Douglas Max Stewart II

I am still amazed that last week I was very pregnant, and now I have the most adorable baby boy in the world depending on me for everything.  Douglas Max Stewart II was born Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at 4:10 AM, and weighed 7 pounds 4 ounces and was 19.5 inches long.

Douglas Max Stewart II

Here is the story.

The story actually begins on the previous Sunday, which I will explain further on why.  Last Sunday I went to the bathroom, and felt like my water was leaking.  That morning my mom had arrived from Utah, so we thought it was a great time for me to go into labor.  We headed to the hospital, they tested me, and once again sent me home saying that my water was not leaking.  We were all quite disappointed, again.

My Tuesday appointment came, and while we were waiting the ultrasound tech came out and informed everyone that the ultrasound machine had broken, and they wouldn't be able to do any ultrasounds until Thursday.  Again, another disappointment.  We went back to meet with Dr. Johansen, and he informed us that I was still only 2 cm dilated, and 80% effaced.  Grrrr!  He then informed me that he had never had to induce labor on a patient who had had a cerclage.  I think that Dr. Johansen saw the murder in my eyes, because on my way out he said, "Maybe Tonight!"

Because I was so depressed, Mark decided to take all of us down to Sedona to shop a bit, also because it is 2600 feet lower than Flagstaff, so we were hoping something might happen.

When we got down to Sedona we went shopping and found some cute little green crocs for Max, and some pajamas I could use for nursing, then went to eat dinner at Wildflower, then headed home.  On the way Mark was taking the switchbacks pretty fast.  As we rounded the last corner out of the canyon, I started having contractions again, this time a little stronger.  As we got closer to home they were becoming stronger and regular.  When we got home, they were pretty regular.

I sat on the exercise ball to relieve the back pain, then I went and sat in a warm bath.  It was amazing how much relief that gave me.  As I became more pruney, I decided to get into the shower.  After about 10 minutes standing there I couldn't take the pain, so I got out, dressed, and informed everyone that I was going to the hospital.  That was a huge decision for me, because I had decided that I wouldn't go to the hospital until Max's head was crowning.  When we arrived, I could barely walk, and definitely had trouble standing.

I began the normal routine, and Mark had to fill out the check-in paper because I had to focus on the contractions.  I went to the bathroom to do my urine test and change into the gown.  As I was climbing into the bed I felt like I was peeing.  I mentioned that to my family, and then it became very obvious that my water had just completely broken.  Fluid was leaking off of the bed and all over the floor, and I was pretty sure that it wasn't pee because my bladder isn't that big.  Mark grabbed one of the test strips that we had "borrowed" from the hospital on our last visit, and it immediately turned dark blue, (positive).  The nurse came back in, saw what was happening, and told us she would go ahead and get us into our room.  I put my flip flops back on, and shuffled to my room, leaving a trail of fluid on the floor. 

Once in the room the nurses hooked up the monitors for my contractions and Max's heartbeat.  As I laid back in the bed, Max's heart rate plummeted.  They had me turn onto my side, and his heart rate returned to normal.  After 5 miserable, extremely painful hours of laboring in bed, my nurse was still concerned about Max's heart rate, and that he might be in distress.  At that point they also checked me, and I was still only 5 cm dilated.  I still could not get out of bed because of the need to monitor Max, and so I had to just lay in bed and tolerate the pain as best as I could.  Although Mark, my sister Traci, and my Mom were all great helps to me, my body just couldn't take it anymore.  I was having terrible fits of shaking, and I kept throwing up.  It was then that I decided that I was going to have an epidural.

After the epidural was in place, I fell asleep for about an hour.  Around 3 in the morning Dr. Johansen came in and said that Max's heart rate was still concerning, and that my contractions had almost completely stopped.  They could give me pitocin to get the contractions going again, but that it would probably put more stress on Max, and he didn't see things going well if I continued to labor.  We decided to go ahead with a cesarean at that point. 

During the cesarean everything went well, but when Dr. Johansen was pulling Max out, I heard him say that the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and shoulder, which was causing the distressed heart rate.  If I had continued labor, he probably would not have made it.  As I laid there my heart was in my stomach as they carried the blue and purple little Max to the bassinet and began working on him and I didn't hear any crying.  Mark was watching and kept giving me thumbs up, but it felt like forever before he let out a little cry.  They finally bundled him up and brought him over for me to see.  In front of me was the most beautiful baby I have ever seen!  In the recover Max started nursing right away, and didn't have any problems latching on.  We all were feeling pretty fabulous.

