Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Birth Story after PPROM

      So before I post about Hunter turning the big 1! I wanted to give a little insight to his birth story. I've been working on it for a year now, and still doesn't have all the details. but here it is... sorry its so long! I am also posting the entire story, hoping that our story can bring hope to someone one in the same situation.



          On September 30th (27 weeks) I woke up thinking I had wet the bed, and tried to go back to sleep almost knowing the back of my head something was wrong. That morning I noticed some spotting and knew I needed to see my OB.  I work at an OB/GYN office so I went to see her when I got to work. She did a quick ultrasound and confirmed my water had broken and the baby had no measurable fluid. I was immediately admitted and put on magnesium for 12 hours (which made me feel terrible). Also got 2 doses of steroid in 24 hours to help the baby’s lung develop and little faster. Thankfully I wasn’t having any contractions, cramping, or bleeding.  We were really scared but baby was doing great! The doctors said the first 24 hours were critical, they said if I was going to go into labor it would happen then. If not I would be in the hospital on strict bed rest until I was 34 weeks.  While we waited the NICU team came and talked to us about what would happen if I did deliver then, and what the baby would look like. This helped prepare us for the worse.
I made it the 24 hours than a week then 6 more weeks without infection or delivery.  I read everything in reach about PPROM (Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes), what to do on bed rest, and how to keep infection away.  All I wanted was to read a success story like mine to give me hope. I knew God had a plan for us, and knew we just needed to trust in him and know his plan was far better than we could imagine. The 7 week hospital stay seemed like it would never end, especially weekends went by the slowest. My husband stayed with me 5 nights a week and my mom the other 2, I was too scared to be left alone at night for fear I would go into labor and they would be 30 min away. The doctors referred the hospital bed rest as worse than jail, because at least in jail you got to go outside and play.  My husband and I spent our first anniversary eating Lonestar takeout salads and cake our parents brought us. Our anniversary was also the first time in 3 weeks I got to go outside, it was a beautiful fall day (you forget how good fresh air smells and feels)!
Twice a day I had an NST (non stress test) this looks at the baby’s heart rate amount of accelerations and decelerations in 20 min. Once a week we went for an ultrasound BPP (biophysical profile) this looked at the baby’s lung development, growth, and fluid level. Each week our fluid level increased at one point I had 10.3 cm, the lowest we had was 3 cm. I drank water until I felt like I could float, and really stayed in bed except to shower and use the bathroom. I still leaked fluid continuously and had several gushes a week. We set small goals just to get to the next week, even though our end goal was 34 weeks, I just wanted to get past 30 then 32! Our induction date was finally set for November 17th (34 weeks), this gave me an end point and allowed us to get excited. We knew we were having a boy, but had kept the name a secret.

On Thursday November 17th after 50 days on bed rest I was induced with pitocin at 8:00am. I started labor at 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced, and told that it could be a long process and even take days! I immediately started contracting, I really wanted to walk around but couldn’t really due to the IVs. Labor went pretty slow at 4:00pm I was 4 cm and 80%, the pain was starting to get intense. My goal was to have a natural delivery without pain medication, and I still think I could have if I hadn’t started throwing up, then I could never catch my breath. I did receive an epidural at 6:30pm when I hadn’t progressed any and was not getting enough oxygen (the baby’s heart rate was dropping during contractions). At 9:30 I started feeling a lot of pressure, and was getting really uncomfortable. The nurse came and checked me hoping I had progressed but nothing! So we wait. At 10:20pm my doctor came by to check on me in between a couple c sections and I told her how I was feeling, so she checked me. I was fully dilated and the baby was crowning.  They called the NICU team, and requested them to get there STAT. My doctor actually held the baby’s head in until the NICU team got there.  As soon as they walked through the door at 10:26pm without pushing Hunter Dean was born weighing 5 lbs 1 oz  18 ½ inches long and crying. Taylor did get to cut the umbilical cord, I didn’t get to hold him but the doctor held him up so I could see his face. Taylor was able to go straight to the NICU with Hunter and kept sending me pictures on our phones of him and letting me know how he was. The worst part of everything was not being able to go see Hunter because I had to let the epidural wear off before I went anywhere.   It was hard with everyone else getting to see him when I had to wait, even though I got to hear how he was doing and who he looked like. I finally got to see him at 4:30am, and even got to be the first one to hold him. It was so hard with all the wires and looking at his face he looked so peaceful but almost scared. He was still on the ventilator and not liking it one bit.  Later that day was much better only the cpap and an IV. Throughout the next day we went back and forth from the NICU trying to be with him every chance we got. While the nurses seemed optimistic about him coming home that week, the doctors on the other hand were not they would say “we hope to have him home by his due date”. This made me crazy… 6 weeks from now! I don’t think so!
I was released to go home on the 19th (Saturday morning). It was so bittersweet… after  52 days in the hospital  I didn’t  remember what home looked like much less what is felt like. It was so hard to leave Hunter but knew it wasn’t for long. We stopped by to see him a last time before we left and to get the latest update on how he was doing. He was progressing right on track and hoped to be off oxygen by Sunday night, and starting his tube feedings increasing 3cc every 3 hours up to 41cc (the goal to go home).


