This is a little late coming, but I've been busy, obviously! As my last post said, I was induced on Sunday, September 26. And I am finally getting around to posting about the birth and everything that has happened since. So just know that this may be more info than some would like to know. But as this is my blog, I don't care, I'm writing it anyway. You have been warned!
For those who haven't read my previous post, a few days before Elliot was born, I developed Bells Palsy and hypertension. So the decision was made to induce me at 38 weeks. I was sooo excited to hear that I would be having my sweet baby sooner rather than later. I was sooooo ready to not be pregnant anymore. Especially with the Bells Palsy now. Not being able to see was awful, and I was just completely uncomfortable. But than it hit me. I was going to have a baby. I was really terrified about the whole labor and delivery thing. I kept hearing from people that since it was my first pregnancy and I was being induced, that the labor was going to be really long. That freaked me out. I didn't want a long labor, I didn't want to be in pain for that long. I didn't really want much pain at all actually. (Thank goodness for modern medicine and epidurals!!!!!) My induction was scheduled for 7:30 am on Sunday morning. My mom came with us, and Nate's mom joined us soon after they began the pitocin at 8:30 am. The contractions started coming pretty quickly soon after the meds were started. They weren't too bad at first, but they were pretty close together. Once the contractions started coming in my back was when it started to get painful. Nate brought some dvds for us to watch, we didn't know how long we would be in labor. So we started to watch Blue Planet. It was a helpful distraction. At about 10:30 am my water broke on its own. The nurses were quite surprised as usually with an induction they have to break the water. Boy, did the contractions start to come really close together and really started to hurt. So around 11:30-12 I got the epidural. I was a little nervous about them sticking a needle around my spine. But the anesthesiologist was awesome! Aahhh, sweet is the feeling of pain relief! I than dozed in and out for a little while. Around 2 pm I was ready to push. After a couple pushes, the nurses were getting a little worried that my doctor wouldn't make it in time. He was over at Riverton Hospital delivering another baby, and was due back at Jordan Valley Hospital (where I was) around 2:30. But he did make it. I pushed for about an hour. When his head was partly out, everyone kept saying how much hair he had! My doctor was actually styling his hair before he was even half way out! He was giving him mohawks and spiking it. My doctor asked if I wanted to reach down and feel his head and all the hair. I very strongly declined! Than the nurses laughed and said that if I did I would probably just pull him out the rest of the way to get it over with! I wouldn't have, but I was definitely ready to be done with it. I could feel the epidural was starting to wear off a little, so we turned up the dosage. A few more pushes, a local shot of numbing meds, and a couple tiny tears (which did require a couple stitches), Elliot Burton Unck was born at 3:19 pm. He weighed 6 lbs 2.9 oz and was 19 inches long. And he has tons of hair, it is sooo long too that he is only 2 1/2 weeks old and probably should get a trim soon, at least in the back and around the ears! He is so beautiful, but of course I may be a bit biased, but everybody else who has seen him seems to agree. Nate did so good through it all. I thought he would have a hard time with everything as he has a very strong sense of smell, and doesn't like the sight of blood, vomit, or any sort of bodily fluids actually. And he doesn't like hospitals or needles. I had to have an IV once when I had a bad kidney infection and he had to leave the room while they put the IV in. But this time, he was right there with me through it all. However, he did stand back a ways when they gave me the epidural, I'm not even sure if he was able to see any of it from where he was at. Nate held one leg and my mom held the other while I was pushing. Nate's mom had the camera and took pictures after he was born. While I was pushing, Nate was actually doing it with me! lol! He would take a deep breath when I would, than he would hold his breath when I would, and he actually was kind of pushing when I was! My mom and I had to keep reminding him to breath so that he didn't pass out while holding my leg!! I cannot describe the feeling once he was out, Nate had cut the umbilical cord and they placed my baby on my chest! He wasn't crying much, he was mostly squeaking a bit and his eyes were wide open just looking at me. I couldn't believe that I had just given birth to such a precious, beautiful being! The nurse than took him to clean him up and measure and all that stuff. He hardly would cry much, the nurse kept trying to get him to cry louder, but he wouldn't. He was just fine, just not much of a crier. He mostly squeaks. Which is why, when my dad got to see him, he gave him his nickname of squeaker!
I had decided that I wanted to breastfeed, but was a little concerned if I would be able to as I have one nipple that is inverted. But with the help of the nurses and a lactation specialist, we were able to find a way to make it work. However, Elliot had a hard time actually nursing. He would latch perfectly, but would only suck for a couple minutes and than would just sleep. It was difficult, even for the nurses to keep him awake long enough to get much milk. Which I think contributed to his jaundice lasting as long as it did. That is a whole other adventure that I had a hard time with. His jaundice was bad enough that he had to be under the lights of a bili bed all day, except when changing his diapers or nursing. And than at night, he would have to lay on this little pad that lights up. The first time I put him in the bili bed, I broke down and just bawled. It hurt to see him lying there in just his diaper, the netting and eye patches on his head. He would just cry for about 1-2 hours straight. I was so sad that I couldn't even pick him up to rock him and console him. It broke my heart. It was kind of embarrassing that first day I put him in the bed was when the relief society brought dinner for us. I was in the middle of my breakdown when they showed up. It was embarrassing, but at the same time I was glad someone was there with me as Nate was gone to an appointment. So it was also comforting that they all showed up while I was bawling my eyes out. After a week of driving to the hospital every day to get his Bilirubin levels tested and laying in the light bed, his jaundice finally cleared up. Happy day that was! I hated seeing him get his little heel poked every time.
The nursing was getting harder and harder for me to do. It HURT like crazy. I would rather give birth again with no epidural than have that pain. And I just felt like Elliot wasn't getting enough. I tried everything, creams, switching sides after only 5 mins, a nipple shield, etc. But the pain was not getting any better, and he just wasn't getting enough to eat. People kept telling me that it will hurt for a while, but will get better after a few weeks. Well, in a few weeks I would have to wean him anyway so I could go back to work. So why be in that much pain for all that time, especially when he wasn't getting enough to eat. So than I thought I would just pump and feed him the milk from a bottle. Than at least he would still be getting my milk, but it wouldn't be as painful for me. But than I had one nipple start to crack and bleed a bit, and than it stopped producing milk all together. So now we figured the best thing to do would be to just switch to formula. It was a bit of a hard decision. I had wanted to breastfeed so badly. And now that I just couldn't do it anymore was a little disappointing. But we had to do what was best for Elliot and for me. At least I had tried and was able to nurse him for about 1 week. The positive side of bottle feeding, I can go somewhere with just Nate and have Elliot with a babysitter, or I can go have some me time. Also, Nate can help with feedings and help him develop a bond with Elliot, which he still feels a little detached and feeding him should help some with that.
We love having Elliot around. It is a little hard sometimes when we are both so sleep deprived. But he is worth all of the pain, frustration and exhaustion! Welcome to our little family Elliot. You are so loved!
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