Birth Story -- August 25, 2009

Tuesday, August 25th.

Adam Michael was born at 6:10 pm, weighing 9 lbs. and 21 in. long. Very cute.


Mom had been in labor all night, but was not progressing as expected. The midwife, Rene'e, was puzzled.

[We don't know why the following is underlined.]

Mom had been contracting consistently since the night before, but there was no baby coming.


Rene'e had been called in the early morning on Tuesday. Mom was a stretchy 8. Cx 10-15 min apart and felt "real." They baby wasn't coming down.

A second midwife, Rosemarie, came at about 12 noon...

They waited. And they watched. And mom became more and more tired.

Mom even climbed the stairs to try to make the baby come down and make the cx come closer together.

She drank Red Raspberry Tea.

The same labor pattern continued. Mom gave in and took black and blue cohosh.


Finally, after 20 hours of labor, and sitting on the ball between cx and standing during them, at about 6pm, they had real progress. "This baby's coming."

But mom felt something was wrong.


She said "I need oxygen" and laid down on the bed. Seconds later, she went into seizure. Right smack in the middle of her plans on getting the baby out real soon.


The midwives told dad to call 911, and Rene'e and Dad worked on getting oxygen to Mom.

Rosemarie came to the stairs right as I was coming down and said, quite calmly and sweetly, "Kids, your mom is having a seizure. Everything is gonna be ok, but we've called 911, they'll be here soon, and we need everyone to go upstairs."


GREEEEAATTTTT. G.r.e.a.t. Thanks. You just made my day.


Paul and I stayed downstairs, putting food away because we had just been brought dinner. The ambulance arrived quickly, and Rene'e decided it was time to get the baby out, before the firemen took mom to the hospital.

But Mom was unconscious, or at least, incoherent, only aware of her pain. Still, her body contracted, and the baby crowned. Then, Rene'e could see why things were taking so long. The could not come down because the cord was wrapped down his shoulder and up again to the placenta. She cut the cord and pulled the baby out with my dad's help.

During this time the firemen were putting their oxygen on mom, looking worried, and figuring out how to get the stretcher in the hallway.


It was great fun, let me tell you. Best few moments of my life.

Finally, the ambulance leaves for the hospital. Dad and Rene'e go with, leaving Rosemarie here with us kids, to work on the baby (who has an awful-sounding cry, by the way) and clean up.

(Rosemarie was amazing.)

Everyone crowded around to meet the newest lil boy. He was truly beautiful, despite his blue head and white hands. The pictures don't do his brilliant color any justice at all.

Rosemarie and Mark gave him a salt water bath and washed his hair. He calmed down quite a bit after that.

Then, Rosemarie and I dressed, weighed, measured, cut cord, and ate dinner. All too soon, my dad came for clothes, dinner for the parents, and the baby to bring to his mommy, who...well HAD seen him, but only for a second as she fell in and out of consciousness while leaving our house.

The next day, I got spend some time at the hospital before Mom was discharged. She ws just waiting around for the neurology reports, which came back clear. We had an amazing neurologist. Absolutely amazing. Dr. Jose Matus, wo moved here from Nicaragua 20 years ago.

Finally, we left after a few hours of me being there with Mom so that Dad could go home and wash the amniotic fluid off of himself.

And there you have it. The latest in the unfortunate series of events which constitutes the lives of the Putmans. The baby is the good part. How he got here...not so much.

Rachael

[Note from the mommy: The baby is fine. I am fine. The neurologist said he thinks I have "stress-induced seizures." Like, a whole lot of stress. I had been up all night having cx, I'm 44, the cx were long (over a minute), I was standing up and breathing through my mouth, and, whatever else was going on. We are very relieved that he didn't say I need to take medicine for the rest of my life. The baby was born at home (while I was not conscious), they just took me to the hospital for observation and tests. I am recovering normally. The seizure took a lot out of me, but I will be fine! The baby is precious!]

Today is our dute date ~ But that means zip!!

We don't go by "due dates." What's the point?

It's perfectly normal for 80% of healthy babies to have anywhere from a 38-42 week gestation. According to one source. So I try not to obsess on the date.


Today my back went out. It has not done this during pregnancy, that I remember. At least not this close to the baby coming. I am not happy about it. Hopefully, I will be able to see the chiro tomorrow. Unfortunately, this is not the kind of owie that will go away without an adjustment.

There have been so very many absolutely difficult and horrid things happen during this pregnancy. The pregnancy itself has been very healthy, but the life circumstances have been hard. Rachael just said, "This pregnancy has been very hard on everyone." Well, then. And I thought it was only me. (No, I knew it had been hard on them, too, but there has been nothing I could do, besides cease to be human. And I tried that once. It didn't work. Any tips? I'd love some.)


Well, this first blog post is just to sort of get my blogging feet wet, so to speak. I have high hopes that we will actually update it and put photos on here, etc.

We have been slowly but surely getting ready for little Adam's arrival. He will be called "Mikey" by those family members who are more partial to that name. He may just end up being called, Buzz, Scooter, Buddy, or maybe even, naw, not Bubba. We are not *that* Texan.

There are a few things that need to be finished, namely some diaper covers for Jordan and I would really really like to finish the cushions for the rocker. I have to buy two or three birth kit items, too, and some electrolyte drinks for me for labor. I'd like to also make a cake and freeze it so we can have a birthday party. Rachael can always do that, though. She is indestructible. No, not that word. She is formidable. Not that either. She is, um, capable of doing anything at a moment's notice and of doing it well? Yes, that's it!


Now, for some pics:

Me, my bump, and I:

And, no, I hadn't yet combed my hair that day. I did do so shortly after this pic was taken, though. Here, I had been having some issues related to the baby coming, but I resisted, and they went away!
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Here is little Jordan, 21 mos., in the bathtub, intently working on filling that red cup with water. Isn't he a jewel? We love him so much! And he loves water so much!







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My volunteer tub cleaners! And, no reward except to get soaking wet!

David, almost 9; and Stephen, 7

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My very big boy eating a very big burrito.

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And, my little sweetie, just being sweet (and folding diapers in the background). He is our major helper!

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Isn't he just so cool?

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Here's Jordan being sweet again with Rachael's bitty baby doll. He wanted to do this so the boys accommodated him. Don't worry, he also wields guns and swords and enjoy killing his brothers.

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Here are my tub setter-uppers. They don't exactly like posing. But you could guess that, huh?

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David had been asking me for a few days to please take a picture with him. I finally did. The reason was because he had made a cardboard and duct tape picture frame and he wanted to give it to me. Or, maybe he wanted it for himself (it's on my desk).

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I would put up more photos but these were the only ones on my memory card. I will try to get more family photos up before the baby comes. If I don't, then new baby pics will be here before you know it!

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