Ian's Birth Story

Since my body wouldn't kick into hard labor on the 29th of January we decided to stop the induction and come back the following week on the 4th of February. I grew up with a friend who had this birthday, but died when we were 24, so I thought it would be great to have a baby on Troy's birthday. The doctor who delivered all of our other boys was on-call that day and we were fine with him being there to deliver. My doctor said she would come deliver if she could make it over.
7:00 am--Arrived at the hospital
7:20 am--finished with registration and headed up to triage
8:00 am--Dr. Perez came to begin induction with Misopristol (2cm internal, 3-4cm external, soft, but not very effaced)
8:09 am--first contraction
8:30 am--got up and began walking the halls
11:30am --Dr. Perez broke my water (close to 3 cm, still not very effaced)
12:00 pm--moved into a labor/delivery room
1:30 pm--Contractions were spaced out and not strong, so I asked to begin Pitocin (The nurse walked in my room as I was leaning over my bed crying. She was excited because she thought I was finally in pain, but laughed when I said, "No, I'm not in pain, but I know I need to be...and this isn't working." She said I was the first person she had seen cry because I wasn't in pain!
2:00 pm--iv with Pitocin
4:00 pm--still not a good labor pattern. I was tired and very frustrated. I had hoped he would be here by 4:00!
6:00 pm--still not a good labor pattern, but contractions were more painful. Pitocin was increased every 20 minutes from the time it began.
7:00 pm--contractions are painful! I had to breath through them with my eyes closed. I'm so tired and frustrated. (3-4 cm)
9:00 pm--Tired of being in pain. Scared of what is to come. Contractions are getting more painful and annoying. (4 cm, beginning to efface more)
11:45 pm--Roger says, "Well, it looks like Ian isn't going to be born February 4th." Bummer!
In A LOT of pain. Moaning through contractions. My fabulous nurse, Anna, had been in my room for over an hour. She was waiting for me to say I felt pressure, so she could call the doctor quickly. She did not want to deliver my baby! The end of labor goes REALLY fast for me!
12:15 am--I tell Anna, "You need to check me now. I felt a little bit of pressure with that one."
She checked me and said I was 6 cm and 100% effaced. She told the other nurses to call the doctor. She checked me during my next contraction to "see if the doctor can take 20 minutes, or if he needs to get here in 10." I told her, "You'd better make it 10!"
12:30 am-- I am blowing through contractions and feeling an urge to push.
12:35 am--Dr. Perez arrives, gets every thing ready
12:40 am --Dr. Perez tells me to push through the next contraction. I pushed through two contractions AND...
12:46 am --We saw Ian's face for the first time!

He didn't cry. We were a little concerned. Dr. Perez said his cord was long enough to be a jump rope. It was loosely around his neck. The nurse gave Ian to me after she wrapped him up, so I could hold him again, but he looked really white/gray and still wasn't crying, so she took him to get him taken care of and to try to get his color to turn pink.

He was 7 pounds, 5 ounces and 20 inches long. He has mine and Lauren's nose and mouth, and Ari's big eyes. He has dark hair, but blonde eyebrows and eyelashes. We are so blessed to have him in our family!

Ian--Three weeks old

Ian is three weeks old today. Time is flying too fast! His cord fell off last Friday, so he got his first tub bath on Saturday. He is a really good baby! He likes to be cuddled in a warm blanket and held when it is time for him to go to sleep. He is on a perfect three hour eating schedule until his last feeding when he is too hungry to wait three hours, so it tends to be closer to 2 and a half hours. So, he eats at 7 am, 10, 1, 4, 7pm, 9:30-10:00, and 3 am. He will eat 2.5 ounces, be awake and very wide-eyed for about 1.5 hours, then asleep until it is time to eat again. He fits in his newborn clothes a lot better now, so I know he has grown a lot! He has had a lot of discharge in his left eye. He has been on an antibiotic eye drop for a week. The doctor said it may be a clogged tear duct. He is off his medicine now. It didn't start clearing up until a few days ago, but now his eye seems teary. If it has a discharge in the next few days we will know the tear duct is clogged and the doctor will teach us how to massage it next week at his 1 month check-up. Overall, he is doing amazingly well! Our entire family is very much in love with him!

