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Finn Campbell Ricker is here!
I know a lot of you have been waiting (and waiting :)) to hear the delivery story. Finn was born last Monday, November 2nd at 7:40 pm. I was admitted into the hospital Sunday evening for a low drip of pitocin for the night. We were hoping that the pitocin drip would help get me ready for laboring in the morning. At 5:30 am they started stronger pitocin and we tried and tried to get Finn to drop down into my pelvis. We walked the halls, sat on the birthing ball....he just wasn't coming down. My mid-wife was finally able to break my water around 3 pm (the sac was too high to reach all day). My contractions were pretty strong afterwards for over an hour. Oh my am I grateful for modern medicine!!! We decided to go ahead and get an epidural, since either way we would need it. By 6:30 pm, I was still only 50% effaced and only dilated to a 5. We felt like we had tried our best at a VBAC and that we probably were not going to get him out without a c-section. The surgery went off without any issues and he was out within an hour. Once they got him out, they told us the cord was wrapped around his body...TWICE! Once up around his armpits and another time around his waist. His cord was keeping him from dropping down into my pelvis. But he's here and healthy and that is all that matters. Recovery has been super easy....good drugs have helped :). I was out of bed the next day and even walked myself down to the cafeteria to have lunch with Sawyer on day 2. They say the second c-section is always easier and I would have to agree. Josh has had 2 weeks off for the baby and has been a great help. We will miss him when he goes back to work next Monday.
We spent until Thursday afternoon in the hospital with no visitors but my mom due to the swine flu :(. Since then, we have been spending our time at home, getting used to having a new baby around. Finn has so far been a great baby. He seems to be very mild tempered and is such a joy to have around. Sawyer has been adjusting well. He likes the baby and will often come sit by me (for moments) and tell me what a cute baby Finn is.
Here are some pictures....
Dropping Soy off at my parents for our stay at the hospital. Jay and Heather and my mom and dad took such great care of him! Thanks, we love you guys!!
Last photo of our family of 3 before we left for the hospital (no Josh didn't wear his suit, we went home and changed :))
Day 1.
Day 2. Big Yawn....
Day 3. Going home...yay!!
We had a Welcome Home Party for Finn.....all of our family came, brought us dinner and were able to meet Finn for the first time.
Uncle Jade gets a turn and cousin Chase
Matching Pj's for his first night home from the hospital...Soy loved it!!
Enjoying his bouncer and binki
First bath at home...he's thinking it's not too bad
Lots of curly hair
Now he's decided he doesn't like it so much...
Day 8. Time in the swing
Another big yawn....
My Dad has posted more photos of Finn over the last week...you can check out his blog at www.xanga.com/arnellro.
One of those posts is of the actual delivery in the OR...my mom was able to be there and took a lot of great photos for us!
So little time....
I had my 39 week appt. yesterday late afternoon and wasn't expecting any exciting news. Sawyer never did come down into my pelvis to get labor going and I ended up being induced at 41 weeks, ending with an emergency c-section. So, with hopes for a VBAC , we have been trying to watch this baby close to make sure we didn't end up with another c-section. The main goal...keep him smaller than Sawyer (who was 8 lbs 3 oz) so the odds are in my favor for him to fit through my pelvis. I had an ultrasound at 37 weeks (2 weeks ago) and he was measuring 6 lbs 6 oz and we would expect him to grow 1/2 lb. per week, so we were thinking he should be around 7 lbs 6 oz. now. I wasn't surprised when she was done checking to hear her say that the baby was still high and had not dropped into my pelvis. She then asked if I still wanted to try for a VBAC or if I wanted to opt for just a c-section. I quickly said, no c-section! So you can imagine my surprise when she said, "well I think we need to get this baby out. We should induce you this coming week, how's Monday?"
I was shocked. What? Monday? This Monday? Like in 3 days Monday??
We grabbed the ultrasound tech quick to try and get an accurate fetal weight of the baby. 8 lbs 2 oz!! I about died! What?? My baby is that HUGE!! And I say THAT huge because I'm only 39 weeks with still a week to go (and grow!). We then both agreed this baby needed to come out soon!! I still can't believe it. I was not a huge baby...7 lb range and I was pretty sure I remembered Josh being in the low 8 lbs range a week over due. After I got home, I quickly looked up Josh's birth weight....9 lbs 2 oz!! I guess I should have known. My mother in law birthed 3 babies over 10 lbs...I should have known, right? I guess I just figured that since I have only gained 9.5 lbs this pregnancy that NOT all of that could possibly be the baby!! Yep, 9.5 lbs and I am mighty proud of that number. My OB originally told me she would like me to gain less than 15 lbs. due to my insulin resistance, my risk for pregnancy diabetes being higher than most people, etc. So I was determined to meet that goal. I gained 30 lbs with Sawyer, so I knew there would be A LOT less ice cream and late night treats involved. So again, back to my point....I wasn't expecting this baby to be so big since I had not gained a lot of weight....obviously, that is not how it works!
So we scheduled for me to be admitted Sunday afternoon for a low dose of pitocen through the night to see if we can get this peanut down where he should be in my pelvis. Then early Monday morning we will start truly inducing labor and hope for the best. Either way, the end results are the same...we will be a family of 4 by Monday!
I came home after my appt. and discussed things with Josh. By 5pm or so we both felt this was the route we needed to take and started making plans for Sunday. Josh had a full day scheduled for today and will have to squeeze in some time to work a bit and pass off the audit work he's been working on to his co-workers. He will get 2 full weeks off, so I am looking forward to having him home with us for that time. I sat down with Sawyer and explained that the time for the baby to come had arrived. He has REALLY been into toys lately and it's driving me crazy! We're talking he about hyper-ventilates when he sees something on a commercial that he just HAS to have. I kept trying to explain to him that maybe when Christmas was here he could choose a list of items and Santa might bring him a few if he was a good boy. It was then everyday...."Mom, is it Christmas yet?". So I taught him a time line. First it's Halloween, then the baby, then Thanksgiving and then finally it will be Christmas. It seems to have worked because he can repeat it back to me and knows that today is Halloween day and last Thursday our Church Halloween Party was "Fake Halloween Day." Not sure where he comes up with stuff.
I've took the time yesterday to sit down with him and explain that I am going to the hospital to have the baby and he won't be able to see me until I get back home (No kids under 18 allowed in the birthing center). I explained that he will stay at Grandma and Grandpa's and that Heather, Jay and Gwen will be helping taking care of him too. He just simply says, "But mom, I'll miss you!" So cute. I've also been working on helping him understand that he must be SOFT with the new baby, much softer than he is with poor Gwen. That poor little girl puts up with a lot from Sawyer! Luckily, she loves him and most of the time just smiles, but I think my biggest challenge will be to keep the new baby ALIVE with Sawyer running around!! I keep telling him..."you have to be soft and I show him by rubbing his check softly." I then will say "and you can't jump on him!" To which he replies, "Can I jump OVER him?". Oh man...am I in trouble!!
Pictures to come on Monday!!