I wish I could say that we lived happily ever after since, but that wasn't to be.  When we finally left the recovery room and were moved up to the OB floor we were so excited to finally be recovering and to have Max here with us.  We were not in the room 5 minutes when my nurse, while checking him out, tells us that his temperature was a little low, and so she wanted to check his blood sugar.  As they were checking his blood sugar, he started breathing really fast, so they decided to run more tests.  When they checked his white blood cells, they were really high, and so they  moved him to the NICU and began testing and treating for an infection, which they told us would take at least 48 hours, possibly longer depending on how he reacted.  He also had a bunch of amniotic fluid in his stomach, which was causing him to throw up a lot, so he had to have his stomach pumped. 

The next day I started having really high fevers.  I didn't think anything of it, but when it continued, my doctor became concerned that I also had an infection.  I didn't have one for a while, and they took out all of my IVs.  Late that night I had another fever, which meant that I would also have to start antibiotics, on top of trying to recover from the cesarean, and trying to spend as much time with Max in the NICU.  We couldn't figure out how I could possibly have an infection when I had been on antibiotics for a sinus infection, and then penicillin, and then during the cesarean they had antibiotics flowing.

When my doctor came to visit, he said he was also trying to figure out how I could have an infection.  He then said that he thought that I may have actually broken my water on the previous Sunday, and because I had not delivered until Wednesday morning, there were 3 days that I could have gotten and infection that would affect both of us, including the time I spent in the tub, which is not a good idea after your water is broken.

Mark's parents came down Wednesday to see Max, stayed the night, and then had to drive home for a doctors appointment.  Mark said that his Mom cried the whole time she was holding him.  Max is their first grandbaby, which is part of the reason why we named him after Mark's dad.  

Friday we got the news that Max also had jaundice, and would have to be on a bili-light, and if his levels were down by the next day, they could take him off.  The good news on Friday, though, was that Max was going to get to spend the night with us in our room.  We were so excited!  The only problem was that I was up all night because every little squeak or grunt he made woke me because I was worried that something was wrong.  Saturday morning all of Max's blood results came back much improved, except the bilirubin, and so they cleared him to go home with a bili-blanket.  My doctor had also cleared me to go home, and so we packed everything up and got ready to leave.  And then we waited.  We had to take a bili-blanket home with us, and ended up waiting until around 5 o'clock for the blanket to show up so that we could leave.

When we finally arrived at home, we gradually let the dogs get used to Max's scent, (we had been sending blankets and things of Max's home all week with my Mom and Traci for them to smell), and then they got to meet him.  Ros was very intrigued, and loved licking his feet.  Polly was just so excited to see us after us being gone for so long that she couldn't settle down.  Now she loves to sit and watch Max, and gets very interested when Max squeaks.  Ros thinks she is his guardian, but is still very jealous that I spend so much time with him, and my time with her is very much diminished.

 A little about Max that I have learned these past few days, besides him being the most adorable baby in the whole world!  He is a really good baby.  He is very chill, and the only time he really cries is when he is hungry, or when people are messing with him, like pumping out his stomach.  He has really long arms, fingers, legs, and toes.  He looks mostly like Mark, except that he has my nose, mouth, and the gold ring around his iris that I also have.  It looks as though his hair is mostly blond, and his eyes will be hazel, like Mark and I.  He loves to eat, and during the night eats about every hour.  He is already used to the dogs, because they bark and he doesn't react to it, I'm guessing because of his time in my tummy.  He loves it when people talk to him, and he tries to talk back.  So, without further ado, pictures!

Mark with his Dad and Mom.  Lori knitted Max's blessing gown, and it is so beautiful!

Grandma Mickey with Max

Mark holding Max just after his cesarean birth.

Max just after birth.

My big pregnant belly being prepped for the cesarean, and my best support, Mark.

Dinner at WIldflower in Sedona.  Such a beautiful setting!

Last Sunday, August 26th, still pregnant with my Mom and sister Traci.

Max after being weighed and measured.

Grandpa Doug and Grandma Lori with Max

Grandpa Steve with Superhero Max.

Grandpa Steve and Max enjoying a football game.

Max on his bili blanket with Traci

Sitting around waiting at the hospital for the blanket to show up. 

Max's first time in the cars eat, getting ready to go home.  He did so well! No crying the whole time

Ginny and Max with their support staff.   Traci, Mark, and Mom.

Our little "Glow Worm" Max with his bili blanket.