - we had been told that the pain would be 'so severe' that I would not be able to talk...baseball gestures & military signals were amongst our best signage that would be sure to confuse everyone! Luckily I did not lose my ability to verbally communicate so none of that was used :)
The joking rapidly subsided when I said that we needed to get up & 'go now'. Noah, very adament that we follow the doctor's instructions to the letter, stated that according to the log (the thing I had asked him to fill out - my own fault!) my contractions were not yet close enough & to I had to just keep going. While not overly impressed I knew he was right...but I just really wanted to get going (as if getting there sooner would result in an earlier delivery). Well, I didn't have to wait long, by 3:30 am, with Noah's permission :), we were able to get going.
While cotractions were 5 minutes apart as we left the house, by the time we got to the hospital (only a 10 minute drive) they were 2 minutes apart! The baby clearly had a warped sense of humor because on all the straight sections of highway I had no contractions, but the minute we went around sharp corners they came on like crazy! Great comedic timing apparently :)
At 4 am I was checked in & at 4.5 cm. Heading straight to the delivery room within 30 minutes I was at 8 cm! Baby Michael was definitely in a bit of a rush to grace us with his presence! The doctor was called & showed up within 30 minutes (at 5 am) - we simply love Dr Lawler!! By 6 am I gave up the desire to have an all natural delivery & said: "To hell with being a hero! God made smart people to make smart drugs! I'll take that epidural!". Apparently most take it at 3 cm, so I did hang in there for a while...for what it's worth.
Due to the rapid contractions & likelihood of the baby positioned on the umbillical cord & limiting the oxygen supply, suddenly his heart rate dropped from 140 to 70! The doctor & nurses reacted swiftly, placed me on oxygen, added something in the IV, moved me onto my side to relieve the pressure on the cord, & did other things I cannot remember but that worked! Within seconds the heart rate was back up & stabilized. An internal fetal heart rate monitor was also used. We were then instructed to slow down the labor as his little head was not yet coning. With the rapid contractions & the inability to move through due to the shape of the head, the baby had become distressed. We were told that a c-section was highly likely if no progress was made in the next 2 hours & if the baby continued to show signs of stress. That just disheartened me.
The nurses also did a shift change at 7 am & I was not connecting well with the new nurse at all - I needed her to TELL me what to do, no ask me what I wanted to do?! I had never done this before how would I know?! As hard as I tried I just became exhausted over the next hour. Again the threat of a c-section came from the doctor for a second time...that just upset me & made me angry that I no longer had a nurse that was very helpful.
Noah was fabulous throughout all of this. He 'translated' for me, explaining to the nurse & head nurse what was needed in a way that got their attention & proper reactions...instead of me ripping their heads off! After clearing that up I got into a new position (per the head nurse's instructions). I then got my second wind, decided that 'I will not fail - we will not deliver via a c-section'. Noah & I prayed together on multiple occassions & he kept me sane just by being there & putting a rapid hault to the hokey pokey weird stuff like rubbing & patting my legs & touchy feely 'words of encouragement' from the nurse. We were there for a purpose, not a spa experience!
Anyway, after 3 hours of 'work' an odd thought popped into my head: St Christopher is the Patron Saint of Travel...this baby was on a 'journey', perhaps HIS intercessions might help. Literally seconds after a quick plea to St Christopher the nurse told us the baby was on its way! Doctor was called back in & in less than a minute we found out we were blessed with a healthy baby boy!
Thank you Lord, thank you St Christopher, & thank you to all of you for your unending supply of prayers! Our lives have changed...for the better!!!
Noah was ready & kept track of 'the stats'. We were also laughing quite a lot in a vain attempt to come up with hand signals - we had been told that the pain would be 'so severe' that I would not be able to talk...baseball gestures & military signals were amongst our best signage that would be sure to confuse everyone! Luckily I did not lose my ability to verbally communicate so none of that was used :)
The joking rapidly subsided when I said that we needed to get up & 'go now'. Noah, very adament that we follow the doctor's instructions to the letter, stated that according to the log (the thing I had asked him to fill out - my own fault!) my contractions were not yet close enough & to I had to just keep going. While not overly impressed I knew he was right...but I just really wanted to get going (as if getting there sooner would result in an earlier delivery). Well, I didn't have to wait long, by 3:30 am, with Noah's permission :), we were able to get going.
While cotractions were 5 minutes apart as we left the house, by the time we got to the hospital (only a 10 minute drive) they were 2 minutes apart! The baby clearly had a warped sense of humor because on all the straight sections of highway I had no contractions, but the minute we went around sharp corners they came on like crazy! Great comedic timing apparently :)
At 4 am I was checked in & at 4.5 cm. Heading straight to the delivery room within 30 minutes I was at 8 cm! Baby Michael was definitely in a bit of a rush to grace us with his presence! The doctor was called & showed up within 30 minutes (at 5 am) - we simply love Dr Lawler!! By 6 am I gave up the desire to have an all natural delivery & said: "To hell with being a hero! God made smart people to make smart drugs! I'll take that epidural!". Apparently most take it at 3 cm, so I did hang in there for a while...for what it's worth.
Due to the rapid contractions & likelihood of the baby positioned on the umbillical cord & limiting the oxygen supply, suddenly his heart rate dropped from 140 to 70! The doctor & nurses reacted swiftly, placed me on oxygen, added something in the IV, moved me onto my side to relieve the pressure on the cord, & did other things I cannot remember but that worked! Within seconds the heart rate was back up & stabilized. An internal fetal heart rate monitor was also used. We were then instructed to slow down the labor as his little head was not yet coning. With the rapid contractions & the inability to move through due to the shape of the head, the baby had become distressed. We were told that a c-section was highly likely if no progress was made in the next 2 hours & if the baby continued to show signs of stress. That just disheartened me.
The nurses also did a shift change at 7 am & I was not connecting well with the new nurse at all - I needed her to TELL me what to do, no ask me what I wanted to do?! I had never done this before how would I know?! As hard as I tried I just became exhausted over the next hour. Again the threat of a c-section came from the doctor for a second time...that just upset me & made me angry that I no longer had a nurse that was very helpful.
Noah was fabulous throughout all of this. He 'translated' for me, explaining to the nurse & head nurse what was needed in a way that got their attention & proper reactions...instead of me ripping their heads off! After clearing that up I got into a new position (per the head nurse's instructions). I then got my second wind, decided that 'I will not fail - we will not deliver via a c-section'. Noah & I prayed together on multiple occassions & he kept me sane just by being there & putting a rapid hault to the hokey pokey weird stuff like rubbing & patting my legs & touchy feely 'words of encouragement' from the nurse. We were there for a purpose, not a spa experience!
Anyway, after 3 hours of 'work' an odd thought popped into my head: St Christopher is the Patron Saint of Travel...this baby was on a 'journey', perhaps HIS intercessions might help. Literally seconds after a quick plea to St Christopher the nurse told us the baby was on its way! Doctor was called back in & in less than a minute we found out we were blessed with a healthy baby boy!
Thank you Lord, thank you St Christopher, & thank you to all of you for your unending supply of prayers! Our lives have changed...for the better!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment