Corben's Birth Story - Finally! And his first week.

In my last post, I went to the hospital at 38 weeks 5 days.  I had my next appointment on that Monday (the 22nd).  Dr. Thurston measured my tummmy, said it was measured right on track and said I was still just dilated 4.  They also did an ultrasound.  I guess the last ultrasound they did was to check the growth.  This ultrasound was called a physiology ultrasound where they grade the baby on 4 things.  I don't remember what the four things were, but they said he passed with flying colors.  So Dr. Thurston asked how my blood sugars had been doing and I told her about the same (meaning about one high one for every four).  She said she thought we should go ahead and schedule an induction.  I was all for that.  Since I had read online that you can't induce with a VBAC, I asked about that and she said that they would only break my water.  They would have scheduled it for Tuesday, but that was a really busy day for Jonathan so we scheduled it for Wednesday morning at 7:00.

We showed up at the hospital right at 7:00 on Wednesday.  After checking me in and giving me a few IVs, Dr. Bailey finally came and broke my water at 8:30.  They said that if I didn't start contracting within an hour that they would start pitocin.  I voiced my concerns about about that and they said usually pitocin is given in very large amounts (i.e. up to "20" or even higher sometimes), but that they had found that given in very small amounts it was safe for a VBAC.  After an hour I'd had only one contraction, so they started the pitocin.  On like a 1.  They eventually upped it to 3, I think.  Pretty sure that's the highest it ever got.  Jonathan said he thought he saw it on a 6 at one point, but it wasn't very for very long if so.

So anyway, about 9:45 they started the pitocin and sometime around 11:00 maybe I started to really feel the contractions.  And I wasn't enjoying it.  I think I could have made it without an epidural (that had been my goal, but only for financial reasons), but it was all going slow and I just didn't want to be miserable the whole time.  So I got the epidural.  It only worked on my left side, so after about an hour of trying to make sure it really "missed" the right side, they finally gave me another one.  When that kicked in I never felt another thing.  It was wonderful.  I had heard that people usually at least feel what's going on, but just not painfully, but I couldn't feel a thing.  In fact I was worried I had stopped having contractions altogether, but the nurse assured me I was still having them.  Around 3:00 Dr. Price came to check on things and said I was dilated to 10.  Say what?  I was really pleasantly shocked.  I thought it would still be hours.  So he said he'd come back in about half an hour and we'd start pushing.  I think it was a little longer than that, but I know I pushed for about 1 1/2 hours.  It went by fast and I got to watch in this big mirror.  It was SO hard to push not being able to feel anything.  *TMI Alert*  I have never had hemorrhoids before, but this gave them to me and holy cow...not a fan.  Anyway, his head has been low for weeks and Dr. Price kept saying he could easily pull him out, but he'd rather that I push him out.  We eventually got there.  I did opt for an episiotomy.  He left it up to me, but said I was going to tear and a small clean cut would be better than a tear.  Made sense to me.  It was such a relief when he finally came out...I was so paranoid about my VBAC failing and having to get a c-section.  I had been prepared to have to put a fight for it; that the doctor would try and suggest a c-section instead, but no one said a word about it all day and I was glad to have their support in that.  Having a VBAC was WAY more important to me than not getting an epidural.

He was born at 5:48 and they immediately put him on me for what the hospital calls their "Magic Hour" and skin to skin.  They wiped him up a little bit, delivered the placenta and stitched me up and then basically left us alone for an hour.  It was awesome.  Such an opposite experience from the c-section where I caught a glimpse of Rylee and she was whisked away.  I hope all my kids can be born vaginally.

After Magic Hour my parents brought Rylee to the hospital.  They came right before they moved me to a different room and Rylee got to ride with me and Corben on the bed which I think she really enjoyed.  Rylee really likes Corben and I think she'll really be a great big sister as long as she isn't too too  loving. ; )  After everyone left they came by to give him his first bath and weigh him. He weighed 7 lbs 15 oz and is 21 inches long.  Glad I had him a little early because he was on his way to being an 8 pounder.  lol

The hospital also doesn't have a "nursery" per se and is all about the baby being with the mother.  I really like that.  The next day we had a bunch of people come by:  hearing screening, photographer, birth certificate lady, lactation nurse, pediatrician, and of course the regular nurses/doctor.  The only thing that Corben was taken out my room for was for his circumcision.  Everything else is done in-room.  My parents brought Rylee by again to visit and Jonathan's mom came by to visit us, too.  They have what they call "cuddle time" from 3:00 to 5:00 where no one is allowed to come to our room.  It was awesome.  Me, Jonathan, and Corben all took lovely naps.  I didn't get much sleep the night before, but not because of Corben.  Just because I was trying to pump to get out my colostrum for him (couldn't get him to latch) and then I'd have to wash all my pump stuff and going to the bathroom was a process.  Doing that three times during the night just didn't leave much time for sleep.  Corben slept great, though. lol

