Introducing Spencer Owen Park
Introducing Spencer Owen Park
On Sunday night, September 18th, Anthony went to bed a little before
midnight. I was having trouble sleeping for the previous few nights,
and this was no exception. Finally, I laid down, and last looked at the
alarm clock at 1:07 a.m. before falling asleep. A little while later, I
felt something warm on the sheets behind me. Something wet. Strange.
I looked at the clock - 1:57. I got up and saw a big wet mark on the
sheets. Did I really just wet the bed?? After heading to the bathroom,
and getting cleaned up, I learned quickly that what I was leaking was
amniotic fluid, and it was still coming. After some quick phone calls
to the on-call OBGYN and my mom, I knew we were heading in to the
hospital for some steroid shots, and that it was time to wake up
Anthony. Poor guy, twice now he has been woken up to the words, "My
water just broke". Only thing is, last time, it was at 39 weeks
pregnant with Amelia, on September 2nd, 2010. This time, I was just 32
1/2 weeks pregnant. Not good.
We got checked in to the
hospital at 3:45 a.m. Monday the 19th. My contractions had begun, and
went from 8 minutes apart, to about 5, then at the closest together, to
about 3 minutes apart. I was dilated to a two and 25% efaced. They
gave me medications to stop contractions, i.v. antibiotics, and most
importantly, steroid shots to strengthen Spencer's lungs. The goal was
to give him 48 more hours before delivery, to give the steroids time to
work. We made it! My contractions and real labor did not show up again
till Wednesday evening, at 11:30 p.m. When I knew this was the real
thing, I quickly called Anthony, who got my Dad and little brother Nate
to the house to take his place with our 4 oldest. He arrived at the
hospital just as they were finishing giving me my epidural. Our son was
born at 1:36 a.m., Thursday September 22nd, 7 weeks early, weighing 4
lbs 14 oz., 17 1/2 inches long. He cried good and loud, and I got to
support his head while Dr. Rocky Seale cut the umbilical cord. Then
they whisked him away to the Newborn I.C.U.
His stay there was for 17 days.
We got to bring home a healthy and happy 5 lb 10 oz. baby boy, who as of the
end of October, weighs 8 lb. 12 oz. We are so glad to have him as part of our family!