.An Introduction.

Jace Turner Teancum made his appearance Monday August 6th at 12:39pm weighing in at 8lb 1oz (the same as his mama) with a length of 20inches and a head circumference of 36 1/2cm (the same as big brother Cade).

He came out crying and looking loving and pink, getting 9 and 9 on apgar and 20 minutes later he turned dusty and was trying a little too hard to breath so an xray was done and he had cried so hard he gave himself a spontaneous pneumothorax (collapsed lung) in both lungs.  I found out while in recovery and they were able to wheel me in my bed to see him, I am forever grateful for wonderful nurses who break rules!  I was a bit of a mess, trying to process, but seeing my little man struggle was by far the hardest thing, it was a great motivation for me to recover quickly in order to get in to see him at every opportunity while he was in level 2.  There were a million blessings that also came during this time and something I will never take for granted, and I know that some I haven't even been able to recognize but I am grateful none the less.  Jace never got worse from that first day, he just kept having to be poked because of his veins blowing out. The poor little man.

Here are some photos of those first 3 days for Jace.  I will have to do the 'labor and birth' rundown in the next post.

.Day Before.

Loads to catch up on, but here is my 'day before' photo and the last taken before our little man made his appearance. I am 39 weeks exactly and less than 24 hours after this photo was taken I was in recovery.

.38 weeks.

Here I am in my 38th week of my 3rd pregnancy and feeling pretty good actually.

I had my regular scheduled ob appointment on Monday 23rd for an ultrasound to check fluid levels and cervical change etc to see if there was any indication this baby boy might come while my doctor is on vacation.  Fluid levels were great, baby was great (with a big Anderson head again of 33cm already!) , I was thinned out but barely a fingertip dilated, so no indications anything should happen.  I was more relieved than bummed.


We had a few little dramas that same week that were a bit of a stress.  I had some really painful pulling on my internal incision that took my breath away right away and I could barely make it to the bathroom during storytime at the library to make the call to my doctors office to see what was going on.  Make it I did, and I ended up at the hospital that night being monitored for a couple of hours.  I was contracting but I honestly couldn't feel them so 2 vicoden later and off home again.  I was sobbing to have to go to labor and delivery as I was NOT ready to have this little boy that night!  I am just glad Cory's meetings 6 1/2 hours out of town ended a day early and he was home to take me to the hospital and organize someone to watch the boys so late at night.

On Friday I had another ob appointment, and I was still about 50% thinned out but still very high and only a possible fingertip dilated.  My doctor suggested that we get an amniocentisis and check if this boy was ready and we could have a baby!  This was a HUGE answer to a prayer as I had not known what to do, I wanted to hold out until my due date if I could but with the dramas of the week I was concerned I wouldn't make it and they DO NOT want me contracting or dilating when I am having a third csection.  I have had this underlying worry about babies lungs if I was to have him earlier than my liking as my doctor had push my dates forward at that very first appointment and I had thought I was pretty spot on. Once we got the boys organized with a sitter, (thank you for wonderful friends) we went back to labor and delivery and had our amnio at about 11:30am and waited for the results.  We got those at about 2ish and they came back that he wasn't ready.  We were all really surprised as my ob nurse actually had her 4th csection 3 months prior at the same gestational age and her baby was perfect. I was 37 weeks 5 days on Friday. I am glad we knew that he wasn't ready.  My doctor then said although his lungs tested not ready, I was contracting every 4-5 mintues and needed to stay and be monitored to see if it progressed into anything.  I then wanted to know the ins and outs of what about his lungs, will he be in NICU etc, etc. I bawled. Just so overwhelmed and hormonal. We got that all sorted and 4 hours later I stopped contracting.  It was then my doctor told me I would most likely not make it to my due date.  I bawled again. My doctor was leaving on Sunday for 2 weeks vacation and I would be needing another doctor deliver me if I went into spontaneous labor within the next 2 weeks.  I was so upset.  Stupid as it may seem,  I just put so much stock in my doctors, I rely on them as I would a family member considering I have never had family members close when having my babies.  He felt awful and so did I.  I understand more than anyone how important time with family is and I hated him to feel that pull.  It was just an overwhelming day to say the least. 

I came home, rested up and saw things much clearer and logically the next day.  I am just set that this baby will stay and grow until he gets back and if not, I have faith all will be well.  The doctor he lined me up with is booked solid so I have to see one of her partners for the my next 2 ob visits and then my regular doctor wants me to call him the night he gets home to let him know if baby is here and if not, we will have him no later than the 14th.  We shall see.  So much for the only perk of a csection - knowing WHEN you will have your baby and with YOUR doctor, but such is my pregnant life, if ever I feel in control, it is taken, that has happened each time. Faith Kathryn, faith.

This week has been much smoother than last (lets hope it stays that way), I have been able to do fun things with the boys each day and rest when we are home which has been a saving grace I think.  I am still contracting at night but I figure if I can fall asleep I am ok. 

I really have no complaints physically.  My pelvis has been much better since baby has dropped and is now low in my pelvis.  I have had pretty bad heartburn but it seems to be ok if I stay on top of it with tums.  I have been getting charlie horses in my calf muscles which are killer but they are few and far between.  I haven't gained a lot of weight this pregnancy, 14lbs at last weigh in, granted I was 20lbs heavier pre-pregnancy.  I gained exactly 30lbs with both boys but don't think I will get to that this time round. 

This little man moves constantly when I lay down at night and his movements almost hurt as the placenta is behind him and so you can see his feet and leg movements, very alien but pretty neat at the same time. He is still very nameless, we like to think we have narrowed it down to 5 top names, but I know there will be a wild card thrown in there as always.  We definitely have to wait and see this little guy to be sure.

I think that is the run down.  Here's to the next 2 weeks being very kind to me and little man!