Noah's Birth Story and More Pics!!

FINALLY, the story of Noah's arrival into this world (LONG)! :-) Here goes...


Eight days after our due date of May 7, Noah Charles Baughman arrived via c-section on May 15 at 11:56 a.m., weighing in at 7 pounds and 8 ounces, 20.5 inches long. He is everything and way more than we could have ever imagined...words can't express the love that we feel for him!!!


On Thursday, May 14th (41 weeks), we had a nonstress test scheduled at the hospital to make sure everything with baby was okay to continue the pregnancy without induction. During this test, Noah was continuously having marked variability in his heart rate. This wasn't a huge cause for concern, but they couldn't get a good baseline reading. Because of this, the Dr. on call wanted us transferred to L & D for further monitoring. He continued with the same pattern in his heart rate, and this mixed with my slightly elevated blood pressure (hello, monitoring in L & D!!), and now being 41 weeks, she said she could not send us home...she wanted to induce that night. After performing a pelvic exam, she found that the baby still had not engaged in my pelvis (still at -3 station, which is pretty uncommon for a first pregnancy...and cause for concern that the baby wouldn't fit), and strongly recommended a c-section right then.


We were presented with some hard decisions and therefore the staff left Andy and I to ourselves to talk...Andy said we needed to pray so he began a prayer really seeking God's will as to what we needed to do. As soon as he said "Amen", the door knocked and the doctor came in. In the end the decision was made for us (not being able to go home), which honestly, I was grateful for because I had no idea what to do!!


I thought the idea of the c-section was extremely premature. I needed to know that we tried everything possible before going this route, as long as the baby was stable, which he was at that point. He calmed down (little thing was active!) and they had a very good baseline heart rate. I said that if my two options were c-section or induction, I really wanted to try induction first. She agreed to this plan, but said that I still had a 95% chance of c-section at the end. I understood, but again, needed to know that we tried everything.

Waiting for induction to begin.

We started the pitocin that night at about 9:30 and I was on it until the following morning at about 8:00. They were never able to get the dose past 5 (normal I think is about 20) because their protocol is they cannot increase if you have 5 or more contractions in a 10 minute period. Well, I was having contractions about every 2 minutes, lasting about 60 seconds long. Unfortunately, they weren't much stronger than the braxton hicks I had been having, and therefore I was not progressing at all.


The next morning, another doctor on call (who was AWESOME), did a pelvic exam to check my progression. Again, no progression at all and she also noted that the baby was still -3 station, and was concerned there was a reason for this, such as possible small pelvic bones. She recommended c-section. She also said that she completely understood if I decided to continue the induction for the reason that I needed to know that I tried everything, but also said at the end of the day I would probably end up in a c-section.


Considering I made no progression at all in 12 hours, they couldn't increase the pitocin to possibly begin progressing, and she was now the fourth doctor that told me I probably needed a c-section...Andy and I made the hard decision to give up our beautiful birth plan (open-mindedness is good) and go through with it.

Minutes before the walk to the OR.

Last photo with Noah still in mommy's belly.

About 2 hours later, the most beautiful being I have ever seen in my life entered the world and I heard the most amazing sound as he let out his first cry...again, words cannot express the amount of love Andy and I have for our son...and at the end of the day, I don't think it really matters how he came into the world, as long as he is healthy which he is! And Andy and I have the peace of knowing we tried everything we could before going the c-section route, and we know this was just the birth story that was planned for our son.


Now...for more photos!!! These are from the first two weeks of Noah's life (he was two weeks yesterday). I think you will be able to see the changes in him, especially how his face has already begun to develop!

First family photo.

Grandma Eileen and Noah.

Grandpa Chuck, Grandma Heidie and Uncle Eric with Noah.

Great Grandma Nancy holding Noah.

Four generations of Baughman men.

Aunt Leslie holding Noah for the first time.

Great Grandpa and Grandma Gruner holding Noah.

Great Grandpa Gruner holding Noah for the first time.

Come on Noah, give Daddy a burp!

Getting ready to go home!

First time in the car seat...so far so good. :-)

Daddy holding Noah in his favorite position.

Noah in his Baby Bjorn (thanks Great Grandma Gruner!)...he loves it!

Noah's first trip to Starbucks. :-)

Noah's first Dr. appt!

Noah with Dr. Rosellini, the doctor who followed me through the pregnancy.

Noah laying on the couch on laundry day! :-)

Noah's first bath.

Swaddled up, laying in the Baughman cradle.

Big boy can already hold his binky!!

Sitting in the boppy, content as can be.

Mommy and Noah getting some cuddle time in on the couch...we love this.

Noah, alert as can be on Grandma Eileen's shoulder...big old eyes!!

Noah now asleep on the boppy in the outfit Aunt Jane and cousin Vivian got for him.

Hopefully more pictures and video to come soon of our little guy!!

NOAH CHARLES!!

NOAH CHARLES BAUGHMAN

5-15-09

7 lb. 8 oz.

20.5 in.

It has taken me a long time to get to a new post...the days are going by too quickly!!! It's 10:30 and Noah is taking a little nap, figured I'd try to get in and post something. :-) Hoping to get on and finish a bigger post with Noah's birth story and more pictures soon!!!

