On Tuesday, July 3 at 10:40 pm, our lives got so much more incredible. We turned a corner and became what we've both always wanted to be- a mom and a dad.
It was incredible how instantly Nixon Tyler Gibb became our whole world.
At 7 lbs. 13 oz. 19.5 inches long and a big head covered in dark brown hair, he's alert and absolutely perfect.
As with anything miraculous, some hard times led the way. After surely a prompting from an over worried sister, Sunday we made a quick trip to the labor and delivery unit of the hospital. I was having some pain underneath my ribs and with very swollen "Shrek" feet in tow, I needed to be checked. After several bloods tests, heart tracking, and a 24-hour urine test, it was determined late Monday evening that I had mild preeclampsia and was at risk. So at 37 weeks and three days pregnant, we learned we would be induced to have a baby the next morning.
I was disappointed to be induced. I wanted everything to happen "normally" - you know, wake up in the middle of the night realizing its time to go, the mad race to the hospital, the wheelchair into delivery, etc. This seemed so strange. We woke up in the morning, showered, Tyler made waffles for breakfast, we took some pictures, we sang at the top of our lungs all the way to the hospital and walked calmly in (sort of) at 10 a.m. It didn't seem to be happening.
And then it was.
Labor wasn't very difficult in the beginning. We got started about 12 p.m, water was broken an hour later and mostly we just rested and waited. I had an epidural, but they somehow only gave me the initial dose and forgot the drip system. Two hours later when I finally asked if I should be feeling everything, the anesthesia guy came back and told me I was tough. Not by choice, dude. The epidural also tanked my blood pressure so I started losing it and had to have some oxygen. But that shot was way more enjoyable than the IV. I hated that. I was hooked to a bunch of things including magnesium (nasty stuff) and strep antibiotics ( I tested positive for strep). Because of preeclampsia I was considered high risk and had my very own nurse. Not that we needed one, it was slow moving for a while.
At about 630 things got interesting. I started dilating more quickly. A six, to a 7.5, to a 9. I learned that my doctor was away because his home was being evacuated - another fire in the mountains. So many this year! So Dr. Haskett would deliver Nixon. I was totally happy about this- Dr. Haskett is really cool. He's a jock and funny and smart. I liked him.
Anyway. I started feeling like my tailbone might break. And then I told Tyler they better come back soon because he was down, down, down and was going to come out on his own. Finally at about 10 they came back and sure enough, his head was past ready. They said women push for an hour and a half to get to that point. I got lucky.
Nixon was posterior and turns out the kid has a big head, so it was more difficult than the doctor thought it would be. He would get Nixon turned the right way, then baby Nix would just turn right back. However, sparing details, 40 minutes of what seemed impossible and the baby was out!
They wiped him off and handed him to me, but then things got rough for a while. I wanted to try to feed him right away. I wouldn't get the chance for five hours.
First, Nixon was dehydrated and not breathing super awesome. He was taken by the nurses and Tyler to the nursery for some help.
Then, my doctor vetoed the other doctor's decision to take me off magnesium, saying I needed it at least 12 hours more to prevent seizure or stroke. I don't know if he understood how difficult that made things. My energy was of course gone. But then I started puking, all alone in my room. I had already puked once during labor, so this was straight water. Then they tried to transport me to a new room. I passed out in the chair. Got to the room, passed out, puked some more. I was so out of it I don't remember too much. I do remember my doctor coming and I finally convinced him to half the dose.
That helped.
That whole part was hard for me. I overwhelmingly wanted to care for my baby. But I couldn't. I couldn't lift my head off the pillow and with a catheter I couldn't move around and so Tyler played the parent role solo for a while. And he played it so well.
Tyler became so much more to me through all of this. He is truly incredible and nothing phases him. He is the perfect dad. The perfect husband. The best support a girl could ask for.
We've been in the hospital learning to feed and care for baby Nix. After that first night things have been so great. He's an awesome baby. Such a cute round face and alert eyes. Right now he's just sleeping in my arms and it feels so perfect. I am so grateful.
We'll go home in a few hours and real life will begin. It definitely will never be the same. And I'm so glad.
Pictures coming soon!
