Hello everyone and happy new year!!

We started off the new year with a new addition to our family. Lochlan Grant was born new years day at 7:15pm after a long and tiring labor. I started off going to bed around 10pm New Years eve. I didn't get much sleep with all the neighbors setting off fire works. This was our very first new years that we didn't celebrate and it was a little disappointing. With the little sleep I did get, I awoke around 1-1:30am with lower pelvic discomfort. I wondered if this was finally it. I waited and 12 minutes later the pain returned. I decided to wait it out again before waking Jason. Sure enough 12 minutes later on the dot another contraction. I woke Jay around 2:30am and he started to time the contractions. By this point they were coming every 10 to 11 minutes. He called his parents to have them drive down to babysit Jaejin. (It takes them about an hour to get to our home.) By the time they arrived the contractions were about 5 minutes apart. We headed to the hospital not knowing if this was really it or not. I was in discomfort but it was tolerable. I was thinking they were going to send me home.

Once at the hospital we were sent to triage and my midwife was on call so she was already there. I was examined right away and sure enough this was it. I wanted to labor as long as I could without an epidural so the next thing was to hook me up to the monitors and if all was well I was going to sit in the jacuzzi to help ease the pain. I am such a wimp! I was asking for the epidural within the hour as the jacuzzi was being filled. Next thing I know the anesthesiologist was there and I was in heaven. By 7am my midwife broke my water and with the luck I have had there was meconium. I was started on Pitocin to make my contractions a little stronger. I was also made to flip flop from side to side every half an hour. An internal monitor was inserted to monitor the contractions and then an internal monitor was attached to the baby's head to monitor his heart rate. There were a few occasions where his heart rate dropped. They decided to fill me up with fluid to help his heart rate thinking he may be lying on or grabbing the umbilical cord. My blood pressure started to go up and stayed up throughout the labor. By the afternoon I was 8cm dilated but would not dilate any further. Lochlan was in the pelvis but wouldn't decend any further. At one check the meconium was even darker. The midwife made the decision to talk with the doctor and they decided to let me labor just a little longer. I was in a lot of pain despite the epidural, was vomiting, and had uncontrolable shakes. Jay felt bad that he couldn't do anything. The doctor came in around 6:30pm and offered to have me labor longer if I wanted but he was pretty much telling me it was time for the baby's sake. I was done laboring. I couldn't take it any longer and wanted him out. I am amazed how quickly the rest of the events took place. Next thing I know the anesthesiologist was back with a team of nurses in caps getting me prepped for the c-section. I was wheeled to the OR and was completely out of it. I only remember bits and pieces. I was vomiting a lot still. My blood pressure dropped and they had to give me meds to bring it back up. I heard the doctor ask Jason if he wanted to see them pull the baby out and to my surprise he did. I didn't get the joy of seeing Lochlan right away. The nurses took him to make sure he didn't swallow any of the meconium and cleaned him up. Next thing I remember is Jason sitting next to me holding our beautiful baby and then they were wisked off to the nursery. I was sent to recovery and remember the doctor telling nurses to keep pushing different meds due to the continued vomiting and problems they were having with my blood pressure. Jason was in and out of the room and he at one point asked me if I wanted to see our son and I said no. Then finally the epidural started to ware off and I could actually feel somewhat normal. Jason brought in Lochlan and I was able to hold him for the first time. We were sent to our room and the rest is history. I had problems with my blood pressure being high through out my stay. They discharged me on Sunday the 4th and I was re-admitted to the hospital on the 5th (my b-day) because my blood pressure was so high at the doctors office. Luckily it was only an overnight stay. Follow up doctors visits my blood pressure remains somewhat elevated. I am feeling great now and I can say that I have lost so much weight. I am down below my pre-pregnancy weight already and I am wearing my old clothes again. I attribute this to breast feeding and burning those extra calories.

We are settling in nicely and getting into a routine. I am lucky that Jason has four weeks of paternity leave. Lochlan is a healthy, happy baby. Jaejin has done really well adjusting the the change. There is a little bit of jealously but overall he is very loving and tries to help out where he can. I will keep you all posted with each mile stone and with keep sending those pictures. Hope you are all doing well!