Saturday, July 25, 2009
So, we were due July 25, 2009. All day I was doing fine. Nothing different. No contractions, nothing. Many texts coming through asking if we had the baby yet. And, every answer was "no." Went to bed early that night, long day of cleaning the house and cars. At 9:30pm I thought I felt "something." Stared at the ceiling for 30 minutes trying to figure out if "these" were contractions or not. Started to keep track, 5 minutes apart! Yeah! We were going to have a baby! And, cool thing is that I went into labor on his due date. Loved that. So, told Chuck we needed to take a shower and pack the car. He was so excited, could not wait.
Talked to the midwife who asked to come into the hospital to get checked. So, got into the car and I can just remember thinking, "oh my God, we are going to come home with a baby!" Couldn't believe it was happening now. Got to the hospital around 11:30pm, went through the ER, had a resident check me, 3 centimeters! Yeah. (Was 1 centimeters for 3 weeks prior) Yes, I will be admitted. Finally got to the labor and delivery suite around 12:30am.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Met the midwife, Bobbie. So, Chuck and I walked the halls of Akron City Hospital until 6:30am. Trying to let gravity help our baby come quicker. But, by 6:30am I was having contractions one and a half to two minutes apart, and strong ones too. Got an epidural, which was a great experience. No pain at all. Within minutes I could not even feel the contractions, just watched them pass by on the monitor. Was 6 centimeters at this time, and everything was slowing down. Unfortunately, the baby did not like me lying in bed, his heart rate was dropping with any position I was in, except for my left side. So, that made all of the epidural medicine go to the left, leaving me very numb on my left side. By this time, our parents arrived to spend the next 12 hours waiting with us! But, I was feeling great. No pain, still could move some and was just waiting. Chuck was getting anxious for this "thing" to start! He was great the entire time, got me whatever I needed and you could tell how excited he was (it was so cute).
The nurse and student nurse I had was great. They came onto their shift at 7am and we joked that we better have a baby by the time they were to go home in 12 hours. Also, another midwife arrived, Molly. Young, talkative, very excited about her job and we loved her. Shortly after 8am, we started pitocin, but because the baby was not cooperating with the pitocin, we had to take in very slowly. Only increasing the dose every hour. During this time, we played the "Name Game" with my parents. We had not told anyone the name (except Aunt Tiz, who is in Africa - she helped up pick out the perfect name). So, clue #1 - "The name is lost." Clue #2 - "OSU athletics." Clue #3 - "4 x 4." Finally, they got it (with a little more help from us) - Miles Kix Wolf! Miles is a character from the show "Lost." Miles is the name of the men's gymnastics coach at OSU. And, in track, a 4 by 4 race equals one Mile." Aunt Tiz was the creator of these clues - she is so smart :) And, Kix is from Brooks and Dunn - Kix Brooks. Chuck and I first met to a Brooks and Dunn song. I thought this was very creative on my part :)
Ok, so finally around 5pm, we were ready - 10 centimeters was finally here. The grandparents went out the waiting room and the nurses set everything up. Only pushed for 50 minutes, tried many different positions. Was a great experience. I just closed my eyes and concentrated and when I opened them next, we had a baby boy at 5:52pm! 8 pounds, 4 oz, 21 inches long. The pushing was not bad at all. Contractions were much worse. And, the first thing I said when he was born, "I can totally do that again!" Anyways, there was meconium, so respiratory therapy had to intubate Miles for a quick minute to clear his lungs. Apgar score was low at first due to the stress of pushing (his heartrate was dropping again). But, within 5 minutes he was great. Chuck got to hold him first, as the nurses tended to me. Then one more difficulty, while we were waiting for my epidural to be removed, I started bleeding a lot. Needed more pitocin, a shot to help the uterus contract stronger. And, I was then just exhausted. (All of the hospital pictures, right after, looks like I am drugged, but I really was not, just exhausted). We also got to talk to Aunt Tiz right after he was born. She was very excited, but we were both very sad that she was not here. Very hard.
Monday and Tuesday, July 27 and 28, 2009
The rest of the hospital stay was uneventful. Miles did great. Started breastfeeding and he was a natural, went very well.
A little side story - so...my dad and mom came to visit Monday night with pizza and my dad was outside my room waiting for me to get organized. He was wearing a Nike issued OSU gymnastics Tshirt. Only students directly involved in athletics receive these shirts. Anyways, so this guy started drilling my dad on where he go this particular shirt. He first asked, "where did you get that shirt?" My dad said, "oh, all of my kids went to OSU." Well, then this guy asked again, "No, where did you get that particular shirt." My dad replied, "Oh, my daughter was the manager of the women's gymnastics team, dated a gymnast and is still good friends with Jamie and Laura." Well, this guy was shocked and said, "oh my God, I know them, I am Cullen, I wrestled at OSU." Crazy story, his wife just had their third child and was next door to my room. Love it.
So, finally on Tuesday, July 28th we all got discharged home. The transportation person was funny too. He asked what we named him and when we told him, he replied, "Oh, my wife and I love Lost!" We did not even tell him that we named him after Lost. Funny.
The ride home was great. Miles slept the entire way. Could not wait to get home to take a good shower. Pain was none, which was a shock. Just real tired.
Miles 1st Week Home
Miles did great. Cried when he was hungry. Started a pacifier earlier than hoped, but that did not interfere with breastfeeding. Went to the doctors for his first appointment, they said he was only 6 pounds and 14 oz. We thought this was crazy, bad scale. Had to return in one week for follow up. He was feeding well and diapers were good, he could not be loosing more weight. So, of course, as new parents, we were paranoid that he was not eating enough or gaining enough weight.
Miles 2nd Week Home
Followup at the doctors, he gained some weight - 7 pounds 13oz. And, what sucked more, I had mastitis. Needed antibiotics for 10 days, hurt like hell. But, kept up the breastfeeding and within a couple of days, was much better. From day 1, Miles sleeps very well at night. Two 3 hour periods, as I need to wake him up to feed him. He was already changing. His face already looks different. Getting bigger.
August 26, 2009
Miles is already one month old!!! Weighs 9 pounds and 2 oz now. Had his 2nd Hepatitis B shot, cried a little, but did well. He travels well. Loves car rides and riding in his stroller. Loves the movement. Still sleeping well at night. Eating great, although, at times it seems all we do is eat! Looking much different now. Does well with tummy time, can move his head side to side very well. Starting to look at you in the eyes, but loves bright lights. Definitely knows my voice, will follow it if I start talking in another room. I love that! Chuck gets to bond with him every night after work. I absolutely love seeing Miles sleep on Chuck's chest. It reminds me of pictures of me and my brother and sister sleeping on my dad's chest. Miles loves the Rainforest bouncy chair we got from Beth.
August 28, 2009
My dad's last day at work - he has retired. And, starting in one week he will be babysitting Miles two days a week, while I return to work. We all can't wait. Have had a couple "practice" days, but will need one or two more just to be sure. All I can think is that it is so cool that my dad will be watching him, and we both will only be working 2 days a week. So, this means the other 5 days of the week, we can do whatever, all 3 of us, together! And, when Miles gets older, we can go on lots of field trips! Can't wait. Also, today I bought 2 different swimming pools for next year's First Birthday Party. (Yeah, starting the planning early!)
We have been able to Skype with Aunt Tiz a few times so she can see Miles grow bigger. That is neat. Talk to her often on the phone. Can't wait for 26 more months to pass, where she will be able to hold my 2 year old!!! (We laugh, because by then, she may be able to hold our 2nd child too)
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