Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Our Little Wyatt


The Birth

Wyatt joined our family on Sunday, September 16, 2012. That day is also special because it is Mexico's Independence Day. We had scheduled an induction for Tuesday, September 18th, but the doctor told us if we went to triage on Sunday they would probably induce me because I was already 10 days past my due date. I had started to feel really anxious about Wyatt coming so late because I knew that after 41 weeks, other complications can arise. I felt a lot of weight in making the decision of whether to induce or wait to see if he would come on his own. I had been showing signs of labor for the past two weeks (mild contractions and some dilation and effacement) but things didn't seem to be progressing. Isaac and I decided that we should make this decision a matter of prayer. We felt good about going in on Sunday, so we got up early and headed over to the hospital.

Here we are at the hospital. Not our best picture but we got up at 5:00 am so what can you expect?

Although I ate prior to going to the hospital, after they had completed all the paperwork and got me in a delivery room I was starving! Luckily, the nurse believed in feeding me before we started the Pitocin so she ordered me a breakfast burrito. Nothing ever tasted so good! 

They finally started the Pitocin at 10:00 am. At 11:00 am my water broke on its own. A little while later the doctor came in and checked me. Turns out my water broke up high (what they call a high leak), so he broke the sac where the water was below the baby's head. 


About an hour after that, contractions began to be painful. At first I would breathe through them easily. But as time went on, they became more intense and closer together. 

At the top in the blue shaded area, you can see baby's heart beat. As long as he is in the blue he is good. The bottom graph shows the contractions. At this point they were two minutes apart lasting about 1 minute.

At one point the contractions were about one or two minutes apart but there was no break. As soon as the contraction subsided, the next one began. I thought I was going to die! The pain was so intense. I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen that would build and shoot down my legs. Labor is a very unique pain because it builds and then subsides. It requires a lot of concentration. I've never experienced anything like it before. When I started to have a contraction, I didn't want to be touched or talked to. As the contractions got worse, I thought to myself, "I can't do this for hours!" I had really wanted to go natural but I knew that since I had decided to induce that most likely I would end up getting an epidural. Word on the street is that contractions caused by Pitocin (a synthetic hormone of Oxytocin) are more painful. So I had my doula get the doctor to check me to see how far I had progressed. This way I could judge if I should stick it out or get the epidural. Well the doctor checked me and I was only dilated to 4 cm. You need to be 10 cm in order to deliver. So obviously, I decided to get the epidural. The epidural wasn't as painful as I thought it would be. I did have a problem with my epidural. It didn't quite take on my left side. So they had me lay on my left side but it still wasn't really helping, so then I was still needing to breathe through contractions as I felt my left side contract and pain shoot down my left leg. The nurse came in and shot up something into the epidural and then at some point I fell asleep. When I woke up, I was so chatty! About an hour later, I told my doula that I felt pressure down there and once I felt it all the time she called in the doctor. They checked me and the baby was at what they call a "plus 3." The scale goes minus 3 to plus 3 so he was ready to come out! I pushed for about 30 minutes and our little Wyatt made his arrival at 6:18pm. Once Wyatt came out they set him right on my chest. He wasn't nearly as gooey as I thought he'd be. His skin looked a little purple at first. Isaac cut the umbilical cord which was white. I was surprised that it was white but once the air hit it, it started to turn to a blueish purple tint. After they wiped up Wyatt and put a little hat on him I was able to look at him in wonder. I was crying and so was Isaac. It was so crazy to think that this little life came out of me. I then breastfed Wyatt. It is so amazing how he knew just what to do and that my body was able to fill his need to eat. Once he finished eating the nurse took him and gave him a sponge bath and weighed and measured him. Wyatt was 7 lbs. 14 oz. and 20 inches long. 

     
 Both of us with Wyatt right after he was born.

     
Here is Wyatt sucking on his thumb after the nurse gave him a bath. He hasn't really been able to suck his thumb since then. He usually just attempts to stick both hands in his mouth at the same time.

I know I look awesome in this picture but I included it because I thought it was so interesting that the hospital would give me food like chicken fingers and french fries or a hamburger. Shouldn't hospitals give you healthy food?

  
Here is Wyatt, already practicing his riding technique.What a cutie!

  
Isaac's parents hopped in the car when we called to tell them I was being induced. They made it to the hospital at about midnight. I was exhausted and sleeping but they enjoyed spending time with their first grandchild.

This is our little Wyatt's first car ride leaving the hospital.

Pictures

My mom and I tried to take some cute photos of Wyatt. Below I have put little captions for each pic

          
"Don't mess with Texas!"                  "Yawn..."                                         "Model pose" 


Pictures with Daddy
 

Family portrait

Hanging out with Grandma Jean

We had just given him a sponge bath and his hair was sticking up all over the place. His hair is so long he needs a little trim around his ears already!
  


Wyatt just chillin'


Sleeping

More fun pics:

 Wyatt with flowers from Joanna.       A little smile I managed to catch.    He looks like a little boxer here.

 Oh this little guy is just so cute!


A Little More About Wyatt

Wyatt is such a good baby. We are so blessed that he is so healthy. We are learning the ropes of being new parents which means we now know what it's like to be pooped on, peed on, and spit up upon. Wyatt is very strong. He could already lift up his head by the time he arrived home. In fact, once my mom (Grandma Jean) was holding him and it looked as though Wyatt lifted his head up to kiss her. He actually sucked her cheek. Wyatt goes a little crazy when he is hungry. I call him "my little crazy man." We've noticed that Wyatt has long toes just like his father. He also seems to have big hands for his size. It seems to me that Wyatt has inherited his body type from Isaac, but Wyatt's facial features seem more similar to my baby pictures. Wyatt has gray eyes so we are curious to see what color his eyes will be as he gets older. It is so fun to see Wyatt grow. I have noticed that he has become more alert and that he has begun to study my face. It is so exciting to see my baby memorizing my face. I absolutely love being a mother though there have already been difficult times that have led me to tears. The other day I was holding Wyatt and he was only in his diaper. I had placed my hand on his chest and I could feel his little heart beat. I started to cry as I became so overwhelmed at the thought that Isaac and I created this little life. We are so blessed that we were able to have a child and we are so excited to be starting a family.












7 comments:

  1. oh my goodness! I love this so much. AH! Being a mom is the best. So many highs and lows ahead. Enjoy them all!! He is so darling. Love baby boys! Congrats

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  2. I love reading birth stories! You will be glad you wrote it down because my births all run together and if I hadn't written it down I wouldn't remember the details! Wyatt is so sweet. I love the one of him sucking his thumb. So good to see a photo of your mom. You are lucky to have such a special mom, I miss her! Congratulations~!

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  3. I love your story. :) Wyatt is BEAUTIFUL!!! Love all that cute hair!! And all of the pictures are just great!! I hope you are feeling well and enjoying your sweet little newborn!! They get big too fast!!

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  4. so so so cute!!!! Congratulations!!!
    -Tenille (Harrison) Roylance

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  5. Hooray and congratulations! And yes, while I'm all for natural childbirth, there is nothing natural about the pain of pitocin-induced contractions. If you have pitocin in your system, GET THE DRUGS! ;)
    He is such a handsome little man! I love all the hair!

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  6. Beautiful!! Just beautiful!! I am SOOO excited for you guys :) And Wyatt is SO freaking cute. I love his dark hair, I love his name, and I love those pictures of him with you. Awwwwww! Dreams do become realities, ehh???

    Calling you this weekend!

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  7. congrats!!!! He is perfect and we are so happy for yoU!!!

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