A few hours after Hunter was born


5 days old...first time wearing cloths














 




Hunter’s NICU Story

11/17/11 Thursday, Hunter was born at 10:26pm weighing 5lbs 1 oz., went straight to the NICO to be put on the ventilator. Fortunately he was only on the vent for 8 hours. I got to hold him for the first time at 4:30am (11/18)

11/18 Friday, Only has the cannula set on level 2. No infection and has stopped preventative antibiotics.  Gained 1oz. now 5.2lbs. Taylor got to change his diaper for the first time. At midnight I got to hold him for an hour and he did awesome!
11/20 Saturday, I came home. Hunter looked great when we left the hospital, and getting 6ml of BM every 3 hours. This will increase by 3ml every 3rd feeding up to the goal of 48ml every 3 hours to come home.
11/21 Sunday, Cannula is now set a level 1, and doing great. Even pulling the cannula out and sucking on the pacifier really well. Dr. did pick up a heart murmur, but not concerned at all as most preemies have this. He weighs 4.13 after a “big poop”. Eating 21 ml every 3 hours though tube. He has held his body temp for 24 hours now so will move to an open crib soon. Billi level is a little low, so they have him under the lights as a precaution. I think he likes it, he looks so relaxed and happy. He will come off the IV fluid tonight, since he is getting enough BM.
11/22 Monday, Hunter is progressing great! Got to feed him his first bottle this morning, and he ate it all! No oxygen or IVs are needed now. Only has a feeding tube for when he’s too tired to eat.
11/23 Tuesday, Today he has eaten every other feeding from a bottle and doing great, but the want to give him 1 more day at every other, because they think it wearing him out. Everything else is great, gaining weight like he should.
11/24 Wednesday, I spent all day with him from 9-4. I got to breastfeed him for the first time, and he did great. Later I fed him a bottle and got some of his DC paperwork done, so we are ready when he is ready to go home.
11/25 Thursday, Happy Thanksgiving! And happy 1 week! We stopped by for a short visit before we left town for the holiday. Taylor held him the entire time, and read him a thanksgiving story. He is eating every bottle at a little over 2 oz. We will stay the night tomorrow, and bring him home Saturday.
11/26 Friday, Hunter had his circumcision done this morning. We got there late afternoon, and were taken to a room on the peds floor for the night. It seemed like the longest night of my life! Hunter and I didn’t sleep at all. The bed so horrible uncomfortable, and Taylor had to sleep in a tiny chair.
Finally going home!
11/27 Saturday, After 9 days Hunter gets to come home!! During the long discharge process Taylor went to Wal-Mart to get some last min things. Finally around 11ish we are set to go. It’s was rainy cold day, and I have my 1st baby shower when we got home. So I will also be leaving Hunter at home on his first day home! Taylor of course did great, and can’t wait to watch Hunter grow and enjoy him. The best is yet to come












             If anyone is reading this, looking for hope and has questions please contact me! I've been down that road, when all you want to hear is a "happily ever after" story.
 I am forever grateful for the friends and family that prayed with us, and for us during this time! And most of all for Gods unending love for us. He truly blessed us with a true miracle!


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