Friday was go home day.  We were basically ready to go by about 9:00, but the pediatrician took FOREVER to come.  Jonathan was supposed to be in Pendleton by noon, so we were hoping to get discharged before then so he could take us home.  As luck would have it, instead of coming by at 9:30 or 10:00 like the pediatrician usually does from our doctors office, she went to a different hospital first that day and didn't come until about 12:30.  So my mom brought Jonathan's car at 11:15 so he could go to Pendleton  and she hung out with us at the hospital until I got discharged.

We've had a good week.  Corben latched and had about 3 feedings at the hospital, latched twice at home, and that was it.  But I'm still pumping and having to supplement with formula since I'm not producing enough.  I've ordered an herbal supplement that will hopefully increase my milk supply, but it hasn't come in the mail, yet.  If it increases my supply enough to not need to add any formula then I'll see if I can get him to latch again.  Before we left the hospital his bilirubin was a little high...not high enough to do anything there, but enough that they wanted us to take him to the pediatrician on Saturday to get it checked.  When we left the hospital his weight was 7 lbs 8 oz and his bili was 7.  Because I couldn't get him to latch and hadn't started supplementing with formula, yet, his weight was down to 7 lbs 2 oz on Saturday and his bili was 14.  So they sent us home with a bili-blanket and we went back on Monday.  I had actually already scheduled an appointment for Monday for Rylee's 18 month appointment, so that worked out.  (I'll do a separate 18 month post for Rylee).  Corben was 7 lbs 7 oz and his bili was down to 9, so they said we didn't have to do the blanket anymore and just to make sure he ate and pooped/peed a lot.  After not peeing and pooping much the day after we brought him home, he as sure made up for it since Saturday!  And he is eating a TON.  I'm more worried about him eating too much now.  lol

The first night home was not good because I was still trying to get him to latch at that point and spent 2 1/2 hours in the middle of the night trying to feed him.  The next few nights I was so paranoid about him needing to eat a bunch because his jaundice that I woke him up to feed him a couple times.  Two nights ago I only woke him up once.  Yesterday he ate SO MUCH that I decided that I wasn't going to wake him up at all.  He slept from 12 to 6.  Yay!  I didn't get to bed until 1:00, but getting 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep was amazing.  After I fed him I pumped and then went back to bed until him and Rylee both woke up about 9:00.  Last night might have been a fluke, but even just one night was better than nothing.

Corben is such a cute little boy and it's interesting to see the differences between him and Rylee.  For example, Rylee didn't lift her head until she was more than a month old and never really even came close to rolling over.  Corben lifts his head all the time (from day one) and rolls from his back to his side pretty easily. I'm sure the difference is that Rylee was 5 weeks early, but I just never realized how much that affected her head and strength before.  He still sleeps a lot during the day, but he also stays awake a good bit, too, and I love to just watch him look at the world.

So they say not to lift anything more than 10 lbs for a month.  Hahahahahahahaha...that's funny.  I am trying to be good for at least a couple of weeks, but with an 18 month old it's kind of ridiculous.  I told Emily just today that I didn't know how her and Latisha had babies without Mom around.  But my mom reminded me that she did usually go and visit them for a week after they had the baby.  That made me feel a little better because I have to call on her a lot.  When Jonathan is home he is so so helpful and we're good, but he's had finals and worked today and leaves before Rylee wakes up, so when she does wake up I have to call my mom to come get her out of her crib and help get her ready for the day.  My mom says she doesn't mind, but I still feel bad for monopolizing so much of her day.  We sure do appreciate her!  Her and Jonathan both. : )

So here are pictures from the week:

Last pregnant picture

Dilated 10, feeling great! 

Corben Jon Buffington...he's finally out! : )

During the day, whenever a baby is born, they play a lullaby over the hospital speakers.  Jonathan hears it when he is at work and has been most excited about when they would play it for Corben.  They even let him push the button and he texted his co-workers to let them know that was the one for Corben. 

First picture as a family of 4:

And it begins... ; )

The hospital does a "Celebration Dinner" for new parents and bring fancy (plastic) dishes and a bottle of Sparkling Grape Juice.  Pretty cool. : )

First day at home

Pictures with the bili-blanket

We gave him his first "bath" tonight.  He actually didn't seem to mind it.

Fluffy hair and so alert afterwards.  I can't get enough of this cuteness!!! : )  One week old today!