Lincoln Douglas Baker

Lincoln is 3 1/2 weeks old now and I figured its about time I write down his birth story somewhere before I forget what happened. WARNING: This is a long post and contains labor details.

So my due date came and went and we still didn't have our little boy. That was a Monday and on Wednesday we had a doctors appointment. She said I still hadn't progressed past a one and was still 80% effaced. So she asked me if I was ready to have him and if I wanted to be induced. I said yes I was done and ready to have him here so she called the hospital and they were completely full with 3 women on a waiting list to come in and be induced when they had an open room. My doctor said it could be a few days and I was totally bummed. I told my doctor though that I was a little worried Lincoln wasn't moving much. (I knew he was still moving but I was worried it wasn't enough) so she sent me over to the hospital to have them monitor his movements for a little while.

When I was at the hospital they said that since I already was in the room and a few people were being discharged I could stay and be induced!! YAY!! I was so excited I didn't have to go home again with out my baby. So they started me on some medicine to help soften my cervix and when they checked me it hadn't done anything then I got on this other thing and it didn't do anything either. Then they started me on Pitocin. My contractions were coming every 3 minutes as I was walking around the halls with my IV stand. Finally around the middle of the night I started to dilate. I was in pains so I asked when I could get the epidural. The nurse checked me and said I was barely a 3 and said they like to wait till I get to a 3 1/2 or a 4 but I could have some other pain meds till I get there. I said I didn't need any meds I would just wait till I am far enough along. About 20 minutes late the nurse comes in with the anesthesiologist and said since she was here right now and she wanted to go home that they would give me the epidural now. I was pretty excited. It went really well and I didn't think it was painful or a big deal at all. It was so nice to not be in pain and just got to sleep for a while. Well when my nurse midwife came in that morning she checked me and said I was only at a 2!!!! Are you serious?!?! Apparently the nurse was wrong in the middle of the night and that means that I got my epidural way too early. So for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon I didn't progress at all. My doc (midwife I call her my doc) said that this wasn't normal and that there were a couple options....I could go home and wait there for something to happen....they could increase the amount of pitocin to see what happened but that had to be monitored closely to make sure Lincoln would handle it ok....or we could do a balloon thing.They wanted me to get far enough along to break my water but once that happened there is no turning back and if nothing worked to dilate me and increase my labor then there would be a chance or a c-section. Well I wasn't about to go home so I said lets increase the pitocin and hopefully get far enough to break my water. About an hour later I was to a 4 so the doctor on call came and broke my water (my doc had tried when I was at a 2 but couldn't break it yet). So once my water broke that afternoon things finally got going.

When I was at a 7 I told Brian if he wanted to eat he better go now and get food and hurry back. He wasn't too worried cuz it had taken me so long to get to where I was. I called him once and told him I was feeling a lot of pressure and he asked if He needed to come back I said no it was fine. Then the doc came in and checked me and said I was a 9 and that I would start pushing in the next hour. I called Brian and told him to get back as soon as he could. I started pushing about a half hour after Brian got back. I pushed for about and hour and forty minutes. Toward the end Lincoln's heart rate was going down so my midwife stepped in (there was a medical student helping out) and told me to push really hard we needed him to get out so she helped grab him and pull Lincoln out a little. It was such a relief to have him out and on my stomach. Brian cut his cord and then they cleaned him up a little and finished taking care of his cord and gave him back to me so I could have him on my chest skin to skin. It was amazing!

While I was holding Lincoln and the doc was taking care of me I started to bleed more then was expected so then gave me a second IV in my other arm a shot in both of my sides and pills under my tongue to help stop the bleeding. Because of the shots I got sick and threw up twice. The first time I was rocking Lincoln to get him to stop crying and throwing up at the same time haha.
After everything was under control I was totally out of it. I couldn't make full sentences or keep my eyes open. I really didn't know what was going on around me. I just remember calling Laura and not knowing what I was saying to her or what she was talking about. Then Brian got back from getting me food at Wendy's (I really wanted a burger fries and a frosty after he was born) and I only ate some of the food half awake before I finally fell asleep.

The next morning we went to the nursery for Lincoln to see his doctor. While she was checking him out I was standing there and I got really hot and light headed and dizzy so the doc said I need to get back to my room. While we were walking (staggering) down the hall holding on to the wall the nurse came behind me with a wheel chair. I felt so much better once I had sat down. Later that day I got two units of blood. After the transfusion I felt so much better. I felt like I had a clear head and some energy. It was so much better! So I finally got released from the hospital on Saturday afternoon.

Lincoln's Doctor said he had jaundice so on Sunday morning we went back to the Hospital to have his blood drawn to get tested. His levels were too high so we got a belliblanket for him to wear at home for light treatment for his jaundice. He was on that for a week and had his blood checked everyday while on the belliblanket and got to the point he would just sleep while the pricked his heel and took his blood.

The next week Lincoln started losing weight so he was checked and found out that he is a little lactose intolerant. So I have been giving him a lactose pill every day.
Currently Lincoln has gained almost 1 pound (after losing half a pound) so he is doing really well and is really happy. :)
Lincoln is a good baby. He cries only when something is wrong. I change his diaper and feed him and he is all happy again. Oh and he also is now taking baths without screaming! Brian and I are proud parents and think our little guy is the best little boy ever.

Here are some pictures of the labor and delivery and time at home. Enjoy!

Walking around the halls.

Lincoln and Me. I was so happy he was FINALLY here after 31 hours of labor.

Brian is such a proud daddy.

8 pounds 21 inches long

Cute boy!

Going home from the hospital.

Lincoln's first bath at home.

Lincoln with his belliblanket.

Being a little cutie.

Lincoln giving mommy kisses.

He really is his daddy's little boy.

Our little family.

<3 We love you Lincoln!! <3