Declan Conor's surprise arrival (long)

[tamarae]

After being on strict bedrest for the week after returning home from the antepartum unit, I

found that over the weekend my blood pressure was still going up in the afternoons to high

enough levels that I was feeling dizzy and lightheaded. My DH phoned L&D just to see if it

was something I should be checked for and they urged me to come on in for monitoring.

We arrived at L&D by about 4pm on June 10th. I gave them a tinkle sample and put on the

gown, laying down in the triage bed for monitoring. Turns out my proteins were up again

(++) and my blood pressure was sky high. After about 30 mins of monitoring the nurse said

she'd called the doc on call for my OB that day and she'd said to admit me. I had my very

own room in L&D.

I was immediately traumatized by another urine sample by straight cath and blood was drawn

and an IV was started. I was thinking to myself that I hadn't planned on staying, my bag

wasnt even repacked or anything.

Dr. Owen came in wearing scrubs and flip flops and was extremely nice, but she had bad news.

We had to deliver in about 2 hours. She thought that his lungs were finally mature enough

and that there was no real benefit to waiting another day. The anesthesiologist was called

for a spinal block because a quick scan showed that the baby was still breech. Ok I'm ready

to go. Dr. Manny the anesthesiologist gave us the rundown while Ciaran changed into his

scrubs.

About 10 minutes later, Dr. Manny returns saying he's spoken with the doctor team that will

be delivering the baby and they've all agreed that since my platelet count was too low, that

I would have to deliver under general anesthesia. I immediately started to cry

uncontrollably. Heck, I remember crying all the way into the OR and even as they put me

under, I wanted to be awake for the birth of my baby boy. I was also scared to death. The

way they tie you down for general anesthesia is frightening, and I'd had almost no notice

that it was coming this way.

Insert here about 2 hours worth of c-section, delivery and recovery, but I don't remember

any of it, obviously. Ciaran was allowed into the OR with me even under general anesthesia,

so he was present when the baby was born, and was allowed to take a few pics of the baby.

Declan Conor was born at 8:33pm on June 10th. His apgar scores were really low though (5

and 7), so he was quickly taken out to the nursery to be put on oxygen and monitored. I

woke up to my name being called in the recovery room, and the worst pain I've felt in a long

time. As soon as I came to, I threw up repeatedly, and started to shake. It was all very

scary. I was wheeled back into my L&D room to be monitored, my bp was still kinda high, but

within about 30 mins I was transferred to the post partum end of the floor. The pain of the

nurse massaging on my uterus was nearly unbearable, most people have the remnants of an

epidural in place by then, but I didn't even have a morphine pump at that point in time and

my anesthesia was about gone.

We stopped by the nursery on the way to the post partum room about 4am. I had not yet seen

my baby and was allowed to hold him for a few minutes before they had to monitor him again.

By this time he was off of the oxygen and breathing room air and doing a pretty good job on

his own. Even though I was so tired I didn't know which way was up, we still opted to have

him brought to our room as soon as he was able, he arrived about 5:30am for his first

feeding with mommy and daddy. We only found out later he'd already been fed a couple of

times by stomach tube.

By morning with the morphine pump in place, I was feeling much better. I'd managed to get a

little sleep after Declan went back to the nursery. He was able to stay with us for the

most part until Tuesday where he took a little bad turn overnight, but he never was taken to

the NICU. They had him monitored on Tuesday morning until after lunchtime and ran some labs

and xrays. His labwork was fine but his xray showed his lungs to be just a little immature.

He has not been in any sort of distress though. We've been really lucky.

Now since being home, everything's been absolutely great. I'm ready to get these staples

out tomorrow and we've got an appointment to make sure that baby Decky is growing like he

should. We consider ourselves to be the luckiest people in the world.

[delta]

What a horrible ordeal! I'm glad it all turned out well tho. Can't wait to see pics!

CONGRATS!

[kasonsmom]

Congratulations! I am so sorry you had to go through all of that. Please monitor your blood pressure during the post partum period. (Speaking from experience)

[Aminah76]

Wow, Shawna, what an awful birth experience! Way to tough it out!! So glad to hear you and baby Decky are OK.

[pickle]

I'm glad you are both doing well and I'm glad it's over!!! He's adorable!!!

[tulipberry999]

Although it wasn't your dream birth - i'm glad baby and mommy are doing just great! Congrats!!!!

[tinybud]

Bummer about the GA I would of cried too...

I hope you two are getting plenty of nice, relaxing catching-up time. Congrats again, glad you're both ok!

[IaoAbri]

Glad everything worked out!

[Zen]

LOVE the name Declan!!!

[hopingin2007]

I am sorry things turned out like they did, but I am so happy that it all turned out well and you are holding your baby boy now!!