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Challenge: NICU Parenting

Biggest baby in small pond of little babies

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I probably had the most idyllic pregnancy. No morning sickness, never tired, no swelling, and I probably only gained 20 pounds. Then the last few weeks my baby decided he was not going to budge.

5 days late it was decided I be induced. This was not the outcome I wanted but I knew this was the only option for operation get this baby out!!

July 10,2017 arrived and I was a bag full of emotions. Scared, nervous, excited and above all ready to not be pregnant anymore!

I arrived at the hospital around 8pm and started the induction process. I was very emotional as I could just feel this was not going to be easy. Boy was I right!

After a long sleepless night they started the pitocin. Immediately it was uncomfortable. After about 4 hours I have in and had the epidural. Little did I know getting an epidural would be the best decision I ever made.

At noon my doctor came in and broke my water. I thought this was going to make my son come soon. Boy was I wrong. He wouldn’t be born for 12 more hours.

As the day continued the epidural made my heart rate drop which made the baby’s heart rate drop. They had to decrease the amount to help my heart rate.

It wasn’t until 9pm that I was fully dilated. When it was getting close to push the doctors let me know the NICU team would be here as I had a fever which sometimes gives the baby an infection.

Everything seemed to be fine I was pushing and then the contractions stopped. They baby got stuck in my pelvis. The cord got caught around his neck once the head was out. My doctor called a code pink. And 30 doctors entered my room. There were doctors pushing on my stomach pulling my legs back trying to help the baby.

Finally my doctor decided to do an episiotomy and get the baby out. They rushed him over to the warming station and after what seemed like an eternity he was breathing! He came out Blue gray and was finally getting some color back! And well he was 9.15 lbs!!

I held him for what seemed like 1 min and was immediately taken to the NICU with my husband following.

For 4 long days my son and I were separated by a wing. We never shared the same hospital room. Every 3 hours I would walk the long walk to the NICU. Call to be let in, wash my hands and sterilize everything. It was so surreal. I couldn’t believe this happened. I started questioning everything I did during my pregnancy. Did I eat too much? Should I insisted to be induced earlier? Just seeing him in the crib with all the wires made everything so real. He had high blood sugar, trouble breathing, and inconsistent oxygen levels. And to top it off was having issues eating.

The NICU nurses were the angels. They loved on little Lucas. They were everything!

I think the hardest part is that our parents didn’t get to meet him until day 2. We didn’t get that moment where you get to be in the hospital room holding your baby and your parents meeting their grand baby for the first time.

Even though it wasn’t as I had dreamed they thought the moment meeting him was pretty special.

Day 3 was where things got better. But it was decided once discharged Lucas would continually need speech therapy to help with his latch for eating.

Day 4. We met with the NICU doctor and she gave the all clear to discharge him. The moment the cut all his tags,removed the wires, and dressed him was the moment I finally could breathe.

All I wanted was to run with him and get the hell out of that hospital. I felt like we were breaking out of jail.

I’m so thankful for the hospital, the team of doctors, my doctor and every single nurse in that hospital. They helped me, my husband and of course my baby get well and he is as happy as he can be!

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