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Week by Week

Cameron Noah Harper

Well, I have another Birth story to tell. Cameron is doing fine which is good.

My OB wanted to induce me on Friday the 26th due to the GD and baby size, but the baby's lungs were not developed enough to safely deliver him. So I had to go in for daily NST's and come back in on Monday. Monday morning I measured 1 cm, 50% effaced, -5 station and they hooked me up to their moniter. The baby was very sluggish and they wanted to induce that day and deal with lung maturity via NICU. I got over to the hospital and got a yucky labor room. They hooked me up to the fetal monitor and baby was doing fine. They kept that thing on me all day and night. They did 3 applications of P-Gel and I went from the 1 cm, 50% effaced, -5 station TO 1.5 cm, 50% effaced, -5 station. They had me walking quite a bit before they started any IV for the insulin. On Tuesday they did 2 more applications of P-Gel and started a Pitocin drip. I also got my insulin IV and Glucose IV. So I had three bottles of fluid hooked up.

I got CONTINUOUS monitering even though my OB told me I could have intermittent monitering. My infusion pumps had bad batteries so I couldn't be unplugged for very long. I couldn't walk anymore. This is Tuesday and after 10 hours of Pitocin they turned it off that evening. I was 1.5 cm, 50% effaced, -5 station after the entire day on Pit. I got another set of P=Gel applications and the next day they did another 10 hours of pitocin which I only got to 2.5 cm, 50% effaced, -5 station. All this time baby is doing well with heartbeats in the 135 to 145 range. Thursday morning I'm exausted and the OB came in and asked me what I wanted to do. I had been given the choice of continuing the induction as long as baby was OK so I could have gone another day with the pit. Thursday morning, baby's heartrate was down to the 120 range. They said that was normal, but it worried me. I wasn't going "ooohhh and oweeeeee" with the contractions so they reported my contractions as mild and ineffective. When they stopped the pit, the contractions stopped.

Thursday morning, I consented to a C/Section because I knew that this -5 station was the most alarming since I had 3 babies before over 8 lbs each. They did an u/s and estimated him to be about 9 lbs. I never made it past -5 the entire time. They had the c/s ready so fast. I had one epidural that the catheter crimped and had to be restarted. They then took me to the OR and I wasn't numb on my right side. She did the epidural a third time and was preparing to put me out when it took at the last minute. My OB told her to do more meds since they did not want me to be out for the baby's sake. They were expecting lung problems, but said that the artificial labor could have helped mature his lungs. So at the last minute the epidural finally took on the right side with a patch of area that didn't quite take so well.

Cameron Noah Harper was born at 12:26pm with a healthy cry. He had not been able to fully engage in my pelvis due to his size. He weighed 11 lbs and 3 oz and had a head circumference of 39 3/4 cms. His cord was wrapped around his neck and the OB said that if he had engaged he would have gone into distress for sure. He was only 20 3/4 inches long. They took him to the "labor room" to assess his condition. He got apgars of 8 and 9. In the labor room, his blood sugar dipped and I was only allowed to hold him for 10 seconds before they wisked him off to NICU where they treated him for rapid breathing, low blood sugar, and a high blood volume. His feet were purple and he was so red that his diaper rash was unnoticable until it started to bleed. They kept him there from Thursday to Saturday. It was really heart wrenching having him there and not being able to see him since I was recovering from the C/S. I got to see him Friday a few times, but it was only contingent upon the NICU's schedule. Saturday afternoon they brought him to me and the nurse told me all about how he likes his pacifier!!! AAAHH!!! none of my kids ever had a pacifier and now I have this one hooked on one. His sucking reflex got very weak after all the bottles they gave him. They refused to let me Breastfeed him since they were measuring everything he took. They put him on a 3 hour feeding schedule. He would take 2 oz. They let me nurse him after his IV was removed. He nursed for almost an hour and it was very hard to get him to latch on. After he nurse he had a bottle and drank the entire thing. I was pumping, but nothing ever came out. Days later, I never got engorged and no milk even showed up. It's now 13 days post partum and there is no milk at all.

He's doing well now, but has some trouble with some of the formula. They do not want him on any formula with Iron added and most of the formula around has iron added. Enfamil gives him a very upset tummy. Similac and/or pampers gave him diaper rash. He's such a good baby. He's very lovable and really loves to be cuddled.

Despite all the Gestational Diabetes and insulin shots, diets, and tests, I'm so lucky to have him. They were surprised that he was so healthy despite his blood sugar control problems. My doula feels like she failed because I had a C/S. I told her that I was the one that asked for it.

I was OK with the C/S, but having a choice of how to deliver, I would much rather have a vaginal birth any day.

Margie