Preston Thomas Brown - Jan. 14, 2011

Skittles2113 · January 2011

Preston was born at 8:47 on Jan. 14 after 26 + hours of labor - four of which were just pushing. He was 8 lbs. 15.9 oz. (pretty much a 9 pounder!) and 22 inches long.(Pictures below).

It was a rough labor and delivery...details below for those who care...

We were called at 6:26 a.m. on Thursday morning (Jan. 13) to for our scheduled induction. We arrived around 7:20 a.m. and the doctor inserted meds to soften my cervix around 8:30 a.m. (I was already 2 centimeters dilated and my cervix was "soft" I never heard the actual % effaced). I progressed rather slowly, but I was making progress and my water began to break on its own - WOW what a weird feeling.

I asked for the epidural at almost 5 centimeters - I figured I had felt the contractions, knew what it was like and opted to enjoy the rest of my long labor. The epidural was the strangest thing I've ever felt - the "pop" you feel is insane...not painful at all though....at least for me.

Unfortunately my epidural wore off multiple times, but fortunately it was working well by the time I was ready to push. During the four hours of labor there was not even ONE push that I did not give 100%. Preston was turned slightly the wrong way and we were having issues with shoulder dystocia (his shoulders were stuck basically). The doctor gave me an episiotomy, but when he realized the cord was wrapped around Preston's neck - he pulled him out quickly (after previously trying to use a vacuum) and ripped me as well - I ended up with a third degree tear and cut.

The NICU team was called in to make sure Preston was ok as he seemed a bit lifeless at first when they got him out...he ended up being ok, just a bit bruised from the whole ordeal and no damage to his shoulder - thank God!

I finally got to hold my beautiful boy after the doctor finished sewing me up and I can't even begin to explain the love I felt - I thought I might explode with happiness and love!

I quickly learned the fear of being a mom when that morning as I was nursing I noticed swelling on his head - turned out he was fine, but I got up (before my epidural was completely wore off) - with my boobs still hanging out and ran into the hallway to get a nurse - not sure why I didn't have the presence of mind to ask my boyfriend to go tell the nurse or why I didn't hit the call button -but what a rush of adrenaline you get when you think your child is in danger!

Anyway - after being discharged and spending five days at home trying to adjust to being a new mom, I ended up back in the hospital with sepsis. I had three gram negative and three gram positive infections throughout my body - after a temperature of 105.6 and a heart rate or 187 among other things - a whole night spent in the ER with a team of doctors trying to make sure I made it through the night, I was then in the ICU to recover.

I am finally back home and thankful that the doctors were able to pull me through that nightmare!

Sorry for the long birth story, but there it is....despite the terrifying time at the hospital the second time around - it was all worth it and I'm glad it was me to deal with all that rather than my baby boy! Here he is below.....the day of birth and almost a week old...