22 weeks ultrasound

Zachary Thomas was born September 7, 2006 at 8:26 in the morning. He was 7-lb 9-oz and 20 inches long.

My labor story:

My due date was September 20, 2006. I went in to see my doctor for my regular weekly appointment. The assistant asked if I had been having any contractions and felt the need for the doctor to check me for dilation. I was hesitant to say yes, because I had not felt any contractions and it hurt so much the first time he did it, but he didn’t check me the week before so I just said sure. It was a good thing though, because he checked me and I was 4.5 cm dilated and 80% effaced! Imagine my surprise when he told me to go to the hospital. I had worked that morning, went in an hour early to get to my appointment on time; I was tired. I wanted to go home to take a nap and get my bag. I was so excited and ready to get the pregnancy over with though.

I went to the hospital, which was just across the street. Before I could even get my paper work filled out he was over there to break my water! That was 4:30pm. He did this to start my contractions, but 2 hours later I was 5 cm and still feeling nothing. I wanted to have a natural childbirth, so I was thrilled, until he said that he was going to start pitocin. I knew that would make things get pretty bad and unbearable. He started pitocin about 6:30pm and then by 1am I asked for the epidural so that I could get a little rest. I was already truly exhausted just from working that day. It didn’t do too much good though. I was numb on the right side of my body but not the left. Contractions were not what I imagined they would be. I thought I would feel the pains like everyone described, but I felt like my pelvis was being broken apart. I didn’t feel any pains in my abdomen, just really low and I had back labor going on as well

At 3:30am I was fully dilated. They were just waiting on me to feel the urge to push. I didn’t feel a big urge to push initially, but after that first “practice” push I kept feeling the urge thereafter. I don’t really know what time they made me start pushing…time was all a blur after that. I pushed and pushed for 2 hours and they told me that he wasn’t coming out; they were going to have to do a c-section. I begged to try a little longer. I pushed for another hour or so assisted by a vacuum and episiotomy. (Don’t do this unless you know your baby is going to come out.) They had to do the c-section.

As it turns out (upon viewing my medical records), he was labeled as "failure to descend."

Here is how I see it:
Doctor broke my water which stopped providing the cushion he had from getting stuck. When that happened he started pitocin which made my baby get wedged in an improper, misaligned position. If they would have just let me go home and start labor on my own, all would have been different. Considering the fact that didn't happen, they still should have let me try different pushing positions.

I do not regret having the epidural, but I do hate the fact that I had a c-section. I have a perfectly healthy baby though.

The next time around I will try to do a VBAC delivery and still attempt a natural delivery once again.

MILESTONES:

FIRST TIME SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT: At 7 weeks old
TURNED OVER: Beinning of May 2007 (8 months old)
SITS ALONE: January 2007 (4 months old)
FIRST SMILE: October 12, 2006
FIRST SOLID FOOD: January 13, 2007
FIRST DRANK FROM A CUP: March 2007 (6 months old)
First Tooth: March 2007 (6 months old)
CRAWLS: July 25, 2007
PULLS UP: July 28, 2007
FIRST WAVE: August 1, 2007
FIRST CRUISED: July 28, 2007
FIRST WORDS: "da da"
FIRST HAIRCUT: July 7, 2007
FIRST KISS GIVEN ON: TO:
FIRST STEPS ALONE: 2nd Week of October in the evening (Walked from my knee to his push toy)
STARTED WALKING: October 29, 2007 (Pulled up on everthing and would walk all around the house by himself)
FIRST STOOD UP W/OUT PULLING UP: November 24, 2007 (He keeps dropping toys on the floor to give himself pactice)

My first Halloween!!! What a cool dude!
My first picture with Santa Claus!!

4 Months Old!! What a big boy

AHHHHH!!!!

7 1/2 months old

MY Pretty Blue Eyes

I Love MY Bath Time! I'm Making Daddy's Father's Day Frame

10/29/07 - I started walking today! All by myself. I love my new found independence. I can walk all over the house.

11/27/2007
Zachary is walking pretty good now and he practicing standing up without finding something to pull up on.
Words he is saying: "da da", "cat", "dad du"(Thank You).
I still can't get him to say mama. I tell him to say mama and he laughs and grins big and says "da da". He thinks it is a game. I don't mind though. I know when he does start saying mama, I will get tired of hearing it constantly. I took him to get his 2nd flu shot yesterday. He didn't even get close to crying. I told him he was tough.
I am trying to get a picture of him doing his "turtle" thing. He will squat down and stick his neck out when I tell him to do the "turtle". It is hilarious!

2/11/2008
Zachary is doing great! He has lots of teeth and is starting to get a little testy with things. He doesn't have much patience. I wonder if there are ways to instill this life skill early on. He still doesn't say much though. Otherwise he is a totally normal, big 17 month old. He is weighing 27 -lbs!