Madden Valentine Parker

I'm a MOMMY!!! (As most of you already know from facebook). Madden Valentine Parker arrived at 11:28 pm on Sunday, May 9, 2010--Mother's Day! What a perfect Mother's Day gift! He did however ruin the plans for that day...my baby shower!
I went into labor at around 10:30 pm on Saturday night...I didn't really know it was labor...I just knew my back was killing me! Matthew got home from the station at around 11:00pm. Not long after he got home I realized that the pain was coming and going...then it dawned on me...I'm having contractions!

We started timing them, they were coming about every 10 min. and lasting about 30 sec. Gradually they were coming faster, lasting longer, and hurting worse! At around 1:00am, they were every 4 minutes, 1 min. long, and we decided that we would leave at 2:00 am for the hospital if they were still coming. We frantically packed our hospital bags (we weren't quite ready for this to all happen yet!). Matthew loaded up the car and we left for the hospital at 2:15am.
I had called my parents house twice, with no answer, to inform them that I was having contractions and we would be going to the hospital. Kat and Matt were spending the night there, because I was supposed to be having my baby shower that next day, so I called Kat and told her to wake up mom and give her the phone!

Good thing about going to labor in the middle of the night, NO TRAFFIC! We arrived at the hospital and were the only ones in Labor and Delivery for a while...they placed me in the pre-admission room and hooked me up to the monitors (which I HATED!!!) My contractions grew to every 2 min. however I wasn't dialating. I was in some intense pain with each one! Back labor is NOT fun. The nurse called my Dr., but she was out of town, so they got a hold of her on-call, Dr. Serrano. They kept him updated via phone. My mom got to the hospital around 7:00 am...I think...and a few hours later I finally was given some drugs...a little late. They had no effect on me whatsoever.
The nurses kept checking me and so long as I was progressing, the Dr. kept me there. Well, I wasn't really progressing all that much, so the nurses would pretty much lie to the Dr. on the phone, in hopes that he would tell them to admit me so I could get the epidural. He didn't.
At around 10:30 my second nurse (I went through about 4 different shift changes throughout my entire labor!) told me that the Dr. would be coming in at 11:30am to check me and she could give me some more drugs or I could wait till he got there. I figured that the other drugs didn't work...and the drugs weren't really in "the plan" to begin with, so I opted to wait an hour. Well, the Dr. didn't show up until 12:45!!! Jerk!
When he finally showed up, he checked me and gave us two choices: Go Home and come back in like 6 hours, or be admitted, start some other drugs, epidural, and if all else fails have a Cesarean at 8:00PM. I chose the latter. I didn't want to have a C-section at all...but I would have killed him if he sent me home!
3hours after I was finally admitted, the new drugs they gave me still didnt help me relax so I was given the epidural! AMAZING relief! (as well as a miracle worker). The Dr. then induced labor and Madden was on his way! By 8:30 pm I was fully dialated...but Madden wasn't quite ready yet I guess. After 2 hours of pushing and a total labor of 25 hours he decided it was time to arrive--sideways!!!
 Daddy cut his umbilical cord and my 7lb 7 oz. baby boy was perfect! Since he came out sideways his face wasn't smashed or anything! He did however have quite the conehead...due to being in the birth canal for 2 hours of pushing!
Madden's first week of life was a little rough. He ended up having to go to the NICU with fluid in his lungs, low blood sugar and then he developed some jaundice while in there. It was probably the toughest week of my life. He was put on antibiotics to make sure the fluid wasn't/wouldn't become an infection, he also had oxygen being given to him and an IV for fluids. I wasn't able to nurse him for the first couple of days, and then gradually they let me nurse him twice a day, then eventually all the time.
Friday night we were able to room in with him in the hospital, then Saturday he was finally discharged at around 4:30pm!
It has been quite an adventure thus far...we are learning his cues and cries, and trying to not get peed on each time we change his diaper! He has already peed on the wall twice now, projectile pooped on it and on me once, and spit up all over his grandmommy! He is marking his territory.
So the blog is now dedicated to Madden and our adventures as new parents! If you made it this far reading...thanks! He is such a blessing for Matthew and I. I can't wait to share will y'all our journey!
Till next time....
The Parkers (all THREE of us!!!)
To see pictures of our little man go to http://www.heresmadden.shutterfly.com/ Pin It