Baby Jacob is Born!!

Wow!  I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted.  But of course, what would you expect?  I've been a bit busy having a baby and all.

After approximately 2 weeks of labor pains which ultimately did NOTHING to get the labor process going, I was induced on October 25, 2010.  It was one of the most overwhelming, yet surreal experiences I've ever had. I was on the brink of tears most of the time (for what reason, I'm still not sure), and yet, I was the most calm I've ever been during any of my deliveries.  In fact, I dozed off several times during the labor process!!!

It took 1 hour and 5 people to get my IV in.  After that, it was the easiest delivery I've had. The doctors, nurses and technicians were amazing.  The epidural was divine (why did I even CONSIDER not getting one??), I felt Jacob descend in literally 2 contractions, and he was out in 2 pushes. And he was absolutely beautiful.  KC even got to carry him up to NICU after he was born. 



This was the beginning of the sweetest, most endearingly adorable child I could possibly imagine - and he's MINE!  All mine!!!

In spite of his heart defect, and Downs Syndrome Jacob came out relatively healthy.  He wound up having high red blood cells, which made his blood like "sludge" and caused Jaundice.  He needed just a tad bit of air for a couple of days, and they noticed the he had an infection which meant he needed to be on antibiotics for 10 days.  They suspected that his aorta may be slightly constricted, but didn't find anything that confirmed that diagnosis in their original cardiogram and decided to monitor the blood pressure of his four extremities to see if there were any differences in blood pressure. 

Although poor eating is considered common in children with Downs Syndrome, Jacob eats like a champion! - he just doesn't like to eat from his mother! grrrrr. Luckily, I'm persistent and am hopeful that he will see the error of his ways and begin nursing here shortly.

All in all, he is healthy and happy, and should be out of the hospital by Thursday, November 4th. 

Another development/bonus is that our NICU neighbors wound up being fantastic! Sadly, they didn't find out about their baby's Down syndrome or heart defect until after he was born.  I had the severe misfortune of being in my little 'curtain area' trying to nurse when they first came into the NICU where their new born baby was laying and met with the doctors.  It was absolutely heart-breaking.  It gave me several moments to reflect on how I had reacted so many weeks ago when I received the news about Jacob.  Yep.  I could TOTALLY empathize.  In fact, I think they took it much better than I did.  They met this trial head-on and have been the most amazingly strong and positive couple in spite of their adversity. 

We've found that we have so much in common not only with our little babies, but our families, both being LDS, and so much more!  They have been a blessing in our lives, and it has been wonderful to be able to lean on one another when life gets overwhelming or we just need someone to talk to who knows what we're going through.

What an overwhelming experience to have your world rocked in such a way with such a tiny, defenseless child.  But when you look into their fearless, trusting eyes you can't help but bristle with protectiveness and vow to love and take care of that little one no matter what it takes. 

So, the past 7 days have been filled with hours upon hours of me either driving to and from the hospital (30 minutes each way),  feeding Jacob, meeting with doctors, specialists, nurses, therapists, etc. or just holding him and marveling at what a strong spirit he has.  In spite of all the pain he has endured in his short little life with multiple IV's, blood tests, poking and prodding, and so much more, he just silently endures it all.  Rarely do I hear a cry from his tiny little lips, or a squeak of pain.  He is my rock.  And maybe when I'm all grown up...I'll be as strong as him.

Psych!!!

So yesterday I had my weekly "You get to spend all DAY at the doctors' office doing tests" day.

This Friday I got to go in for a Biophysical Profile, a growth scan, and then meet with my OBGYN to find out all the results and to see if anything needed to be done for the baby.  Yesterday, I drove 30 min to the ultrasound and had the baby kicking and moving the entire drive.  As soon as I got into the Ultrasound room, he decided he was tired and fell asleep.  Niiiiiice.  NOT what you want to happen when they are checking for fetal movement.   So we spent 1/2 hour trying to wake the little bugger up - they moved me onto my side, then back onto my back, then made me put my legs straight out, then gave me some apple juice to get him all 'sugared' up, then I emptied my bladder, they put a vibrating buzzer up to him to scare him awake...nothing.  This kid would NOT budge.  Is it too much of me to ask that he sleeps the same way when he's OUT of my tummy too?

Needless to say, he just barely passed the "breathing" part of the test, but he failed the movement part horribly. 

I went to my Doctor's appointment and he talked to me to see if the baby had been moving, which I told him he had.  He asked me if there were changes, and I basically told him my contractions were further apart but more painful.  He asked me if he needed to check me and I said, "Nope.  You and I both know that I'm not having this baby before induction date.  I've been induced with all of my 3 other kids".  Normally I'd at least get a smile from him.  Nothing.  Hmmmmm.

