Cooper's birth story

Cooper's birth story started on Sunday July 3rd when we checked into the hospital at 5:00pm.  We showed up with all of our gear and two sonic drinks (cranberry limeades, my new obsession!).  Just before 6:00pm they gave me the cytotec (*sp) and the plan was for my parents to bring us pizza around 7:00 for dinner.  I couldn't wait to get my pizza!!

I had been having contractions through out the afternoon before heading to the hospital and once they hooked me up to monitors we could see my contractions.  I started having pretty consistent contractions after the medicine and before long they started to hurt.  I joked with Kyle that I was ready for my epidural already because the pain in my lower back was pretty bad and the contractions were only a couple of minutes apart.  Then I noticed that the contractions intensified and were very close together.  Suddenly an alarm went off and Cooper's heart rate was down.  The nurse came in after a minute or so of it not going back down.  She quickly looked worried and tried changing my position to see if he would come back up. 

Suddenly she was on her phone calling for help and getting me an oxygen mask on me.  I knew right then that things weren't good.  3 other people came into the room and the realized that I was having a bad reaction to the medicine.  My uterus was contracting and not releasing and therefore Cooper was in distress.  They quickly gave me a shot to try to calm things down and luckily it worked.  I know now that they were prepared to take me straight to a c-section if that shot didn't work.

I was extremely scared when they left and just cried with Kyle.  My parents arrived at about 7 and they knew something was up (plus I still had the oxygen mask on).  I spent the rest of the evening watching Cooper's heart rate and having to change positions when it went down too low.

Originally I was supposed to get the pitocin Monday morning between 6-8 am.  After talking to my doctor they moved it up to 3 am and discontinued the cytotec (which was supposed to be administered every 3 hours until the pitocin).  My parents, Kyle's parents, and brother Tyler all came up to the hospital at 3 because we knew if Cooper had any more issues with contractions that I would have a c-section.

I got my epidural around 5:00 am when I was at 4cm.  They had to do the epidural twice because the first time it wasn't in the right location.  I hate needles and they had to do the numbing medicine in 4 spots (which is supposed to be the worst part) and I was not a happy camper.

At 12:00 pm I was finally a 6-7. At 2:30 I was an 8.  They told me my progress was slower because I didn't get the rest of my cytotec.   Throughout the entire labor process Cooper's heart rate would drop and I would have to change positions in the bed.  Every time I tried to sit up his heart rate would plummet.  They suspected this had something to do with the umbilical cord location.

Finally at 4:40 pm they said it was time to push.  My doctor said we would do a couple of test pushes and they would determine if I could deliver him vaginally or would need a c-section.  They determined that I was going to do a vaginal delivery however they would need to use forceps to get him out quickly.  They also called a NICU team to be in the room because they were unsure what care Cooper would need.  This entire time his heart rate was down and I was a nervous wreck.  I did about 4 sets of 3 pushes and Cooper was here.  When he came out he was blue and the cord was around his neck and one leg. 

This part was all very emotional for me.  I cried and was so upset.  Cooper had a bad cone head and a huge bruise down the front of his head because of his position in the birth canal.  I am the horrible person that was worried my baby wasn't cute.  Luckily Cooper started to cry and we knew things were okay.  Kyle went to check on him and then came back to be with me.  Like I said before I was a basket case crying as they cleaned me up and stitched me.  The entire time I couldn't help but wonder if a c-section would have been safer and better for both Cooper and I.

I got to see Cooper for about 20 seconds before the whisked him off to the NICU for tests.  Being in that room after everything I went through and not holding my baby was the worst feeling ever.  Kyle had to go with the baby and I just laid there.  Kyle came back as fast as he could and told me the stats of our sweet baby boy.

Cooper Scott Cline

July 4, 2011 at 5:02 pm

6 lbs 4 oz

20 and 1/4 inches long

They brought Cooper to me at about 7 pm so that I could nurse him and we could spend time with our little boy.  They took him back to the nursery for his assessments and I got to my postpartum room about 9 pm.  Finally at 10 pm they brought Cooper to our room and our family finally got to meet him!!  They were all so excited and loved on our sweet boy.

I have lots of pictures to share and much more about the past couple of days.  Look forward to lots of Cooper blogs!!!