Welcome Milo!

The short story:

Milo Thomas Cole
December 10, 2008 - 10:25pm
8 lbs 14.5 oz - 20.75 in

The long story, with all the gory details:

Tuesday we had our regular doctors appointment and after a variety of tests the doctor decided she wanted us to be induced the next day, the main reason being my blood pressure that wouldn't stop creeping up.

So Wednesday morning we get the call to come to the hospital and leave right away, and check in around 11am. At noon they start the antibiotics because I was GBS + and at 2pm the pitocin. Sometime in between there they checked my urine and it had protein in it, which it didn't the day before, and my blood pressure was up even more - the nurse said I was a "ticking time bomb" so its a good thing we got in so soon.

For the next four hours I felt no contractions, even though according the monitor they were coming 1-2 minutes apart and finally at 6pm I felt one, which was only like a runners side cramp. So we decided to do this thing pain free and I got the epidural. It took a few minutes to get it in and perfect, but it was totally worth it. Over the next few hours I continued to progress but Milo was slow to react on the monitors so they were getting a little concerned. At one point his heart rate dipped to about 70-80 bpm so the doctor suggested we do a c-section. I think this was around 9 or 9:30pm or so and I was already 7 cm. We agreed right away and I was given terb to stop my contractions and we were whisked off the the OR.

The c-section went well, I was really only a little nervous for the beginning but before I knew it I heard Milo cry - at 10:25pm on his due date! At which point I cried... like crazy. Then the doctor started putting me back together and the pressure they tell you you'll feel was a bit more then I expected.. and I was hormonal... and already crying... so I was pretty miserable during that part and everyone in the room could tell. I was given morphine and something else to get me to calm down I don't really know what, but Doug told me they put a few things into my IV at the end because I was flipping out at the end pretty much! Whatever it was it made me totally exhausted, unable to keep my eyes open, and my limbs felt like jello! But the good thing was Doug and Milo were right next to me the entire time and then we got moved directly back to our birthing suite, so I didn't need to be without either of them at any point.

I tried to breastfeed asap, but he must not have gotten enough that first time because his glucose levels were too low so the nurse insisted we supplement with a few mg of formula, which they gave him through a tube up against my breast. I had a total break down at the formula idea, but I blame it on the hormones and how hopped up I was on meds... and the fact that this nurse was a little bitchy and not understanding. At any rate, after that first feeding we have been breastfeeding exclusively with really no problems at all, besides needing a nurse to help me get him into position once in a while.

All in all, I'm feeling pretty ok right now. I have been going to the bathroom unassisted since this afternoon and it really only hurts at the incision when I am trying to sit up, walk, or cough - stuff like that. To be honest, although that pain sucks, I don't mind it as much because I'm not bleeding as much as with a vaginal birth and things down there all feel fine (which was a big worry of mine for some reason! So basically, I swapped one pain for another - no biggie.)

Milo came out 8 lb 14 oz with a head full of dark hair and the chubbiest cheeks. He is pretty darn cute if I do say so myself!