September 12 - Crosby Benson Allen Arrives

1 steroid shot, some Pitocin, an antibiotic, some gnarly contractions, a failed epidural, lots of hand squishing, a birthing ball, some body shaking, probably more than a few swear words, and 8 hours after check in, Crosby Benson Allen was born!

Crosby Benson Allen

Monday, September 12, 2016 (31 days early)

12:13 am

6 lbs, 2 oz

16.5 inches 

Birth Story Highlights

Proud that lots of docs & nurses were asking if this was our 1st child.

Water broke at 8:15 am.
To hospital at 3:00 pm.
Tests to see if what was leaking was amniotic fluid.
Confirmation that water had broken at 4:30-5:00 pm.
Pray with Bryan.
Steroid (to help with baby's lungs since he was so early) & antibiotics (since I hadn't even had the chance to be tested for Group B Strep) & IV at 5:00 pm.
B home to pack bags & ask Bryce to stay at 5:30. Called Mom & asked her to come up.
Tolerated contractions best standing and bouncing on exercise ball.
Ordered epidural at 9:30 pm.
Epidural FINALLY arrived at 11.
Epidural DID NOT work.
Dilated 5+ to 9 in 30 min.
Lots & lots of silent prayers. Lots & lots of body shaking and tears streaming.
Epidural re-strung & mostly working at 11:50.
Doc popped water bubble.
Doc here to check where I was at.
A couple pushes and delivered by Dr. Jeffrey Broberg at 12:13 am.

Since he's a whole month early, he'll spend some time in the NICU working on blood sugar levels and getting his lungs stronger, but he is doing well and we feel so blessed. He tried nursing when he was first born, but he is just so tiny that he doesn't know how quite yet. I will be pumping and labeling for the NICU until he can come home and eat well.

Both Bryan & I held Crosby for a few minutes today, but the NICU nurses tell us that what he needs most is to sleep and relax and stay warm so that he can grow. 

Bryan's two weeks of paternity leave start today. So thankful to have that since it looks like our Crosby will be hanging out here for a couple days.

 

Text sent to family: Family! Crosby is doing well! Breathing/Lungs: He is on room air. No oxygen needed. Blood Sugar: His level is 97. Normal is above 60. He won't need to be checked again for that. Antibiotics: They put him on antibiotics in case he had an infection because most of the time, premature babies have a small infection. It's proactive. His blood culture won't be back until 24 hours after testing. He'll be here at least 48 hours for the antibiotics. Then he needs to prove that he can eat enough, breathe, and hold his temp on his own. 

Grama & Grampa arrived late yesterday evening and brought the big kids to hospital to meet their brother. Unfortunately, because it's flu/RSV season, no one under five years old is allowed in the NICU except on Sundays and with signed immunization records & "no sick" verification forms. They settled for making him a card and looking at pics & video on Dad's phone.

Grampa went back to see Cros (after the required/timed five minute hand wash), but Grama stayed back just to be safe since she's had a couple dizzy episodes.