For the record, here's the story of the day Jack was born.
We went back to my doctor's office on Friday to do the ultrasound. The doctor that saw us said that the amniotic fluid level was low normal, but was still good. However, the fluid level had been decreasing the past few weeks and the doctor suggested we get induced that weekend since we knew the baby was fine that day but we wouldn't know that things would still be fine in a few days. He said that since he wouldn't see me until the next Friday, he wanted to do another non-stress test. During the test, I had a contraction and Jack's heart rate dropped dramatically. It was very obvious and both Jay and I were concerned. We had the nurse get the doctor and when he looked at the printout on the machine, he said that we needed to go to Labor and Delivery right then because the deceleration of Jack's heart rate was nothing to mess with.
We were completely unprepared to have the baby that night. Ironically, I had thought before we left for the appointment to bring the hospital bag, but dismissed the thought thinking we wouldn't need it. We went over to the hospital and went directly up to the Labor and Delivery floor. A nurse hooked us up to the machine to monitor my contractions and Jack's heart rate. The nurse said that she would start me on pitocin to induce labor. She had just put the IV in when the OB from my doctor's office showed up to check to see how dilated I was. As he was checking me, I had another contraction and Jack's heart rate dropped again. The doctor immediately started barking orders, having the nurse give me oxygen, lay on my left side and put the bed flat. After that, the doctor said that I was only dilated 2 cm and that he didn't think that Jack could handle labor. He said we needed to perform a c-section and it would be about 1 hour since both of the OR rooms were being used. Luckily the nurse hadn't started me on Pitocin so I didn't have to experience the stronger contractions that come along with being induced.
Jay and I were both nervous about the c-section, but we were more concerned for Jack. Honestly, hearing his heart rate drop was the scariest thing I've experienced and I knew that we needed to get Jack here as soon as possible. I didn't want to risk Jack's health in any way and I knew that having a c-section was the best choice for him.
We honestly feel like we were being looked out for. We hadn't planned on going to the doctor on Friday, and never thought there were any issues with the pregnancy since the non-stress test we did on Tuesday was good. Who knows what would've happened if we would've waited until my doctor's appointment on January 12 to find out that Jack wasn't handling the contractions well. We are just so happy and grateful that we have such a wonderful, healthy baby.
I had been having weekly non-stress tests and ultrasounds to monitor the amount of amniotic fluid since I was 35 weeks pregnant. Jack has an issue with one of his kidneys and the doctors wanted to just be sure that at least one of his kidneys was working and that's why they were doing the weekly tests.
On January 5, I had a doctor's appointment and was expecting to have a non-stress test and ultrasound that day. When I got there, the nurse told me that the doctors who perform the ultrasounds weren't coming in that day and she had made an appointment for me for that Friday, January 8, to come back and have my ultrasound done that day. During my non-stress test that day, everything was good and we decided we'd wait until my next appointment on January 12 to see if we needed to induce labor.
On January 5, I had a doctor's appointment and was expecting to have a non-stress test and ultrasound that day. When I got there, the nurse told me that the doctors who perform the ultrasounds weren't coming in that day and she had made an appointment for me for that Friday, January 8, to come back and have my ultrasound done that day. During my non-stress test that day, everything was good and we decided we'd wait until my next appointment on January 12 to see if we needed to induce labor.
We went back to my doctor's office on Friday to do the ultrasound. The doctor that saw us said that the amniotic fluid level was low normal, but was still good. However, the fluid level had been decreasing the past few weeks and the doctor suggested we get induced that weekend since we knew the baby was fine that day but we wouldn't know that things would still be fine in a few days. He said that since he wouldn't see me until the next Friday, he wanted to do another non-stress test. During the test, I had a contraction and Jack's heart rate dropped dramatically. It was very obvious and both Jay and I were concerned. We had the nurse get the doctor and when he looked at the printout on the machine, he said that we needed to go to Labor and Delivery right then because the deceleration of Jack's heart rate was nothing to mess with.
We were completely unprepared to have the baby that night. Ironically, I had thought before we left for the appointment to bring the hospital bag, but dismissed the thought thinking we wouldn't need it. We went over to the hospital and went directly up to the Labor and Delivery floor. A nurse hooked us up to the machine to monitor my contractions and Jack's heart rate. The nurse said that she would start me on pitocin to induce labor. She had just put the IV in when the OB from my doctor's office showed up to check to see how dilated I was. As he was checking me, I had another contraction and Jack's heart rate dropped again. The doctor immediately started barking orders, having the nurse give me oxygen, lay on my left side and put the bed flat. After that, the doctor said that I was only dilated 2 cm and that he didn't think that Jack could handle labor. He said we needed to perform a c-section and it would be about 1 hour since both of the OR rooms were being used. Luckily the nurse hadn't started me on Pitocin so I didn't have to experience the stronger contractions that come along with being induced.
Jay and I were both nervous about the c-section, but we were more concerned for Jack. Honestly, hearing his heart rate drop was the scariest thing I've experienced and I knew that we needed to get Jack here as soon as possible. I didn't want to risk Jack's health in any way and I knew that having a c-section was the best choice for him.
We honestly feel like we were being looked out for. We hadn't planned on going to the doctor on Friday, and never thought there were any issues with the pregnancy since the non-stress test we did on Tuesday was good. Who knows what would've happened if we would've waited until my doctor's appointment on January 12 to find out that Jack wasn't handling the contractions well. We are just so happy and grateful that we have such a wonderful, healthy baby.
Comments