1 Week Old

So throughout my pregnancy I have been excited in anticipation for the arrival of our son. As we got closer to his due date this month I had this sneaky feeling he would try and come early. And low and behold I was right. The bundle of joy arrived 1 week ago on Saturday, December 4th between Rusty’s sister Amy’s birthday and mine. The arrival was quite an adventure in itself. Several of our family and friends are aware we had him but not how, what went on after or when we finally arrived home. Here is a brief and clean explanation as we have finally got to a point that I can write and share.
Friday, December 3rd started out like any other day, we celebrated my birthday early at work and I headed home. Rusty made me dinner and I was in the kitchen cleaning up and feeding Buddy. I went to get the water bowl and received a shock my water broke. We called the doctor and headed to the hospital. We called our parents and told them it was in the works. I had chosen to not have an epidural or pain medication if I could. My friend Jen came in as my doula and Rusty as well. Faith my sister came over and walked around the hospital with us before heading to bed. It looked like all was well….24 hours later Russell arrived. I was exhausted but proud of myself my doula, my husband and my sister who stayed and helped as we went through the experience. I am not only blessed to have such wonderful friends and family but have a husband who was so supportive even in the scary moments and the very fact that God blessed us with the opportunity to have such a beautiful baby who we brought into the world at 7:14pm 7 pounds 15 ounces, 22 inches long.
After, so when Russell was born he was a little shocked from the long labor and pushing he passed his initial check and they were letting me hold him before they did more when he started to suffer from some respiratory distress, they quickly called on the respiratory therapist and nurses who suggested taking him to the Newborn Intensive Care Unit. Rusty went with them while I was in recovery. The next things to transpire were like a snow ball effect. The doctors were helping his breathing and taking tests his blood sugar went down and they provided him with some assistance to get it back up. The respiratory distress subsided but they couldn’t get his blood sugar up so he had to stay in the NICU that night. They also added some more tests to make sure there were no other problems. He unfortunately had an un explained high white blood cell count which indicated he might have an infection from being out of the water so long during delivery. He ended up in the NICU for five days where the poor little man was poked and prodded. He didn’t have an infection but he did get a bit of jaundice and had to be under the photo lights. It was hard for us as the discharged me Monday and I was trying to feed him to get him home as fast as we could. We were lucky to have friends (Thank you Mychal and Nick) who let us stay the first night so that I could continue to try and feed. The NICU also provided a room for me the second night and Wednesday night before we finally were allowed to go home Russell got to Room-in with us at the hospital.
My mom came in on Wednesday and helped us by staying at the house with Buddy and supporting us as we waited to here when we could take Russell home. Thursday we took him home and have watched him begin his life with us he is so special and beautiful. We promise to continue to update all but are trying to get into a routine it was a crazy and exciting week. I can’t believe he will be a week old tomorrow as I just got him home.