Introducing...

Austin Ryan Pelfrey

Born February 14th, 2012

6:37pm

6lbs 11oz

19 1/2 inches long

On Valentine's Day morning, I called my doctor about all the weird contractions I'd been having for the past few days (3-8 minutes apart but never consistent) and  how I wasn't feeling any movement from Little Brother, which had me worried because normally he was a little ninja. They told me to come in and after an ultrasound which confirmed everything was fine, Dr. Later sent me down to Labor and Delivery to be induced since we were planning on my inducement on Wednesday at my appointment or my original induction date of Thursday, February 16th and if I wasn't feeling good about him, doc would rather get him out as soon as possible.

So the quick timeline:

10am: Checked into Labor and Delivery

11am: Started me on Pitocin (IV to start contractions)

12:30pm: Dr. Later broke my water

2pm: Epidural was in and working

2pm to 5:30pm:Waiting to dilate enough

5:30pm: My room is prepped for delivery

6:00pm: Dr. Later arrives and we get ready for delivery

6:25pm: Start pushing

6:37pm: Austin Ryan Pelfrey arrived!

I was able to hold him for a little while when Dan cut the umbilical cord and after they cleaned him off but he was having breathing problems right from the beginning and his breathing was really shallow and fast. The nurses took him to the nursery to put him under oxygen and start monitoring him to see what was wrong. I got moved to a new room and at about 10:30pm Dan and I were finally able to go down to the nursery to see Austin.

Our pediatrician, Dr. Lofgren, was called in to see Austin and to help us figure out what was wrong because his lab work came back with elevated levels which can indicate an infection. They started Austin on antibiotics and IV fluids and since he was taking to many breaths per minute he couldn't nurse. Dr. Lofgren ordered oxygen for the rest of the night and an EKG test for Wednesday morning. I went to bed but was still up every 2 hours when my pain pills wore off and the cramping in my stomach would get really painful (normal for uterus cramping to be worse with 2nd child I guess). I sent Dan home since he wouldn't get any sleep with me up all the time. In the morning, Dan came back and we went visit Austin in the nursery. He was still breathing too fast and having a really hard time. My grandparents came to visit and while they were here Dr. Lofgren came in and told us the bad news. The EKG and chest xrays came back and it turned out that Austin's lungs were perforated and the oxygen he was breathing in was escaping into his chest cavity and putting pressure on his lungs and heart. Due to this, his lungs were not fully inflating and he was having to take extra breaths to compensate.

Dr. Lofgren had already talked to the NICU at IMC and they were sending a Life Flight team to come take Austin there for treatment since Alta View wasn't equipped to take care of Austin's respiratory needs at the higher NICU level. So we hurried down to the nursery and I was able to sit near Austin until the Life Flight team arrived and set up. The helicopter was already scheduled for a pick up at another hospital so the Life Flight team picked him up in a specially equipped ambulance.

Before they transferred him to the incubator for transport, Dan, my Dad, and my Grandpa Grant gave Austin a blessing that he would be able to recover and get the care he needed. It really helped me to stay calm and I felt so reassured that he would get the care he needed and be able to recover. The Life Flight team let me hold him for a minute right before taking out to the ambulance. What a wonderful feeling! He opened his eyes and looked right at me! This was only the 2nd time I was able to hold my baby and he was so calm and quiet. What a little sweetheart!

Then they loaded him into the incubator and took him to the ambulance to transfer to IMC.

After he was gone and I finished crying, I was able to take a nap while Dan went to IMC to check on Austin and run some errands. Ethan got to come and visit before going back to Grandpa and Grandma's house.  When Dan got back late that afternoon he brought back fantastic news! He said the doctor treating Austin at IMC said that when they did a 2nd chest xray and it came back entirely different. The perforations were gone from his lungs as though they hadn't existed! Dr. Yost told Dan they had been expecting an entirely different baby then the one that arrived. They put Austin on a nasal cavity respirator and he was sleeping easily with no problems. They are keeping him on antibiotics for the next 72 hours at the NICU and as soon as he is able to breastfeed or drink formula regularly 2 days in a row then we can take him home. So they expect it to take it about a week and then Austin gets to come home!

Tomorrow, I'll be released from Alta View and I can go see my baby boy for myself and how much better he is doing. I can never say too many times how grateful I am for Dan holding the Priesthood and being able to give Austin that blessing. I know it made all the difference!

So our little Austin is doing better and we'll keep the blog updated on his progress.