He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

Well it was a long, long process but he is finally here!

Jake Louis (aka Baby Avocado) made his way into the world on 7/7/05 at 4:34pm weighing in at 7lbs 11oz, 20 1/2" long.

After all the talk of induction and elective c-sections, etc, we decided to wait until my "original" due date (7/5/05) to induce if labor did not start on it's own. I waited all 4th of July weekend and nothing. So on the 5th I saw my Dr and he said I still had not made any progress and that this was going to be a long induction. Ideally, it was to go like this: one 12 hr dose of Cervidil to ripen the cervix, then start pitocin to induce labor. I braced myself for a long ride but I had no idea what I was in for.

We checked in at Winthrop at around 8pm on Tuesday night. I was having mild irregular contractions of my own, but they were basically nothing. Cervidil went in at around midnight and I was starting off at around 1.5cm dilated, 50% effaced. The contractions started within 2 minutes of the Cervidil going in. Cervidil is not meant to start labor, just thin out and soften the cervix to get it ready for labor but it does cause contractions.

At about 5 - 7 minutes apart, they were tolerable and I made it through the night catching a few hours of sleep here and there. By noon it was time to check and the contractions were getting somewhat stronger. I was examined and much to my dismay I had made zero progress in effacing and had only dilated to 2 cm. I had never planned on going for a 2nd dose of Cervidil but it had to be done. It was very disheartening but we did it and got through the rest of the day as the contractions got progressively stronger and closer together.

Now, I figured, after contracting for 24 hrs, down to 3 minutes apart at times, I was SURE this 2nd dose had to have worked. But each time I was periodically checked, I got more and more discouraged. I still wasn't progressing yet the contractions were getting very painful. They started talking about a third dose. The mere thought of yet another 12 hrs of early labor without pain relief, food or rest made me want to scream C-SECTION NOW! I told them I would refuse a third dose if I hadn't made any progress and was not able to have any pain meds.

At the end of the 2nd dose I had only progressed to about 70% effacement but the contractions were becoming quite regular. My Dr allowed me some stadol so I could get some rest and prepare for active labor so I agreed to the 3rd dose. He also planned to break my water about halfway through the 3rd dose and begin induction with pitocin.

Well...the Stadol worked... I was able to sleep finally. Unfortunately I was so out of it that I didn't realize (or didn't care) that when I got up to use the bathroom, I lost the Cervidil, and with, my mucous plug!!

I went back to bed as if nothing had happened but suddenly the contractions started getting much stronger and the drugs were wearing off. A couple of hours later (no drugs and no cervidil) and my water broke on it's own.

BUT...when my water broke, baby's heartrate PLUNGED and it was a scary 30 seconds or so while they put me on oxygen and we figured out that I couldn't lay on my left side -- something was causing the baby's heart rate to drop whenever I did.

So for the rest of the time I had to labor on my right side ONLY and had to stay on oxygen.

But at last!! Labor had truly begun...almost 30 hrs later but it really did and apparently it happened all on it's own anyway! Now the contractions got REALLY strong and my Dr was hrs away...within what seemed like no time, I was dilated to 4 cm and badly in need of an epidural. My Dr finally arrived and I got my epi. THAT was the BEST!!!

They started me on pitocin and the contractions got very regular and labor was fully underway... but again... baby's heart wasn't handling the contractions too well... something was wrong. We had to back off the pitocin and take it slow...2 hrs later no progress and upping the pitocin was still negatively affecting the baby. After each contraction, his heartrate would drop.

To top things off...I started to spike a fever. I got to 99.99 and my Dr said that once I hit 100 degrees, the baby would be going straight to the NICU after birth. DH and I looked at each other and we knew we had no other choice at this point. As hard as we'd tried to have a vaginal birth, this baby wasn't going to come out that way. We consented to the c-section. The Dr said good, you had about 20 mins more before I was going to do it anyway as an emergency.

So, they prepped me, DH got scrubbed up and before I knew it I heard the first cry of my baby boy!! It took 32 hours but finally our little boy came into the world.

When my Doc opened me up, he found that the baby was presenting in such a way that he could NEVER have been born vaginally anyway and he was basically stuck in somewhere in my pelvis never having fully engaged which was why I never dropped.

So, that's it! We got home from the hospital today and I'm on the mend. It was long and painful and amazing and scary at times, but our baby boy is finally here and I can't believe how much I love him already!!


Now without further ado, allow me to introduce my baby boy, Jake Louis!

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

Adorable!!!! Congrats!!!!

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

CONGRATS! You baby boy is absolutely gorgeous. I am sorry you had such a long labor, but in the end you have that beautiful baby.

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!! We've been waiting for this moment. Wow...you went through a lot to have this baby...we're so happy to hear that he's finally here though!!!!! I love the name and think he is just beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

CONGRATULATIONS! What a beautiful baby!

What an ordeal you had - you are truly a strong woman to have gone through that! CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

Congratulations to you and your little one! What an incredible story..I'm so sorry you had to go through so much but the end result was well worth it. God bless your little boy and rest up and feel better mommy!

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

Awww! Congrats to you and your hubby.
Little Jake Louis is beautiful

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

Wow; what a story!! Congratulations and best wishes!!

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

CONGRATS!!!!

He is adorable!

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

OMG - he is beautiful!

Congratulations! I am sorry it took so long, but I am glad that everything worked out find.

Thank you for sharing your story.
Again he is sooooo beautiful!!

BTW - love his name!!

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

Congratulations! He's adorable.

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

Congrats Sandra, he's beautiful! Welcome to the world Jake

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

OMG, what a story! He's absolutely beautiful, he really is... congratulations!!

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

Congratulations!! He is absolutely adorable. Sounds like quite an ordeal, but its all behind you now and you have your precious angel that made it all worth it!!

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

Congratulations!!

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

Sandra

HE is so ADORABLE...

Sorry labor wasnt how you planned but he is healthy finally here! And hes beautiful!

Congrats

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

Wow, what a story! He's beautiful! Congratulations!!!

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

congratulations!!! what a story! All worth it though.... Jake is gorgeous!Gorgeous!!!!!

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

Welcome back and Welcome baby Jake

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

Welcome Baby Jake!!! We're so happy to meet you.

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

What a story!!! Thank you so much for sharing it with us... Im sorry your labor was so long, but you got a beautiful little boy in the end!!

Feel good and keep us posted!!!

Since we wont be seeing anymore belly shots...keep us updated on pictures of JAke outside the belly!!!

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

Ughhh, what a long road you had!! But look at that beautiful little boy From pictures I've seen of you, he looks alot like you. And I LOVE the name! We were going to name Cassidy Jake if she was a boy!!

Congrats!!!!!!!!!! and rest up and feel better!

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Welcome Jake Louis!!!! He is just precious!!

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

Message edited 6/16/2007 3:16:37 PM.

Re: He's finally here!! Birth Story and Pics inside...

Congrats!!!! Welcome baby Jake