More Hospital Pics

Gavin Richins Gardner

11/17/08

9:59pm

4 lbs 15 oz

19.5"

Proud daddy. Davis never left Gavin's side after he was born.

This is Davis's hand to kind of show how little Gavin is. You can't see his body to really appreciate how little Gavin is, but this gives you a little bit of an idea.

Gavin's story: I went to my doctor's visit on Wednesday, Nov. 12. I went by myself (you would think I would have learned by now to bring Davis along). The nurse listened to his heartbeat with the doppler and heard an irregular heartbeat. So when Dr. Chakravorty came in, they brought in a fetal monitor to see what was going on after she checked me (I was dilated to a 2). The irregular heart beat continued and then his heart rate deccelerated. Dr. Chakravorty told me to get on my left side immediately. Gavin's heart rate went back up, but Dr. Chakravorty told me she was admitting me to the hospital and that they may need to do an emergency C-section. I asked if I could call Davis, she told me to wait until I had my IV. The nurse then wheeled me down to labor and delivery. Davis got to the hospital at about 6:30.

Dr. Fuller, the perionatologist, did an ultrasound that night. He did not find anything wrong, saw no reason for a C-section, and thought the irregular heart beat would probably clear up after birth. He said that the biggest question was whether I was in labor or not. I had been having regular contractions from the time I was admitted to the hospital and at one point, they were 3 minutes apart. They tried to stop my labor, but the contractions continued.

The next morning, my contractions had slowed down a bit. Dr. Chakravorty came and checked me and I had progressed to a 4 & 50%. She told us to walk around the hospital for a couple hours and then she'd check me again. So we walked. 2 hours later I was still a 4 and still having contractions, but she sent me home. Can I just say, walking out of Labor and Delivery still pregnant is not very fun!! Dr. Chakravorty scheduled me an appt monday morning but told me she didn't think I would make it that long.

But I did!! I walked and had contractions all weekend, but no baby. So monday morning, Davis and I headed to the appt. (Yes, I finally learned my lesson and brought Davis) Dr. Chakravorty said I was a 4 & 70%. She told us to go walking, come back and she would check me again that afternoon. So we went walking again. We walked over 3 miles and I was hurting. We ate lunch, ran to the bank, and headed to the hospital. This time I was 4.5 and slightly more effaced. So she admitted me and broke my water so that they could have internal monitoring sooner. His heart rate was irregular during the whole labor. The nurses kept thinking the machine was broken, but it was his heart rate and not the machine. I got my epidural about 5:00 (after two needle sticks). After that, labor was awesome.... until the spinal wore off.... and my epidural was working only on my left side.... And then they decided to taper my epidural so that I "could feel to push"- complete hogwash and would never recommend!

I started pushing at about 9:20 and Gavin came at 9:59pm. The NICU team was there to check out Gavin. Meanwhile, I had a second degree tear and Dr. Chakravorty couldn't get me numb with local anesthia, so they gave me more epidural, which didn't work either. So I felt every stitch (yeah, that hurt!)

The NICU team said that the atrium of Gavin's heart had a slight irregular rythm, but that it would probably correct itself with time and was not that uncommon. Because of my tear and the NICU, I didn't get to hold Gavin until he was an hour old, but he was worth the wait! His big eyes melted my heart! It was the most wonderful feeling looking into the eyes of my little guy and feeling his sweet spirit.