After the doctor removed Jen's cerclage, her bleeding slowed but the contraction pain increased to levels only a mother could understand. I felt so helpless. Nothing I said or did affected her positively. Beads of sweat were glistening on her forehead from the intense and tortuous labor. I started to wonder if she could handle much more. When the nurse came in, she asked Jen if she would like to get an epidural. Jennifer gave a resounding yes, and before I could ask her if she was sure (she didn't want one with Emma or Ryan), she gave another resounding yes. It took quite a while for the pharmacy to fill the epidural order, long enough that I began to wonder. Jennifer barely felt the epidural needle as the contraction pain was so much worse. They had to steady her as the contractions were right on top of each other at that point. Within minutes of the infusion of the medication, Jennifer was fast asleep. It was night and day. One minute she was in excruciating pain and the next minute she was fast asleep. About two hours elapsed before the nurse came in and another 30 minutes until Dr. Desmarais came back. She performed a speculum exam and determined that Jennifer was 7 cm. The doctor decided she wanted to move forward so she inserted a long metal tool with snips at the end and ruptured the sack and prepared for delivery. After breaking her water, things moved pretty quickly. They moved her from her labor and delivery room over to the OR. They had me put on the hat and the shoe covers and gown. I felt a little unsettled about how quickly things moved. I didn't feel that great about the epidural or the way doctor Desmarais ruptured the sack so early. Once we were in the OR, it was a matter of getting everything set up. Getting all the tools, cloth, equipment, and personnel in place. At last we were ready to go. Dr. Desmarais asked Jen to try to start pushing. Dr. Desmarais inserted her hand and felt the baby's head and again asked Jen to push. Jen did the best she could considering she was completely numb, and before I knew it, little David Christopher came out. He had a full head of hair and he was crying. It was amazing. It almost wasn't even real. A little baby boy had been born, with his whole life ahead of him along with all the accomplishments and disappointments and joy and sorrow that would come along with it. This little boy will meet and touch the lives of so many people. That is why the feeling that I felt in that OR was so special; a child of God was born. That one moment represented the beginning of so much to come, and I get to be the one, along with Jennifer, to raise him up in truth and light and help him on his way. They held him up for us to see for just a moment or two, and then they sent him off to the NICU.
They rated him an 8/9 apgar. I felt a sense of peace and calm, as if his cry had somehow remedied our worry. I think it was a few hours before I went into the NICU to see him. After the delivery, I turned to Jennifer and said "I can't believe we have a little boy!" She looked at me, smiled, and said "I know." She was so tired that she fell fast asleep. However, I couldn't fight off the temptation to think "what if he could have made it just a few more weeks?" I think I felt that way because I truly didn't want David to struggle. It wasn't because I was being selfish and didn't want to spend the time in the NICU with him. (I still do have fears though that he will be a reflux baby like Emma.) However, only time will tell. Whatever his future, we will love him and support him 100%. I know Heavenly Father will have His hand in everything. We are so glad he made it safe and sound even if he was about 10 weeks early! What a blessing!
They rated him an 8/9 apgar. I felt a sense of peace and calm, as if his cry had somehow remedied our worry. I think it was a few hours before I went into the NICU to see him. After the delivery, I turned to Jennifer and said "I can't believe we have a little boy!" She looked at me, smiled, and said "I know." She was so tired that she fell fast asleep. However, I couldn't fight off the temptation to think "what if he could have made it just a few more weeks?" I think I felt that way because I truly didn't want David to struggle. It wasn't because I was being selfish and didn't want to spend the time in the NICU with him. (I still do have fears though that he will be a reflux baby like Emma.) However, only time will tell. Whatever his future, we will love him and support him 100%. I know Heavenly Father will have His hand in everything. We are so glad he made it safe and sound even if he was about 10 weeks early! What a blessing!
Welcome to our family David Nyland Christopher! We love you so much.
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| David Nyland Christopher Born May 2, 2013 at 2:48am. 3 lbs. 1 oz. (1380g) and 16 inches. |
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