On November 2nd, 2011, we arrived at The Mater Mother's Hospital at 7:30 pm for our scheduled induction.
Speaking of things NOT going according to plan. Even our induction didn't happen like we planned. The plan was to have prostaglandin gel inserted on the night of November 2nd. The gel would start to ripen my cervix overnight, and I would hopefully start labor contractions by morning and have you on November 3rd. That was the plan.
Before inserting the gel, they monitored your heart rate for an hour. I guess they needed to establish a baseline. Your heart rate was good at around 130-140 beats per minute. Just what we wanted to see. After an hour, the midwife inserted the gel and we needed to continue to be monitored for another hour before being sent up to the 10th floor to sleep for the night.
Sucking on some nitrous to ease the pain and nervesEverything was going "according to plan" for about 30 minutes or so. Your heart rate was good and mum and dad were happy. Then, I had to pee. They left the heart monitor hooked to me. But, unhooked it from the machine so that I could use the toilet. When they hooked us back up to the machine, they noticed that your heart rate was lower than they'd like to see. It was hovering around 106 . Then, it dropped to 88. The midwife monitored us for a minute and watched as your heart rate climbed again. Phew!! Before she left the room, she told us to use the call button if we saw the monitor hovering in the 80s again. A few minutes after she left, your heart rate dropped to the 80s and then I saw 56. To say I panicked would be an understatement. I was so incredibly scared. I told your dad to get the midwife QUICK!
She came back into the room and pushed the "panic" button behind my bed. I call it the "panic" button. But, they would call it the "team" button. As she pushed it, she said, "there are going to be a lot of people in here in a minute". My first thought, "OH SHIT!" I knew this was NOT the plan. After the team monitored us for a minute or two and saw that your heart rate was fluctuating with contractions, they called Dr. Vincent Loh, our OB from Arrivals, who was on call that night. He was there in minutes and let us know that my contractions had started and that with each contraction your heart rate would drop. After the contraction was over, your heart rate would return to normal. He thought it in your best interest not to go through hours and hours of contractions since they were causing you stress. Instead, he thought it best to preform a C-Section right then. What?? This was DEFINITELY NOT according to plan. I hadn't even read the sections in the books about C-sections because I was sure it wasn't going to happen to me.
Your Daddy was rushed off to put on surgery scrubs as I was wheeled into Theater (the surgery room). I remember taking a deep breath as they wheeled me through the double doors into the bright room, and I remember thinking, "Here we go...There's no turning back now!" I also remember thinking that there were so many people in the room. There must have been 10 people waiting for us in Theater. I remember my body shaking uncontrollably and crying like crazy. I had never had any kind of surgery before. That fact plus the fear that something terrible might happen to you before they could get you out, was more than I could handle.
Once Daddy returned wearing scrubs, the anesthesiologist gave me the epidural and they got started. I had been so afraid of the epi for 9+ months, and in the end, it wasn't bad at all. Your daddy held my hand and sat near my head while Dr. Loh and Dr. Seto (your Pediatrician) preformed the C-section. Three minutes later, at 11:52pm (Australia time) on Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011, they asked us if we wanted to meet our son. As they lifted you over the curtain, I said, "Oh my gosh! He's so big".
I remember thinking that you looked HUGE! I don't know if I could have pushed you out. I know they say you find the strength and that your body knows what to do. But, you were one big baby. I guess you didn't listen to me throughout the pregnancy when I told you that you weren't allowed to get any bigger than 7 lbs. You were born weighing 8 lbs 5 oz.
Once we got a quick look at you, you were taken to the other side of the room to have your Apgar scores taken, to be weighed, cleaned and to let Daddy trim your cord while I was sewn up.
I could hear you crying, and I can't tell you how happy that made me. I always thought that I would cry when you were born. Instead, I had a perma smile that made my cheeks hurt. I was so damn happy to hear you cry. Your Apgar scores at one and five minutes were both 9. You lost a point for having pale arms and purple fingernails, which I guess is pretty normal.
A few minutes later, you were bundled in a hospital blanket and brought over to me. Your face was so squished up and had signs of water retention. Something else which I guess is normal. Daddy has our first meeting on video, and someday we'll show you.
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Soon after, Daddy and you went to wait for me in the recovery room for a few minutes. They had to get me off the surgery table and onto a regular bed before I could leave the Theater. When I got into the recovery room, your daddy was holding you and had the biggest smile. He was one happy man to finally be holding his son.
We stayed in the recovery room until my temperature was normal and the feeling in my lower half started to come back. During this time, I nursed you for the first time and we talked to Dr. Loh about the procedure.
The next four days were a whirlwind. We stayed in the hospital for four nights, one night less than we thought we would. We met many wonderful midwives who gave us heaps of advice and tools for our tool box. Our favorite midwife was Charlotte. She was a riot. She not only educated us, but also made us laugh. She is the person who gave you your first bath.
Your Daddy was wonderful during those four days and nights, as well. I was recovering from the C-Section and couldn't even get out of bed the first day. He took such good care of both of us. He changed all of your nappies (diapers) and stayed awake with you so that I could sleep in between feedings. When one of us needed him, he was there. He's always been that way, so I shouldn't have expected any less from him. You are a lucky boy to have such a fantastic Dad.
On Sunday November 6th, 2011 we excitedly loaded you into your carrier (car seat) and took you to your new home on Kangaroo Point, where we will raise you for the first year of your life. ❤ Welcome Home Sweet Baby Nicholas
Edited by Ryan - And after the excitement of the homecoming had worn off, you and Mum took your first naps.
