Baby Justin Michael Lee arrived at 5:32a.m. on May 22, 2008. Weighing in at 7 pounds 7 ounces and measuring 21 inches, Justin did everything he could to get the name Jake (troublemaker name choice), but mommy and daddy decided he was a sweet Justin.
Though he was four days late, Justin decided that mom would not be induced. Instead, mom went into labor on Wednesday, May 21, at 3:30 am. One false alarm at 7:00 a.m., in which the hospital sent us home, telling me that I was only dilated 1 cm and my contractions weren't strong enough. So we went home and the contractions got worse and worse. My mom and brother showed up around noon, and by 2:00p.m., I couldn't stand it anymore. We went back to the hospital and low and behold, I was dilated... still only 1 cm! My doctor wanted to send me back home, but the strength of my contractions persuaded her to admit me. No epidural until 3 cm, though, so I had some work ahead of me. From 2:00 to 6:00 p.m., I experienced what my pain tolerance labeled 8 1/2 - 9 out of 10 on the hospital pain chart. (The pain chart is a series of smiley faces that go from Wal-Mart sticker smiley to grumpy face with sweat beads). Finally at 6:00 p.m., the nurse checked me and I was 3 cm!! Yay - send in the anesthesiologist!! A funny man who talked nonstop about golfing came in, inserted the long needle into my spine, and made me a very happy woman. Which, in turn, made Brian a very happy man. The Laker game started at 6:30, and when he returned to the room, he said I was a totally different woman! On my cell phone, chatting with the nurses, and ready to watch the Lakers beat the Spurs!
But the good times didn't last until the end. My water broke around 10:00, and the nurse was not happy to see that it was full of meconium (baby poop). While not harmful to him while he was in the womb, if Justin swallowed in during delivery, he could get very sick. Issue number one. Issue number two was when Justin's heart rate seemed too constant for the doctor's liking, and around midnight, she came in to the hospital to discuss options, meaning the possible need for a cesarean section. Justin's heart rate dipped with every contraction, which the doctor called an "intolerance to labor." Since I was not dilating fast enough, and Justin's head was super hugh still, Justin was getting stressed out. But, every time she discussed a c-section, Justin's heart rate went up and I was dilated just enough to hold out hope for a vaginal delivery. So the doctor stuck with us and it looked like things were going to work out.
Around 1:00 a.m., I started to get intense back pain -- uh, oh, the epidural was wearing off! And as we soon discovered, the pain in my back meant Justin had turned sunny side up (opposite of how he should be turned!). But with another dose of meds, that pain too went away... and then the fun started. Around 3:00 a.m., I was dilated 9 cm, and it was time to think about pushing. Sparing the details of the super fun two and some hours that followed, Justin was born, crying out loud, at 5:32 a.m. The neonatal team was there to make sure the lungs were working and indeed they were. Although he was covered in his own green funk, underneath the slime was a beautifully pink baby boy!
Since that day, life has been changed forever. Sleep has lessened, trash output has increased, and Brian and I couldn't be more amazed at what a wonderful little person we created and brought into the world.
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