Mama and Papa's first visit with Ian

My parents came to see Ian for the first time last Thursday through Tuesday. They helped a lot with the other kids! They did a lot of coloring, playing outside, and took them to Chuck E. Cheese!

Got milk?

I don't!!! Once again, my body is not producing milk. Over the past two weeks I have been taking a combination of three herbs (making my body smell like maple syrup...yum!), drinking Mother's milk tea and Fenugreek tea, eating oatmeal, eating yogurt, eating well, drinking a lot of water, breastfeeding and pumping like a crazy woman...and I still only get out a few drops. I also started on a prescription, which is known to increase milk and it isn't working either. I saw the lactation consultant last Thursday. We weighed Ian, then I fed him on one side, then we weighed him again. He got a whopping 1/10th of an ounce. She said he was burning more calories breastfeeding then what he was getting. That's not what I wanted to hear! He wasn't quite up to his birth weight either, but he was close!

So, Roger told me to quit breastfeeding and go exclusively to a bottle. I am disappointed, but not surprised. I didn't produce milk with Ari or Miles either. I had an abundance with Lauren and Franklin. No one can figure out why my body won't produce. I certainly gave it everything I could to get a milk supply!

I know it's silly, but sometimes I worry that people will judge me for not breastfeeding...not knowing how hard I have tried, and how hard it is on me to not be able to breastfeed. So, if you are a mom...Count it a blessing if you are able to breastfeed! I took it for granted with my first two.

"Count your blessings, name them one by one..."

Have you heard this hymn before?

"Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your blessings see what God has done. Count your blessings. Name them one by one. Count your many blessings see what God has done."

I think this will be the year of God teaching me to "Count my blessings."
We have been so blessed to have Ian this year.
We have been so blessed by the many people who have provided meals and gifts for us.
We were so blessed by the amazing staff at the hospital.
I was so blessed to be able to witness to my doctor while I was in the hospital...she is Muslim.
And today...we were blessed to receive numerous cans of formula from a very dear friend!

My body is having trouble producing milk again, so this is an extra special blessing to receive formula! Thank you, sweet friend!

I am amazed at the blessings God has given us! I stand in awe of Him and His provision...

A *first* for Ian

Today was Ian's first day at church! It was so nice to show him to everyone...especially our children's church kids! We love these kids and couldn't wait to share Ian with them. Ian did well during Sunday School and during church. He got to hear daddy sing for the first time! He is such a blessing!!!

Ian--Two weeks old

Ian--One week old

We welcome Ian Presley Shealy!

Ian Presley Shealy came into our arms February 5th, 2009 at 12:46 am. He weighed 7 pounds, 5 ounces and was 20 inches long. We are incredibly blessed by our newest gift from God!

Tomorrow is THE DAY!!!

Roger and I will be at the hospital at 7:00 in the morning for induction...again! This will be IT! I am already dilated to a 3, or at least that's what I was last Thursday when I left the hospital. We will start with Misopristol (again!), and then the doctor will break my water a little later in the day. I'm so excited!!! I'll post pictures as soon as I get home!!!

What NOT to say to a pregnant woman...

1) Are you pregnant? (Of course, this shouldn't be said to any woman!)
2) Are you sure there is only one in there?
3) That baby hasn't come yet? (Trust me...she knows this and thinks about it daily!)
4) You're not having more, are you? (As if that would be a bad thing?)
5) Hang in there.
6) He'll come when he's ready.
7) Wow! You look HUGE!!!
8) Whoa! When are you due???
9) You look like you are ready to pop!
10) How much weight have you gained?
11) You're still here???


Okay, mom's out there...what did you hear when you were pregnant that grated on your nerves? I know I'm not the only one to get a little annoyed with comments here and there!

38 weeks, 4 days

This was me getting ready to go to the hospital last Thursday. I'm amazed how small I look. I've only gained 11 pounds, so I guess we can say it is all baby!