Baby Des: Birth-1 Week

My little Desmond is one week old today! I figure I've made you all wait long enough, so here's his birth story and some pictures...

As many of you know, I was very sick last Wednesday. I spent my day languishing alongside my hubby on the couch with nausea, fatigue, and vomiting. Around 8 at night I realized I was having an awful lot of contractions and kept an eye on the clock... they looked to be around 5 minutes apart. I got online and used a contraction timer... yep, about five minutes apart for an hour. I took a shower while hubby went to bed just in case we had to go to the hospital that night. In the hour after I got in the shower contractions went from 5 minutes apart to 3 1/2 or less. Time to wake up Nathan and go! Robin drove us and Larry stayed home with Orion.

Amazingly enough, we both felt completely fine as soon as it was time to leave for the hospital. Nathan went to bed with a fever and woke up with it having broken. I had thrown up right after my shower and suddenly felt hungry for the first time all day as we left. Still thanking God for hearing our prayers that day!!

When they checked me at the hospital (we got there at midnight) I was dilated to 4 and 80% effaced!! I was so thrilled- when O was born my water broke at home and I was like 1 cm when I got there. I waited while they got a room ready and my contractions started to get stronger. When they checked me I was almost at 5 cm. They gave me a sleeping pill and an IV (this was the worst part of labor... O.U.C.H.) and told me to relax and see how things went. Robin and Nathan slept while I worked through contractions. They were painful but NOTHING like I remembered labor with O (Pitocen with O. Yeah, it sucks.). I held out for a good long while, but I was so exhausted from being sick I decided I should go ahead and get an epidural so I could rest. They came in and did it fairly quickly. There was a spot in my right hip that still hurt after they did it, but they just tilted me to that side and that fixed it. I think I got to rest for a while after that. One weird thing about my labor is that ever since the IV (they had a HORRIBLE time getting it in) I shook almost the whole time. That was annoying.

The next time they checked me I was at 8 cm. They told me they'd check back in an hour but to buzz them if I felt pressure before that. I don't remember how long it was after they left, but I eventually thought I felt some pressure so I called them, and sure enough, I was at 10! They started breaking down the bed and calling people in.

I pushed probably 4 times, then they told me to stop. My water still hadn't broken and the sack was actually bulging out! The nursed were saying they'd never seen that before and seemed surprised I'd made it to 10 without breaking it (I was surprised too!!). We sat there and waited for the doc for a little while (the nurse didn't think he'd make it in time and was hovering over me ready to break the sack and deliver the baby). He finally came in, and I gave one or two final pushes and Desmond was born while the doctor was tying his shoes! Nathan said they actually had to peel the sack off of Des after he came out.

Desmond Daniel was born at 8:15 am on June 30, 2011. Des was born covered in poop, just like his brother. Aawww. They suctioned him out and he cried nice and loud right away. He weighed 7 lbs, 13.9 oz and was 21 inches long. His Apgar scores were 8-9. He has brown hair, dark blue eyes, and looks just like his daddy. :) I had an episiotomy but no tearing (I had a 4th degree with O so I was thrilled)!

Desmond is SUCH a sleepy baby so I actually got a decent amount of rest in the hospital! Since coming home he only sleeps well if he's in bed with me, which is fine for now but we'll start working him back into his own bed soon! But when I get 3 hours of sleep at a time with a newborn I can't complain much! Orion never slept when he was little, so this is heaven! Des is eating well and was already up to 7lbs 12oz at his 5 day checkup. He is a little bit "tongue tied" which makes it pinch when he latches on, so we're seeing a specialist on Aug 2, but it sounds like it's a very simple fix.

I can't believe I just had a baby... it feels like he's been here forever. He is SUCH a good baby. Orion is still getting used to him, but I think he's going to become a good big brother. I'm doing well, just a little uncomfortable in the area of my stitches and sometimes I get sore in my back or get a twinge in my abdomen. Really minor stuff and I'm thankful that I'm doing as well as I am!

Thank you all for your prayers and well-wishes! We really do appreciate it :) And now for pictures!




Orion's first reaction to his little brother :P

...he's doing better :)

He already looks so different! My handsome little man.