Thursday, January 28, 2016

Introducing the newest member of the family

We have a new little adventure in our home! - and boy, did he decide to start things out with a sudden bang. Ellie took about 12-13 hours to get to us once labor started - quick for a first baby, but not that amazingly fast. Our little Kent took less than 3 hours from my first contraction; he came too fast for us to even get out of the triage room at the hospital before delivering. But more on that soon; isn't our little boy just the cutest thing ever?!:







And Ellie is such a good big sister! This is when I found her "reading" to him:


But now a quick recap of the birth for anyone who's interested (and this is the only birth story I'll post): I awoke with my first contraction at 3:18 AM and everything seemed to be going at a normal speed at first. But, we arrived at the hospital at 5:25 AM with me seriously starting to panic because I was feeling the baby very low and contractions were getting to be literally on top of one another. I went into full panic mode when they said I was fully dilated with baby at a +2 position already and they started wheeling equipment into the triage room - that's when I realized I wasn't getting an epidural. The doctor (who had to rush there from home) was holding him at 6 AM on the dot after something like 4 pushes (remember, we walked in at 5:25). I didn't know contractions could go from 5 minutes to 2 minutes to 1 minute apart in one car ride.

Giving birth naturally was not an experience I was planning on, and NOT one I hope to repeat! Being able to feel everything does cause some anxiety when you've torn during delivery before. But it was actually worse after the delivery itself, because I had some retained placenta and that ended up being more painful. At least it all happened quickly! And, can I just say this is the 2nd fantastic experience we've had with Intermountain Healthcare in general and Orem Community Hospital specifically - the nurses and doctor were all so amazingly on top of things and sooooo patient with a panicky mom-to-be who was laboring much more quickly than they usually have to deal with! They did a great job of re-focusing me during the delivery, and everyone was so good to me afterward as well. Kent has been so sweet with me and with our little boy, and our ward has spoiled me rotten with meals and a welcome basket. :-)

A few hours after the delivery it was determined the bleeding and pain I was having were from some retained placenta and I needed a D&C. I felt soooo much better after that procedure was done. Since then, everything has been pretty much normal. "Normal" does include the same baby blues, bleeding umbilical cord stub that came off early, and repetitive bilirubin checks that we had to deal with after Ellie - yay for jaundice and raging hormones - but thankfully all those things have turned out to be mild again compared to what they could be, and we have been blessed beyond measure! Our little boy is such an easy, mild baby, with the most adorable smiles in his sleep, and we are so looking forward to getting to know him better as he grows up in our home!

PS: Yes, I'm aware there are some of you I know who have given birth much faster than 3 hours - and believe me, I fully intend to pick your brains the next chance I get so that I feel a little more prepared with the next baby! Consider yourselves warned :-)

4 comments:

  1. What a cutie! And way to go on the quick birth; they're intense! Glad to see that things are going well for you and your cute family. :)

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  2. He is darling! Congratulations! All my babies were fast as well. My advice is as soon as the contractions start, head to the hospital! Out of all of our kids, only Kyle and Ryan came on there own. The doctor didn't want to risk me going into labor and not getting to the hospital on time, so I was induced. Haha! I can't wait to meet him!

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  3. Its so fun seeing a Dalton boy!!! My experience, I got induced with my first and my second was born just 2 hours after 1st contraction ( almost delivered in triage, but they wheeled me fast into a newly mopped room and baby came out) So on my third baby I went to the hospital after having a few contractions because I wasn't excited about going natural again and I didn't want to deliver in triage :) Have fun with that baby boy!

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  4. Yep Aunt Cindy and Cami, I definitely plan to head to the hospital at the first twinge I feel with the next one :-) ... if I don't just convince my doctor to induce me instead. Thank you everyone! Yes, we're doing very well and we are so happy!

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