Introducing......

Andrew Michael Giles

 Born June 22, 2011 at 2:33PM

8 LBS 12 OZ and 22 Inches
He's got long fingers and big feet, dark blond hair and dark blue eyes. 

It all began on Tuesday evening.  I lost my mucous plug right after Briant got home from work.  We had planned to go out to eat for my birthday and I felt there was no reason we couldn't still go.  We came home and had some ice cream cake (which I had requested weeks ago).  

Briant went to mutual, and I decided to stay home and rest.  I called my doctor at 9PM and explained I had started leaking fluid, but wasn't really sure if it was amniotic fluid,  and had slight cramping.  He said I should probably go to the hospital to have it checked out.  I asked if I could wait and go at 12AM because I felt okay at the moment and I really didn't want to be admitted and pay for a whole day when I would only be there for three hours.  Plus all I would do is sit there and wait for everything to start happening.  He said that was fine.

By 12 AM I was experiencing regular contractions and I knew I needed to go to the hospital.

The test came out positive that my water had ruptured.

I labored by myself (while receiving support from Briant) until 6AM at which point I was 5-6cm dilated.

I asked for an epidural, but the anesthesiology wasn't able to come right away, so I go something to take the edge off.  This drug slowed and decreased my contractions but I still progressed to 8CM by the time I got my epidural at around 9AM.
They discovered that our little man passed meconium,
so they would have to watch him close when he came out. 

I got to 10CM around 1PM and Andrew was born at 2:33PM.

It was the best moment of my life!!  I was very emotional (and if you know me, I don't cry unless I'm really upset).  I can't express how happy I was... it was just an incredible moment!

Then everything got exciting!  Right after he was born, I started hemorrhaging.  They had to give me two shots of something in the leg to try to stop it, they were squeezing the Pitocin bag, and massaging like crazy.

The combination of all of these got me puking and just kinda feeling groggy, so I just wanted to sleep.

I don't really remember too many details other than the placenta tour (so. cool.), having Briant come show me the baby but me not being able to hold him or see him because I was puking, them putting   oxygen on me and making me more nauseous, and them saying I'd lost about 1/3 of the blood I had.

They had to give me 2 units of blood and 1 plasma.  Once they did this I woke up and felt much better.
Briant and Andrew got some good bonding time while all of this was going on but after 2 hours I was finally able to hold my little boy!!
Check it out you can see the blood line they are pumping into me.
I look terrible... I felt like I had been run over by a car... multiple times
 (that's the only way I can explain what contractions feel like).

I really debated with myself before putting this up.... but I had to.
After all it is our first family photo.
We should have had someone take a better one when I looked better.

After a while they took Andrew to do assessments and such.  The Pediatrician told Briant that he had some rapid breathing so they were going to monitor him for a while.  The Pediatrician came in around 8PM and old me that he was fine and I had nothing to worry about.

There were alot of babies born that day, so they had alot of baths to give.  I couldn't get out of bed (catheter) and since they were short on nurses they couldn't bring him to my room to give him his bath. Sad for me!  My parents had come over to visit, so Briant went with them to give Andrew his first bath. My mom took lots of pictures for me..... THANKS MOM!!
Briant is so delicate with him, it's so sweet.  I think they are going to be good buds.

I really don't love hospitals.  But they do pamper you... they have to, you can't do anything yourself.  I especially hate blood pressure cuffs!
Everyday I was in the hospital I felt better, but I still felt overwhelmed when I thought of at home life.  I wasn't at my best... how could I care for a newborn?  Plus my blood count was still low.  When I don't eat regularly, I feel really gross and dehydrated.  I just have to not over do it for a while and get myself better.  Good thing I have Briant.  I feel so blessed with how much he helps me and cares for us.  He is such a good daddy.

We had quite an adventure our first night home and the first couple days.  But I will save that for my next post.  I am still figuring this little man out and I still feel just a little overwhelmed at times.  Thanks to those who calm my over worried brain.  We are doing great though, and I'm absolutely in love with Andrew!  He has the sweetest personality and the cutest mannerisms.

I promise I'll post again soon.  Only get a few moments here and there though... life is way different with a newborn than it was before!!