30-12-2009 - I delivered on Christmas Day!

My mood while writing this blog: Happy

Had bloody show on Monday and Tuesday, not a whole lot. Triage nurse said that labor could start in 72 hours, or up to two weeks. My due date was not until January 5th, and I thought that I would deliver late, being a first time mom.

At my 38 week check up on Wednesday, I was only measuring 33 weeks. So I was sent for a US/biophysical profile. It showed that baby's weight was estimated to be 5 lbs, 3 oz, which is < 3% on the growth chart. But the growth charts are for caucausians, and I am asian. I had good placental blood flow and amniotic fluid levels. The peri-natologist was not worried, but he wanted me to come in for weekly NST/non-stress tests.

Started having some regular contractions at 5 am on Thursday (Christmas Eve) at 5 am for an hour. Didn't go into work. Started having irregular, but more frequent contractions at 8 pm. Through the night, they became more regular and painful. By about 3 am, I was pretty uncomfortable, and they were lasting a minute each, five minutes apart. I called triage, and was told to drink three large glasses of water and take a hot bath. Slowed the contraction length to about 40 seconds. Called again at 5 am b/c they were getting regular and painful again, was told to drink more water and take another hot bath. By 8 am, I was sort of miserable, and the baby was not moving much at all.

Friday - Christmas Day:

I went in to triage at 8:30 am for a NST, which looked ok. They did a bedside biophysical profile/US and he still looked ok. She checked me - I was 90% effaced, but only 1 cm dilated. I went home, and she told me to take tylenol/benadryl, try to get some rest b/c I'd likely go into more active labor later in the day. I kept having contractions, and starting around noon, they started to get worse. My water broke at 12:30, but I didn't realize it. It was like a leaking, and the fluid had brown specks in it. I thought it was from the exam. But it kept leaking with contractions, not in large amounts. I stayed in bed, kept having bad contractions. Finally around 4:30 pm, I called triage again. She sounded skeptical. When I told her that I thought my water had broken, and there were brown specks in it, she told me to come in. But she warned me that I might get sent home again. The ride to the hospital was really uncomfortable, even though we took the highway. They checked me, and my water had broken - the brown specks were meconium. Not good! Means that baby may be in distress. I was shocked that I was 6-7 cm dilated and 100% effaced. Finally I was admitted! I asked for an epidural right away. It took a little while b/c it was Christmas and I think there was only one anesthesiologist. He was fantastic, placed it quickly, and I had complete relief in minutes. Amazing. I don't know why anyone would go through childbirth without one. I couldn't even feel the contractions happening, I was in heaven.

They let me get to 9 cm, then the monitor showed that baby's heart rate was dropping with contractions in a concerning pattern. They had me push to 10 cm, which didn't take too long. Then they asked me to start pushing, even though I couldn't really feel anything. With pushing, his heart rate went even lower, and the attending said that I might have to have an emergency C section. He looked quite worried, there were two OB residents and the attending at the end of the birth. I ended up pushing, and they used a vacuum to extract baby. I only pushed for 30 min, and ended up with a grade 3 tear. They stitched me up in the room, but were not satisfied, so they had to take me to the OR. I got more medication in my epidural, but then I couldn't feel my legs and I got hypotensive (low blood pressure), required a shot of epinephrine and IV fluids I think. I actually passed out when the nurse tried to get me out of bed later.

Anyhow, baby was born at 11:04 pm on Christmas Day - what a wonderful gift!! He only weighed 5 pounds, length 18 inches (although they measured him to be 17 inches at the newborn visit a few days later). His apgars were 8 and 9. There were two pediatricians present at birth since he had meconium, which they had to suction out. I was able to spend about half an hour with him on my chest while they stitched me up. At one point he looked right up at me, and stared into my face. It was the most wonderful moment in my life I think, right up there with my wedding day. Thinking about that moment just made me cry.

We named him Lukas Wen-Wei Berner. My father picked his Chinese middle name. Wen stands for: elegeant, refined, scholarly, accomplished. Wei stands for: extraordinary, great, powerful, strong, mighty, admirable. His nickname all through my pregnancy was LW, for "Little Waldo". My husband's nickname is Waldo b/c he sort of looks like the Where's Waldo character, so he has become BW, or Big Waldo. We did not pick this name for the initials LW, but it just worked out that way!

Unfortunately, I developed urinary retention after birth, which was very uncomfortable. I was straight cathed twice, got a liter of urine each time. Ouch. I asked that they put in a Foley cathether, which helped. I was in bed all the next day, but the following morning, I was able to urinate on my own. And we were released to go home!

Baby's first night was really difficult. He slept all day, so we expected him to do the same at night. Wrong! I think he was really getting hungry. I was breastfeeding him regularly, but still just had colostrum. He had a newborn appointment the following morning, and he had lost 10% of his body weight from birth - 4 lbs, 7 oz. And he hadn't peed or pooped since coming home. So we had to start supplemental formula feeds. He also had jaundice, another reason to supplement. He wore a bili blanket for about 16 hours, and his bilirubin level improved. He also started to pee and poop, and gained 2 ounces in one day. I am still having him latch on, and I am pumping to try to stimulate my milk to come in. It has started to come in, in small amounts, and I am hopeful that soon I will establish a good milk supply for Lukas.

For some reason, he sleeps so well during the day, and not at night. Why is that?! I am trying to take naps during the day, but it is difficult. So much to do! Thankfully, my husband is wonderful, and he is able to stay home with us for a full month. He has been cooking up a storm, helping with feedings, diaper changes, soothing, etc. He is in love with his son, and it is amazing to see the bond that is forming already. When Lukas was first born, he couldn't stop staring at him in the bassinet - all night!

So that is our story. We are so thrilled to finally meet our baby boy. He is precious. And cute!