Welcome, Johnathon!

I had my 39 week appointment on Thursday, March 17.  Jason and I told the doctor we would like to schedule an induction for the following week close to my due date.  I was getting worried if he came late and it started to be a problem with my maternity leave.  She said I was a good candidate for induction with a bishop score of 8 and that she would submit the request and a nurse would call me to schedule an appointment.  By the time we made contact, she had scheduled us for Saturday morning, March 19 at 7:30 am.  I told her we kind of wanted to wait.  She said, “He is measuring big, do you really want to give him another week?”  (He was 9 lbs, 4 oz at his 38 week ultrasound.) We agreed and decided to schedule it.  We now had less than 24 hours to prepare- which I think was a good idea because there was too little time for nerves.

We arrived at the hospital at 7:15 am and they didn’t actually start me on pitocin until 11:00. I started at 60% effaced and dilated to a 3.  By 5:00 pm, I was finally dilated to a 5 and able to start the epidural.  At 11:15 pm I was 100% effaced and dilated to a 10, time to push!  We pushed from 11:45 pm until 1:30 pm and then I told the nurse I needed a break.  She thought that was a good idea to allow him some time to progress on his own so we wouldn’t have to push as much.  After 30 minutes nothing had changed and the doctor decided I was a good candidate for a c-section.  If he really was as big as the ultrasounds said, it would be a good idea.  And I was pushing, but he wasn’t progressing as much as they would like.  And he was coming, but my perineum wasn’t letting him out.

So with a lot of disappointment, I headed off to the OR.  But once I heard his cry at 2:46 am on Sunday, March 20, it didn’t matter anymore- he was here!  The tears came too.  Everyone in the room made comments along the line of, “Oh my, he’s big!” My favorite comment was from the anesthesiologist, “Does he already have teeth?” Jason followed him around the OR and shared him with me for a brief minute before he was shuttled off to the nursery.  They called the OR with his measurements, 8 lbs 13 oz and 23 inches long!  The doctor also shared with me that his head had been facing up and angled back a bit; it wasn't likely that he could make it through the birth canal without serious repurcusions.  

Once I got to Triage for recovery, I couldn’t stop smiling.  I was starving and exhausted, but couldn’t do anything except smile.

 First Cry

 I know, this is highly explicit, but still totally adorable!

Dad all decked out in his scrubs for the OR.  Notice these are hospital issued ones, not the disposable ones they usually give to dads.  I wonder where his son gets his size from?