Introducing Connor Ross!

On Saturday afternoon, 6/6/2009, I was outside watching Riley play for a few minutes. We came in about 3:15 PM and when I put Riley down on the floor, and crouched slightly, I felt a “trickle”. It didn’t feel like I peed, but I wasn’t sure. I knew that if it was that my water had broken, it would happen again, so I waited. It didn’t really happen again, so I was confused. At 4:00 PM, though, I had had NO doubt that my water had indeed broken! My pants were soaked and the fluid wasn’t stopping. Steve was at work and wasn’t answering his cell phone, so I had to track down the phone number for his work so I could get a hold of him. We arranged for my friend Crystal to come over and spend time with Riley until my mom could get down to Kansas City from Lincoln. At about 6:00 PM, we headed to the hospital to have a baby!

As soon as I arrived at the hospital the doctor confirmed that my water had indeed broken and got me into a room. She did not check to see if I had dilated anymore because she wanted to decrease the chance of infection, so assumed I was still at 3 cm dilated and between 25% and 50% effaced (thinned out). I started to have some contraction on my own, but nothing close to regular or enough that would make it be called “labor”. So, at 7:15 PM (4 hours after my water had broken), we decided to start some Pitocin to help labor along. My labor was really slow to start, but the contractions were getting uncomfortable. At 1:00 AM I got the epidural. It was a horrible experience for me this time because they were having trouble getting the catheter inserted, so it took FOUR tries! OUCH! The nurse checked me at 2:00 AM, and I was only 4 cm and hadn’t effaced any additional amount! I was very frustrated and could tell I was in for the long haul again (this labor story is starting to sound VERY similar to Riley’s….). The contracts started coming VERY regularly every two minutes after that and at 4:30 AM the nurse checked me and I had progressed to 5.5 cm and 80% effaced, and the baby was at 0 station, meaning that as he was as low as he could get without me being dilated more. YEY! Only one hour later, at 5:30 AM I had progressed to 7 cm dilated. Things were finally moving along! The next two hours were HORRIBLE. Even though I had the epidural and had no pain, the “transition” part of labor brought on nausea and SEVERE shaking. I didn’t experience any of those symptoms with Riley, so this was new and very unpleasant. At 7:30 AM, I was fully dilated and effaced, but the nurse wanted me to wait a little longer to push to see if the last slightest “lip” of cervix would disappear to make pushing easier. At 8:45 AM, I called the nurse back, basically insisting that I was ready, the doctor said that it was time, so they got everything ready. At 8:55 AM I started pushing and at 9:11 AM Connor Ross O’Neill was born!! I once again was lucky and didn’t tear at all. My body sucks at getting into a good labor pattern, but it’s GREAT at the actual delivery, LOL! He weighed 5 lbs. 11.8 oz, and was 18 inches long. He did AMAZING for being slightly premature and scored an 8 and then 9 on his APGARs.

This labor was FULL of every possible medication intervention, like Riley’s labor. Connor’s heart rate would decelerate with some of the contractions, so in addition to the IV fluids, Pitocin, and epidural, I also had an oxygen mask, internal monitors placed, and at the end an amnioinfusion (saline fluid pumped back into my uterus). I started to develop a fever at the end of my labor from my water being broken so long and at that point Connor’s heart would INCREASE with every contraction instead of decreased. I also struggled with very low blood pressure after I got the epidural and that lasted several hours after delivery so my transition over to the mother/baby unit was delayed to stabilize me (which was nice because then we were able to get a bigger room on the mother/baby unit).

Connor is doing well and has taken to breastfeeding pretty well. The nurses were all amazed at just how well he did with everything for being a “36 weeker”. It crazy all of the extra stuff that they have to do when your baby is just a few days short of being “term”. Riley just adores him! She constantly is asking for the baby and is able to say his name. At the hospital she even tried to share her toys and books with him and got upset when she couldn’t sit next to him anymore. She has done well with him coming home and entering her “space” as well. I couldn’t have asked for a better transition! I hope that it continues….