Time to get back to updating Colorado Dreams! I'll do this by introducing our latest dream come true...Nathan Cole, born August 25th. Here is a recount of that day, and the few days at the hospital following it.
Before running out the door just before 6pm on the 25th, I mentioned that Matt's mom requested one last picture before heading to the hospital. So we snapped one.
We headed up to labor and delivery and they took me into the assessment room. I wait in this room for quite awhile and am feeling a bit impatient because I don't think they realize I am as far along as I feel. We then find out that they are short a nurse and one should be coming in 20 minutes. Then they hooked me up to a machine to monitor the baby's heartbeat and my contractions. Unfortunately, my contractions are not showing up very well on the monitor so they still don't feel matters are urgent! However, the nurse (the one that is going between 2 of us until my nurse arrived) finally checks to see how dilated I am. She was surprised to find I was at a 5! So things begin to move a little more quickly. She calls the on call doctor in and they break my water. They also get my IV started because I am to have antibiotics 4 hours prior to giving birth due to having Group B Strep (GBS).
They then informed me that I am ready for an epidural, however the anesthesiologist is detained for a c-section and it could be another hour. Perfect. So they give me a drug to hold me over and help with pain. I questioned if this would slow my labor down and the nurse asked, "would it matter at this point?" She seemed to think that might be a good thing.
They moved me into the labor and delivery room shortly after and checked me again to discover I was at 7 centimeters.
Things were moving fast! But still no anesthesiologist. My new nurse had now arrived...she was called in from home...and said that the anesthesiologist had left the hospital and they were now trying to call the on-call one. However, no one was answering. Lovely. My hour had passed by this point and I was fearful that I would be too far a long to get an epidural. It was probably another 20 minutes later when the anesthesiologist runs into the room saying that his phone battery had died so he did not know they were trying to contact him. I held my tongue as I did not want to be disrespectful to the man that was about to put a large needle in my back! The epidural was successful but I was confused as to if it was fully working because I explained how much discomfort I was still feeling. To me, it was pain, but the nurse explained that it probably was the pressure of my baby's head. Dr. Lerch, the on-call doctor for my OB/GYN practice came in to check on me. When I explained how much it still hurt she immediately suspects that the baby is much closer than we think. She checks me and sure enough, I am fully dilated...plus two in fact and 100% effaced. She asked me to give a little push. She then informs everyone that I am now plus 3 and we are having this baby RIGHT NOW!
I ask, "Are you serious?" She says, "Honey, I don't put all of this garb unless I am serious because it makes me hot!" Another nurse joins us to prepare for the baby's arrival. Dr. Lerch has my nurse take a leg, and Matt take a leg and predicts that we can have this baby out in a few contractions! It took a little more than that, but after a half hour of pushing, our beautiful baby arrives at 9:45pm!!!
Dr. Lerch predicted we were having a girl and was calling it a "she" throughout the delivery. That is until she pulled the little bundle of joy out. She sounded surprised as she announced, "It's a boy!" Prior to the delivery she announced she never gets to deliver "surprises" anymore. She thought it was fun!
So that is how little Nathan Cole Wittleder joined us in this world! He was perfect in every way. They immediately handed him to me but I didn't hold him long before they gave him some oxygen. His skin was all purple! And boy could he cry!
He weighed 7 lb. 4.5 oz. He was 20 inches long and his head circumference was 13 inches. Dr. Lerch said that his head was large.
Matt and I were overjoyed. It didn't even feel real at first. Once Nathan was cleaned up they gave us about an hour to ourselves to enjoy him. Nathan ate for 45 minutes! The delivery must have taken a lot out of him!
His tiny feet:
We called our parents to share the good news and then waited to make other calls the next day since it much later Eastern Standard Time.
The next few days in the hospital were surreal. We loved it. Matt talks about how fun it was to be in the hospital with Nathan.
Matt stayed with me in my room on the pull out couch in the back.
Here's another of our room.
Mom was able to get a flight out the very next day.
We enjoyed our time with Nathan.
And visitors came to visit!
This is Josh and Amber. We were really bad at taking pictures of his visitors. But several people from work came: Andrea Riley, Lisa Betts, Jim VerMeer. Jen visited us from small group and then Josh and Amber came on Thursday night.
Nathan got some gifts.
And Nathan got his pictures taken at the hospital on Friday.
We visited a discharge class this last day also.
Loving him!
Then on Friday afternoon, we were discharged from the hospital! All ready to go.
And home we go...as a family of Three!!!!!
