One week later I was induced, which was the longest week of my life since I was scared to let my body be in any other position except an upright one, so he wouldn't turn around again. Finally it was go time and we were in the hospital at 6am starting the pitocin drip. It ended up being a very emotional day. His heart rate kept dropping and then it would stabilize and then drop again. The nurse would flip me onto my side in hopes that I was just lying on his umbilical cord. Then it would drop suddenly again and they would turn off the pitocin and give him a break. I had to wear an oxygen mask to hopefully give him some more oxygen inside. It felt like 1 step forward and 2 back. It was very scary not knowing if at any time I would have to be rushed away for an emergency c-section. This continued all day. Even after my water broke, the little booger was still so far up and would not drop down! My doctor checked and said his head was lodged and stuck on my pubic bone and that was the reason for the hold up. She said we should try and push to see if he would dis-lodge. 2 pushes later, he shot out.
The first time they laid him up on top of me I had a very strange feeling. This wasn't my baby. Not the baby I imagined! He was extremely swollen, one side of his face looked like someone had beat him it was purple and blue. His forehead protruded and his face was so swollen that I could barely see his eyes. I kept asking over and over again, "is there something wrong with him?? He is not crying!" But they kept reassuring me that everything was fine... he was in a face up presentation when he came out so it was normal to look that way. Besides the swelling he was perfectly healthy.
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| Here he is all red and swollen |
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| His forehead was protruding and extremely black and blue |
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| This is my exhausted, worried, know something is wrong face |
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| And here he is Gavin Xavier Woods, weighing in at 7lbs 2 oz. 19.5 inches long |
The next day his billirubin shot up pretty quickly and they wanted him under the lights for 24 hours. I was only able to try and nurse him for 30 minutes when they brought him to me every 3 hours. Under this demand it is almost impossible to feed a jaundiced, sleeping newborn. This was very frustrating to me but I kept thinking to myself...tomorrow we will be going home. Tomorrow comes (Thanksgiving Day) and no turkey for me :( The doc wants us to stay one more night. The next day is sort of a blur to me.... We were waiting to be discharged and in walks the pediatrician to tell us that his levels had dropped and that we were free to go. We were so ready to go home and see our other boys, when all of a sudden she continues with.... "However, I think you should consider having Gavin tested. He is showing a few signs of Down Syndrome." My heart drops....Can you repeat that? She continues.. "I am about 50/50 and leaning more towards 75% that he has it." The tears started flowing down my face. I had no words (which is rare for me)...all I could do was cry. I felt myself become anxious and worrisome. I wanted to throw up. She came over patted me on my shoulder and said that she knows it must be hard and would I like something to calm me down. "Yes Please!" I do not remember a lot after this. My sisters and nieces came to bring me home and to just be there with me. The doctor said they would send out a blood sample from his umbilical cord and we should here back within 10 days. That was that...we left not knowing what was going on or what we should be feeling or what was wrong/if anything, with our son.
The next 10 days were the longest, confusing, most terrifying days of our lives.....
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