Sunday, September 9, 2012

Simon Nathaniel is here

I'm not sure when Simon's birth story really starts. But to be honest this has been a long time coming.

My blood pressure had been very high, since the last week of July it had been causing concern. Eventually I was put on a blood pressure medication, but as it turns out it didn't work.

In the last 3 weeks I had been in and out of the hospital, mostly because of my blood pressure. I also began having contractions, but as we know from past experience I can contract all I want it never does anything for me. Despite my blood pressure levels, swelling and visual changes my lab work would come back looking perfectly normal and I would be sent home.

On the 5th I went into my weekly appointment, which included an NST because of my blood pressure and gestational diabetes.

Despite all the problems with me, Simon had always been amazing looking on both ultrasound and the NST readouts. His heart rate in the 150s, he would accelerate and come down beautifully after movements. He was never really a concern because he always looked so wonderful

On the 5th though his heart rate was in the 120s and he didn't accelerate enough to count. After 30+ minutes on the machine (and like 10+ contractions) the nurse decided to manually push on my belly. She eventually got him to start moving around and his heart rate went into the 170s (he had also began hiccuping).

After being told I "passed" I went to see the OB. The OB I was originally supposed to see was on call and wasn't available so I was told I was going to see the new one, who literally started the week prior. I wasn't expecting much, at this point it was looking like unlike my labs came back abnormally Simon was going to stay put until the 14th.

After she realized my blood pressure was pretty high (but actually lower for me) she went over my medical history. Eventually we decided I was 38 weeks and at this point him staying in longer wasn't really going to do anyone any good. So she went out and came back to inform me I was having a baby the next day!

Thursday morning we got up and played with Sam and Sophie some before taking them to my grandmother's and heading to the hospital. Despite being told I was to be there at noon we got a call half way there being told they were worried because I was supposed to have been there by 9:30!!! After a few minutes of panicking (thinking they were going to tell me I couldn't have him that day) the nurse reassured us it was fine, they were just concerned about me and checking up.

I got to the hospital around noon, got checked in and then waited. And waited... and waited.

Finally Around 4 we were told it was almost time for me to go in! After waiting a little more I was taken to the OR where they prepped me and did my spinal. After laying me down they called in Carl. After what seemed like only a few minutes we heard the start of a little gurgled cry.

My sweet little Simon entered the world at 4:56pm. He received APGAR's of 9 and 10! Which is really awesome for any baby, let alone a 38weeker.

This experience was so different than my other two. Instead of Carl and Simon being shuffled out of the OR while they closed me up the nurses wheeled over the scale so we could see and they put him on.
8lbs 3.4oz

After that they took him back over, cleaned him up and then promptly handed him to Carl who got to stay at my head holding him. 

By midnight that night my blood pressure was 118/72 and has remained normal since. Recovery has gone so well this time, knock on wood, I'm actually feeling better now than I did the day before he was born.