Friday, December 20, 2013

Baby Boy #2

I hate that when I start blogging (and love it), I get caught up in other things and stop blogging.  I really need to make a commitment and stick with it.  Writing is such a stress reliever for me, well so is exercising but lets get real I don't get around to that well... ever.  A lot has happened since I last blogged.  I have had a beautiful baby boy.  It was such a crazy experience the day I gave birth to him that I thought I would share.

So I was 32 weeks pregnant on a Friday night cleaning up Carter's cars off the floor.  My in-laws were coming into town the next morning to help us paint and get Camden's (that my son) room set up.  I started to feel tightening in my stomach that night, but no pain so I thought it was just Braxton Hick.  I laid down and grabbed some water. About an hour later I started feeling a pain in my stomach that was constant not in intervals like contractions.  I had this pain a few weeks before and just thought it was stretching.  So I went to bed and started to feel better, I thought maybe I was just a little dehydrated.  I woke up the next morning feeling fine but around 9 I started getting that same pain as the night before.  The only difference was this time it last about 30-60 seconds every 10 minutes.  I don't know if I was in denial because I knew they were contractions, but with my first son I only felt contractions for 30 minutes (I had my epidural as soon as they started) so I didn't remember exactly what they felt like.  About an hour later they were 7 minutes apart and my in-laws had showed up at this time.  I decided that I really needed to call my doctor.  My doctor was out of town and the other doctor at her practice was available, she is just as amazing and my doctor so I was okay with that.  She tells me it sounds like I'm having contractions and to go to the hospital.  I am freaking out and so glad my in-laws are in town to watch my oldest son.  I head in and they hook up to all of the crazy machines and put an IV in.  By that time my contractions were really strong and about 2 minutes apart.  They hurt so bad I thought I was going to die.  They kept coming in to get blood work, which was difficult because I'm having excruciating contraction while they are trying to stick a needle in my arm.  They tell me I'm already dilated to a 3 1/2 and the baby is breach.  My doctor and I had already discussed have a c-section with this pregnancy, I had one with my oldest son after being labor 12 hours.  They pumped me with magnesium to stop the contractions which I fully expected for them to stop the contractions and to go home.  The nurse told me the magnesium will make me fee yucky, but I was not prepared for the way it made me feel.  Every time I got up to go to the bathroom I would throw up, it got so bad I was throwing up every 30 minutes and started throwing up blood.  I couldn't stop crying and the pain meds weren't working, it was just a horrible experience.  Not to mention my contractions are not going away.  The test came back saying I was not into pre-term labor and they weren't sure why I was in labor.  Later they said they weren't sure if this was the cause of my labor or if it happened during labor, but my placenta tore.  The nurse said they were going to continue the magnesium, but be prepared to give birth.  They gave me a shot of steroids to strengthen Camden's lungs and would need to give me another one 12 hours later just in case they decide to take the baby.  About 9 am the doctor comes in and says my contractions aren't stopping and are increasing we need to do a c-section.  The nurse comes in gives my the second shot early.  I was nervous, all I can think of is he going to be okay, will his lungs be developed?  I had so many questions, but there was no time to get answers.

They wheel me into surgery and do my spinal.  I'm still extremely sick for the magnesium and pain meds and all I want is my husband.  They start the surgery and I was so scared finally my husband comes in and hold my hand and it made me feel better.  I hear a baby crying and I can't help but cry myself.  Next thing I remember they wheel Camden out in a incubator and I never got to see him and my husband left with the baby.  The pediatrician said the baby looks good for 32 weeks and he expects 3-4 weeks in NICU.  I know it sounds crazy but I didn't even think of him staying in the hospital.  I was so out of it and just wanted to see my baby.  They took me to recovery and told me I can't see the baby for 18 hours.  That is so hard as a mother who just went through so much to not even be able to hold or even see my baby.  My husband did get pictures and showed them to me, but it wasn't the same.



About 12 hours after my surgery they finally said I could see him.  It was scary to see him hooked up to so many wires and an IV, wires in his umbilical cord, and oxygen.  My husband and I just sat and held his finger for hours.  The next day he was off oxygen and I knew this kid is a fighter, not to mention he was already a chunky monkey.  He weighed 5 lbs. 6 oz and 17 1/2 in. long,  I was told he was very big for his age and that average was around 3 1/2 lbs. and 16 in long.  For the next 2 1/2 weeks he was doing well and had to eat through a feeding tube.  The last few days he started drinking from a bottle and did so well.  He was in NICU for 22 days.   He is now 4 months old and doing great, minus that nasty reflux.  However he seems to be doing much better with his reflux.  He is such a little fighter and I love him so much.  My oldest son is so great with him, a little scared of him because he's so little but I think they will be best friends.



Thanks for reading my story, feel free to leave comments I love reading them!!

Tiffany XOXO

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