Birth Day

This is a story to my not-so-baby-anymore little boy on his birthday.

There once was your Mommy, and her pregnancy with you was as normal as can be. The doctor was very happy with how things were going and the way you were growing. Your ultrasound picture was the best ever, we could see all of your fingers and toes, because you were waving at us. It was June and the weather was warming up, I thought about how I was going to survive a warm summer with you in my belly, because you were already keeping me warmer than usual.  

You were 29 weeks along and kicking me left, right, and centre. You liked to wake up at 11pm to have a dance party just when Mommy wanted to go to bed. Mommy was feeling tired from a weekend of making Daddy a birthday party and needed to rest, but you kept on partying in Mommy's belly like it never ended.  It was Monday night and I was making your quilt, I felt some light pain just like a pinch in my belly but it went away. Daddy was out racing go karts, so we didn't go to the hospital to investigate.  In hind sight we should have.

The light pain came back the next evening. Mommy went to bed not thinking anything of it but woke up from your pinches in the morning. You were 30 weeks and 1 day so it never even crossed my mind that you wanted to come out just yet. We had a doctors appointment that day so we waited to investigate what was going on.  I went to work that morning thinking I was going to have an ordinary day.

By mid morning the pinch in Mommy's belly grew to a cramp. I decided to call the doctor, we all agreed that it would be best for me to go to the hospital. Daddy came to pick me up at work and drove me to the emergency room.  The nurse sent me upstairs to the maternity ward, so to the 3rd floor I walked up.

At the maternity ward, the nurses strapped monitors on me and told me to hurry up and wait because it was that kind of day. 15 minutes later they came back and were trying to figure out why I was having the pain, they said that sometimes false labour or early contractions may be caused by dehydration or an infection. As they were getting ready to investigate, the resident discovered that I was already 9 cm dilated and you were ready to come out! Daddy and I looked at each other and said, okay?? My first stage of labour was over and I didn't feel any of it. All the hospital staff apologized for ignoring me for so long because I didn't look like a woman in labour.

An army of nurses wheeled Mommy into a delivery room and prepped Daddy and I on what was going to happen next. There was no time for any procedures or medicines to help keep you in, nor was there time for medicines to help Mommy ease the pain. But to be honest I wasn't in much pain.

A doctor made sure that your head was down, you were but it took them so long to find your head on the ultrasound because you were so far down already. A nurse told me, if you have the urge to push, don't, because the head doctor is busy finishing up with another patient. I didn't know what that urge was supposed to feel like.  

We waited a little bit for my contractions to become more intense before I started pushing. The doctors were not sure if they should break your water or not, as you were a very special case. They argued that the water around you may protect you, but at the same time because you were so little it may block you from coming out. You broke the water yourself while Mommy was on the next push.

Daddy did a super job helping Mommy even though you gave us all a nervous surprise. Mommy walked into the hospital at 11:30am and you came out at 1:20pm, 10 weeks early. The doctor said you interrupted his lunch.

We didn't know you were going to be a boy but Daddy identified it to be so. I didn't get to hold you because you had to be whisked off to NICU to be specially taken care of. You were 3 lbs 2 oz, apgars at 6 and 7, and couldn't breath on your own. Yet, Mommy and Daddy did not worry. Everyone around us were surprised at how calm we were, and Mommy didn't even look like she just had a baby. You were the talk of the hospital for the next day. Apparently this kind of stuff doesn't happen frequently.

The doctor told us that you had a very good chance of growing the rest of the way in NICU without complications. We had no doubts in our minds that you will grow up to be a smiley healthy boy. You had to be transfered to another hospital right away because you were so fragile, you needed extra special care that this hospital couldn't provide. Since Mommy was going to get discharged the next morning anyway, you went to the other hospital while Mommy stayed behind.  

After you left, Daddy went to get dinner and some things for Mommy since we had walked into the hospital earlier that day with only my purse. We called everyone and you gave them the surprised of their life! I was so excited and over joyed about you I couldn't sleep that night, despite the fact that I was very tired.

We saw you the very next day, in your incubator. We couldn't hold you but we could reach our hands through the holes on the sides to touch you. Your little tiny hand gripped Mommy's finger so tight.  It was not until after a couple of days that we got to hold you. Your weight dropped to 2 lbs 9 oz before it went back up again. You spent a total of 60 days at two hospitals. You had good days and bad days, and so did Mommy. We thought it was the hardest 60 days ever! But looking back on it we think you were just what Mommy and Daddy needed, at the perfect time. We love you to pieces, 

Happy 1st Birthday Castle.