Birthing the Little Man

Hi everyone, and welcome to our family blog!  I am just the blog going now, Desmond is currently 5 weeks and 1 days old.  I am going to go ahead and start by uploading some old photos and footage however.  This post will cover his birth story.


Desmond's basic info at birth:
Weight: 9lb 2 ounces
Height: 21 inches
Head Circumference: 14.25 inches
Chest Circumference: 14.75 inches


   Desmond was born via C-Section at 10:08 pm on November 7th after about 35 hours of active labor.  We went to the hospital hoping for a drug free vaginal delivery, but the Little Man had other plans.  Due to his large size, the shape and position of my "bag of waters" and a very extended labor there was simply no way that I was going to be able to deliver Desmond on my own.  During my labor I had basically every common type of intervention possible.  

Me at the hospital before labor began

   My induction began at 10am on November 6th with a does of Misoprostal.  This failed to get my labor going, so after four hours we had a Foley Bulb inserted, which manually dilated me to 3 cm.  Concurrent with the Foley we began a Pitocin drip through my IV to get my labor going.  By 6pm I was in real labor.  My contractions became intense and very close together.  Late that evening they had gotten strong enough for my midwife to take me off the Pitocin in the hopes that my body would continue to labor on it's own.  But within a few hours my contractions slowed again and we restarted Pitocin.  We gradually upped the level of Pitocin over the next 24 hours, starting with a mere 1ml and hour and increasing all the way up to a whopping 30ml an hour, the maximum dose for someone my size.  They broke my water that evening, hoping that would also help move me along.  My contractions initially became stronger, and I decided to use a narcotic pain medicine through the night so I could get some rest.  


   By morning I had hardly progressed, so to encourage things and to help reduce my pain, I finally got up out of bed and spent the day walking around the labor and delivery unit, sitting on the birthing ball, and getting in and out of the tub and shower.  I continued to make small progress through the day.  However by late afternoon, once I had been in labor for 24 hours, I began to suffer from a lot of fatigue, and accepted an epidural, hoping that the lack of pain would help me gain back some energy for the birth.  It certainly did help the pain, but a few hours later I had made so little progress that a C-section was looking probable.  


   I was lucky to be working with an amazing midwife and nurse.  The midwife, Chris, came to discuss the possibility of a C-section with us, and asked what our main concern was with the procedure.  We explained to her that initial skin to skin contact between me and the baby was very important to us, and that we wanted the opportunity to nurse right away to help establish good breastfeeding habits and to make sure Desmond got that oh so important colostrum in his first hour of life.  Chris told us that skin to skin contact was not normal following a C-section delivery, but that she would talk to the surgeon and anesthesiologist and see what she could do.  By 9:30 we decided that a C-section was our only option.  We briefly met the surgeon and anesthesiologist, and I was given stronger medicine via my epidural.  

Me in recovery, just after nursing

   By 10:00pm I was wheeled into the O.R. and was checked for numbness.  I have to say that the surgery was possibly the most surreal experience of my life.  You remain completely conscious, and also retain feeling.  All the epidural really numbs is pain.  So I was able to feel all pressure on my abdomen throughout the procedure.  On top of that bizarre sensation, as soon as the surgeon had me opened up, she began talking to Desmond.  As in while he was still inside of me.  It was startling, to say the least.


   I felt them push him out, and he immediately began his first cry.  Amazingly, the birth experience was not diminished at all by the C-section.  Hearing his first cry still caused a well of emotion, Brian was still able to cut the cord, and they placed Desmond on my chest moments after he was delivered.  Brian held him to me, as I wasn't allowed to use my arms, and we just stared at him while they stitched me up.  20 minutes later they had me in the recovery room and we were nursing a few minutes later.  I had done so much fretting over the possibility of a C-section that I was amazed to come out of the experience feeling satisfied, good spirited and excited about my son's beautiful birth.  Of course it helped that I was working with such wonderful and concerned practitioners.  Not every anesthesiologist will allow his patient to have 9 lbs of baby placed on their chest, and not every midwife would go out of her way to address your fears.  I really cannot say enough good things about the staff at Kaiser Sunnyside.

   Brian had a chance to snap a few pictures and even shoot a short video before I was wheeled into the room.

Brian just after delivery

Our first photo of Desmond Arthur

Desmond's first bath.  He was not a fan!

   14 of our closest family members were waiting at the hospital to meet him, but because of the C-section they were unable to see me.  So I (ever so graciously) allowed Brian to wheel Desmond out to quickly meet everyone from the comfort of his bassinet, while I shouted hello at my loved ones from behind my curtain some 20 feet away in the recovery room.  Over the next few days everyone returned to meet Desmond up close and get a chance to hold him
   
   That pretty much sums up our birth story.  He was born Monday evening, and we remained in the hospital until Thursday evening, making our stay 4 nights long.  Things most certainly did not go as planned, but we learned a lot about the process of childbirth.  We also know now that nothing, no intervention or unplanned problem, can make your birth any less meaningful.


AND.....end uncharacteristic sentimentality. ;-)