Mommy and Noah soon after delivery...skin to skin, one of our favorites!

Daddy holding Noah in one of his favorite positions.

Daddy practicing his swaddling.



Noah at home sleeping on the quilt Grandma Eileen made him.

Mother's Day and Baby Updates (Yes, still in my belly at almost 41 weeks!!)

For some reason, I never really expected to still be pregnant on Mother's Day (3 days after my due date), but I was! I was kind of bummed at first not to be able to hold my baby, but then had a reality check and realized how grateful I was to be carrying a beautiful, healthy baby in my belly! Here are some pics from Mother's Day celebration at my mom's.

I know, HUGE! I'm done with profile shots. :-)

My beautiful momma watering her plants with a nice glass of chardonnay in hand!

My Grandma and I.

Four generations (one still stubborn in belly).

Please Baby, everyone can't wait to meet you!!

As for Baby:

We had an appointment today and decided against the induction that was scheduled for tomorrow. My doctor understood and seemed supportive. There just did not seem to be any big medical reasons to go through with it - Baby and I are healthy and it just seems Baby is still cooking.

I was a little over 2 cm., 90% effaced, with the baby at -3 station - still not engaged, or dropped!

My doctor ordered an ultrasound that was done this afternoon to get Baby's size, amniotic fluid amount, etc. to make sure everything is still safe. We had some surprises at this ultrasound and found out the baby is estimating at 8 pounds, 7 ounces!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My mom and Andy's mom both had small babies with all 3 of their kids (6-7 pound range), so this was a huge surprise to us. The ultrasound also showed that I'm only averaging to be at 39 weeks, 5 days...which puts me at my original due date of May 14th (this Thursday). I still have not talked to my doctor about the results, but maybe tomorrow I'll get her thoughts about it.

The plan now is that we will go to the hospital Thursday for nonstress testing on the baby to make sure everything is safe and normal to continue the pregnancy post-term without inducing. If we are still around, we'll do this again next Monday, and then we have an appointment scheduled with my doctor for next Tuesday (42 weeks!) - Lord help me if we make it that far!!!!

So that's the plan and updates for today. Please pray for the baby to drop and for labor to start soon on its own! :-)

Baby Update - 40 weeks

We have officially reached the due date today, May 7th!


There have been quite a few things going on since the last time I posted, so here is a much needed update!


Sorry if it is TMI for some...


1) PUPPPS:

I came down with this awful things called "PUPPPS", aka "pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy" (if you must know :-))...at around 36.5 weeks. It is kind of like chicken pox or poison oak on steroids. It starts on your stomach and eventually spreads everywhere, which it did! There is no known cause, but a couple of theories. One is that 70% of women that develop this have male babies (we'll see!) and there might be something in male fetal DNA that causes a reaction in some women. Unfortunately, the only treatment is delivery of the baby and the placenta and then it resolves on its own. So when it was at its worst (2 weeks ago or so), my doctor was actually talking induction to get the baby out and get me on systemic IV steroids.

Thank God, Andy and I did some research and found this miracle soap online that a lot of women have said to be helpful...Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap...lovely, huh? :-) So for two weeks, I have been taking 2-3 showers a day with the stuff, and by the third day I noticed a difference!! It's actually mostly resolved now, and my doctor said she was impressed that it resolved so much with me still being pregnant!

At our 39 week appointment last week, my doctor and I decided to strip my membranes...where they strip the cervix from the amniotic membranes...they say this can produce an inflammatory reaction that can start contractions. Also, prostaglandins are released from this process which can also start contractions. We decided to do this as a less invasive "induction" to try to start the labor process and officially rid me of the PUPPPS...no luck.


2) Baby Updates:

37 weeks: 1 cm and 50% effaced
38 weeks: 1 cm and 80% effaced
39 weeks: 1-2 cm and 80% effaced
40 weeks: 2 cm and 80% effaced

The one thing that has not changed: Baby has not dropped! It still has not officially "engaged" into my pelvis (it is really comfy up in my tummy!), as of our appointment on Tuesday. My doctor stripped my membranes again at this appointment, and I have noticed differences from this "stripping" compared to last week, so we'll see if it works!

My doctor seemed concerned that the baby had not dropped yet. Worst case scenario, there is something wrong with the baby fitting through my pelvic bones, but hopefully it just hasn't decided to drop yet. Usually with a first pregnancy, the baby drops weeks before labor begins; with subsequent pregnancies, you can go into labor without dropping at all. At this point, we have another appointment scheduled for Monday, and then we might have to start the "induction" talk, which we are trying really hard to stay away from.

Please pray that this baby will come safely on its own time and that my body will go into labor naturally!

We will keep you all updated!!


3) Date Night:

After living on the couch in my yoga pants through the PUPPPS, Andy and I decided it would be fun for me to get dressed up (actually do my hair and put some makeup on!) and go out! We had a great night last Friday going to see "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" and going to Outback for dinner. Here are some pics we took at Andy's parents after our date night:

These were at 39.1 weeks pregnant, yikes!

Andy loving Baby

I think I have him beat...

BIG belly!

Hope all is well with everyone, and hopefully the next post is pictures of our beautiful Baby B.!