Friday, December 2, 2011

My Stubborn Little Man

I was talking with a friend the other day and realized that despite the many updates that were given on Noah's birthday, still there is much that people don't know about my little man's first first few hours. So here it goes. Noah's official due date was Oct. 26. Silly parent's as we were we thought that meant he would actually come on that day. He of course had other plans in mind. Hang in there this is a long one. :)

October 26th came and went. It was a very boring day in the eyes of labor, I even went to work that day! My next Dr's appointment was on Friday the 28th, and that is when we made the decision to get induced. I was extremely uncomfortable, and Noah was healthy and ready to come out! Dr. Harms, my doctor, scheduled the induction for November 01,2011 at 6:00am.

6:00: Arrived at the hospital and started the waiting process, we got checked in and they got me hooked up the the iv and baby monitor. Apparently when you get induced the baby's vitals get monitored the whole time.

7:30: My doctor arrives, breaks my water and starts the potocin. At this point I was thinking I was going to wait out getting any pain meds. I wanted to see if I could do it without meds.

And so it started, at first the contractions were just very mellow, the nurse would come in every 30 mins or so look at the monitors assess where the contractions where and almost always up my potocin. When the contractions started WOW they were painful. Thankfully Ben was a great at helping me remember all we learned in our Lamaze class. My doctor was scheduled to come at noon to check on me so I figured I would wait till then to see how far along I am then before deciding about pain medication. By 12:30 they were 2 minutes apart lasting a minute and very painful! So of course we (Ben, Darleen, and I) were thinking these have to be doing something.


1:00: The nurse checked my progress, and I was only 1/2 centimeter more than when I came in. Ahhhh.... I thought and promptly requested the medication! I with the slow progress I was making there was no telling how much longer Noah would take! The doctor came in shortly after confirmed its still going to be a while and she will be back around 4:30 or 5:00 to check on me again. So once again we were waiting only this time I was able to rest and relax, and Ben and Darleen could go get some lunch/dinner. They knew they were in for a long rest of the day!

5:00ish: I start to get sick no fun at all thankfully I have had nothing to eat! But this is when we think I entered transition. My Nurse checked me and I was about 7 centimeter!! She told me that she will check me again around 7 and I should be able to start pushing soon! Yay! Finally I had made some progress and the best part for me was that I did not feel any of it!

7:00ish: The nurse comes in and I am ready!! Oh yeah soon we will meet our little one. Now at this point I am thinking not long now the pushing can't take that long. Ha ha yeah I was wrong.

7:00ish-10:00: Pushing... Pushing.... and more Pushing.... My Little man not only got stuck but also was facing the wrong way. They could see his head but he just could not make it out! So around 10:00 I was given a 15 min break from pushing (epidural made that possible). 

10:15: My doctor came in and we took a more aggressive approach. We tried to suction him out, we were told that if this did not work on the second or third try we would have to do an emergency c-section!! And this approach also meant we had to call in a bunch of help to make sure when Noah comes out he was OK, thankfully they were there. And with that we started pushing again. My great husband helped and on the third try we got Noah in jammed!!!!!!!!!!! From there it was only a few more pushes! 

10:51pm on November 1, 2011 Noah Benjamin Bacon was born, 8 pounds 12 ounces! I got to hold my little boy for a brief few seconds then he was whisked away to be checked and cleaned up. Since I had the epidural I was stuck in bed while the doctor finished with me and they worked on my baby. The next few minutes went by so fast. All I really could hear was things like "oh he has a big bump on his head that needs to be looked at" and "he is not breathing well".... and the next thing I saw was an NICU little incubator. they brought Noah over held him up so I can see him and then whisked him away... following Noah was Ben and Darleen I was left alone. At that point I started to cry, Ben's mom came back really quick for something. And it seems like both the doctor and Darleen saw at the same time I was crying, I finally got them to tell me what was going on. And I got a phone so I could get text updates on my baby!! 
 

Noah has what was knows an anumathorax or air pockets in the lungs, there were four air pockets surrounding his lungs. Apparently his lung ripped a little as he was on his way out. Causing him to not be able to breath well, that and since he was suctioned out he was in a little bit of shock and so they wanted to get him downstairs to the NICU fast. Thankfully Ben was able to be there with him, and I had a WONDERFUL nurse who got me cleaned up and ready to go fast! She put me on the gurney and wheeled me down to see my baby. I was still not able to hold him but I could hold his hand and enjoy him for a little bit. At this point it was after midnight. The NICU doctor talked to Ben and I and explained everything. And we just had to wait the night out and in the morning they would assess where he was and we could go from there.
The next day we got to hold our baby and he was released that afternoon. Praise God the air was gone and he was doing great! Now we have a healthy growing amazing baby boy.

Having a baby is hard work!

...and your thoughts to my title today are probably along the lines of "duh" or "no kidding". But as I sit here this morning drinking my coffee and enjoying the few fleeting minutes of silence I can't help but think also how rewarding my little blessing is! Sure so far all he really does is eat, sleep, and poop, but he is starting to learn and be more alert. He spends a good amount of the day just awake and looking around at every thing he can. One of the best parts is seeing how he knows me and he knows Ben. That to me is AMAZING! This little man, all of 1 month old (crazy I know) is starting to discover this world around him.

Noah has been a blessing in our life, even at 2:00 in the morning when he is screaming his head off, we love him. I still am amazed that this little baby is so dependent on Ben and I. He has been since the day he was conceived and will be for a long while still. We are the ones who are in charge of helping him grow up into the man that God would have him to be. I have been reminded several times by some wonderful women, that God choose us to be Noah's parents, we have a distinct privilege to help him grow, learn, and discover. Often I am overwhelmed by that thought.

Why us? Are we really ready? Guess God thought so. And from day one God knew that as much as this Little Man needed us, we need him so much more. I can't imagine my life without him now. He has become such a big part of our lives in such a small amount of time.

It often reminds me of the relationship between us and God. Granted, God does not need me, BUT He wants me, and as much as He wants me I NEED Him so much more. I cling to Him for my life, hold tight to his promises and wait patiently for the day to be in His presence. We have this picture of Noah from right after he was born clinging on to Ben, his father's hands and looking up at him.
I think God wants that from us, from me; He wants me to be looking and clinging to Him, to find comfort in Him and all that He has to offer. Not to find comfort in all the other stuff the world has to offer. So my prayer this morning would be that I never forget me need and dependence for God.

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. -Psalm 18:2

But the LORD has been my stronghold, And my God the rock of my refuge. -Psalm 94:22

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Tummy Wiggles

Well with 5 weeks to go I want to get this started and get in the habit of posting. This is where I want to share my blessings. God has blessed me and my family so much so here goes nothing.

Last night Ben and I had a great time just playing with Noah! Crazy as it sounds we were, he was wiggling all over and moving like crazy! we chased him around my tummy with a flashlight and watched his reactions to the different temperatures and lights.

It amazes me that already he can tell my voice and Ben's we well as our different hands and even lights. Yet, Noah still has not even seen this world we live in. God has already made him a wonderful little man who has so much discovery!!

" For you created my inmost being;
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
   when I was made in the secret place,
   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
   all the days ordained for me were written in your book
   before one of them came to be." -Psalm 139: 13-16

 Little Moments that remind me how lucky I am to be Noah's Mommy! How fitting that his name should mean Comfort.  
My Little Man with His crooked little smile.