He told me that the baby had failed his BPP and that he needed to send me to the hospital for another test.  I said, "OK".  We discussed when induction would actually be (the 25th) and he realized we didn't choose a time, so he had Megan, his nurse take me to the scheduling nurse to schedule the induction  and even suggested to her that she take me to the hospital.  I informed her I'd been there several times already and I was sure I could find my way.  The whole time I was with them at the office it was if they were waiting for me to FREAK OUT or something....just kind of treading lightly.


C'mon.  Seriously? If I thought that something wasn't right, I'd be the FIRST person to be saying something.  Knowing that something can go wrong at any given time has made me ubber sensitive to what's going on inside me.  If Jacob hadn't moved all morning, I would have been concerned.  Besides, this is NOT my first pregnancy, and it certainly wasn't my first time hanging out at the hospital for some Stress Test to prove what the previous ultrasound had already confirmed...his heart was beating regularly and at the right speed and all was fine.  I just had a heavy sleeper inside me. 

So, anyway...I called Elisha to let her know I'd be staying a little longer than expected. And I called KC (who of course, was in St. Maries and 3 hours away from me with sporadic cell phone coverage)  to let him know I was going to the hospital, but not to worry...just DON'T ignore my phone calls if I try to call again later ;)  I stopped by the intake office (I hadn't turned in my intake paperwork yet for the actual induction date) and they looked at me funny for not going straight up to the Labor and Delivery office.  I just ignored them.

Finally, I made it to Labor & Delivery.  They had been waiting for me and already knew me by name.  They took me to a little room, hooked me up, gave me a TV remote ( I can't remember the last time I've watched TV during the day....nothing has changed.  It's all still CRAP) and left me to lay there for about 30-45 minutes as the machine monitored the baby's heartbeat. 

Funny thing happened....NOTHING. His heartbeat was just fine.  Nice and steady.  No arrhythmia, not stops, no gaps.  He was a normal little baby STILL sleeping.  Though I did get to notice that my contractions were pretty much 6 minutes apart while I was there.  Hmmmm something to keep an eye on.

Elisha Allred: Soon-to-be big sister of Jacob, a boy with Down syndrome

My poor little boy freaked all the doctors and nurses out for nothing.  He's nice and healthy.  So they sent me home.  I was glad to leave.  I was NOT ready to have this baby yet!  It looks like, however, that our family will get to spend the rest of this weekend GETTING the house ready. Just as soon as Elisha finishes up her Saturday Volleyball Tournament! :)

Oh The Beauty of Good Friends

It's been a few weeks since I've posted anything new.  That could be good...or it could be bad.  And, to be quite frank, it's been a little bit of both. 

The reality of this impending birth is hitting home a wee bit too soon and too hard.  The bills associated with this baby have begun to come in - and it's basically just the co-pays!!! Plus, I've been experiencing frequent and stronger-than-usual contractions (usually every 15-20 minutes) for the last week or so.  Understand,

I still have 5 WEEKS TO GO!!!! 

I'm sure that when I have to report to my Dr. on Friday on the frequency of my contractions he'll be none too excited about those contractions.  And I worry that I may be sent to bed for the rest of the pregnancy - something I CANNOT afford to do right now.  I'm just not ready!  I don't have the baby's room painted, I don't have meals prepared and frozen in the freezer, my taxes aren't done, I don't have candy bouquets pre-made, NOTHING!  Please, don't send me to my bed this week!

On the upside though, KC and I got to spend the evening with a couple from our ward who have a son with Down's Syndrome.  And what a great experience it was.  It was so comforting to know that the world will not end when Jacob is born.  They explained to us all of the great experiences they've had with the process of raising a child with Downs and taught me not to sweat the things I cannot anticipate or expect.  Just go with the flow and enjoy the process and all of the unexpected (good) surprises that come along with this experience.  It's a shame that it took Jacob having Downs Syndrome for us to discover what a great family they are.  But I have a feeling that this is a friendship that will grow and blossom as the months and years go by.  How lucky are we!

Then, to top off what has already been a great evening, my friend Tawni e-mailed me and asked if she could have a 'frozen dinner' baby shower for me.  In essence, instead of having people give me oodles of baby clothes that Jacob may only be able to wear a few times, our friends would instead donate a casserole, etc for us to put in our freezer.  This would enable us to pull out a meal from the freezer each night when we're at the hospital while Jacob is in NICU or during those crazy nights when everything else came first and dinner was last on my priority list.  Oh, how blessed I am to have such a thoughtful friend to figure out what I needed most and to do it for me!  Over the course of the last 2 years she has been my angel on Earth.  I could spend the rest of my life trying to pay her back for all of the many many many MANY things she's done for me and I'd never be done! 

It's days like this when I realize that now matter how hard it gets, I have friends and family who love me and that it'll all be OK.  What an extraordinarily beautiful life I live!