A Rocky Start

We had quite the week this past week. As most of you know,  Baby J spent the first 4 1/2 days of his life in the NICU. When he was being born, he decided to breathe before he was all the way out into the world. The 2nd part of that is that he had also defecated before being born too. So when he breathed that first initial time, he aspirated a bunch of blood and meconium into his lungs.

I didn't know any of this at the time, but when he was finally out I was waiting for the Dr to place him on my chest, but instead they clamped his cord, had Derek cut it quickly, and then moved him immediately over to the respiratory therapist. Umm... this was not in my birth plan. Instead the nurse told me to tell Derek to go over to be with Jason & start taking pictures. Still, neither Derek or I had a clue what was going on. A few minutes later the respiratory therapist showed my Dr the tube full of crap that he has suctioned out of  Baby J's lungs. They both decided he was being taken to the NICU right then. WHAT?! I still hadn't even seen my baby's face, let alone held him. This was not what I was planning. That's when they told me (or at least when I first remember hearing them tell me) what had happened. Derek kind of looked at me like should I go with him or stay with you? I told him immediately that he should go with Baby J & find out what was going on and that I was fine. After all, I was sitting in a room with a bunch of nurses and nothing was the matter with me (other than the obviousness of just giving birth). 

 The respiratory therapist came back an hour later or so & filled me in on what had been going on. He said a bunch of big words like C-pap and nasal canula or something like that. He told me that they had taken an x-ray of  Baby J's lungs and that they showed some pretty big signs of inflammation & there was a chance Baby J would have to be taken to UVRMC. He also told me that he had called the Pediatrician on-call and talked to them about it, as well as some kind of pediatric specialist. The only thing we could do at that point was wait. 

 About 6 hours after he was born, I was finally able to go down to the NICU to see Baby J and hold him for the first time. It was the most incredible feeling in the world. I haven't put him down much since.

Over the next couple days, they ended up putting Baby J on 2 different kinds of antibiotics to help get rid of the infection/inflammation in his lungs. They also slowly weened him off of his IV and glucose. Luckily we didn't have to have him on oxygen for more than an hour right after he was born. 

 Derek and I spent many hours in the NICU holding Baby J and feeding him. We were (and still are) 2 very tired parents. I don't know how most people can do this. After day 3 I was beyond done with the whole "experience". I just wanted to go home and take my baby with me.

Luckily for me, after I was discharged on Wednesday I was able to "rent" one of their rooms for $35 and stay at the hospital. Part of me did NOT want to go home without my baby, and the other part wanted to be close enough to try to nurse him as much as I could. 

By Thursday night about 8:00, we finally were given the all clear to take him home. My prayers (and those of SO many others) had been answered. Doesn't he look so much better without all the wires & IV's?? They told us that his infection was pretty much gone, his blood sugars were pretty level, his heart rate was strong enough for us to go home.

I was one happy mommy that night.

And Derek was one very happy daddy.

And one content little dude (once his clothes were on).

Since we've been home, things have been excellent. We haven't had any problems (other than trying to get Baby J to sleep in his own bed without screaming his head off). Derek and I have both been initiated into the parents club by both of us getting "sprayed" multiple times during a diaper change. 

Derek and I want to send a heart felt THANK YOU to everyone for all their love and support for our family during this past week. I don't think any of us could have done it without any of you. We love each of you!!