our little miracle baby, Kohen

We were able to go to one, yes only one hypnobirthing class. The November class filled up and the teacher suggested we take it in December so we have more one on one with the teacher and we had the time since baby wasn't due till February so we waited and Kohen came before our classes officially started!

Monday, November 26th Kellen and I went to our doctors office for our first non stress test. Baby looked great and I was having contractions every 3 minutes and still didn't know they were contractions. (first time being pregnant I was a bit clueless) The doc sent us home and we planned on coming in on Thursday for another test. As the night went on I started to feel the contractions and realize when they happened. I was up every hour very uncomfortable and then from 3-6 I didn't
sleep at all. I kept getting in the bath tub hoping it would relax me and that I would be able to feel baby kick. Kellen had left to work and I was able to sleep for an hour and was up again trying a bath. I started to get really nervous that I had not felt the baby kick all night. Every time I went to feel him kick my stomach would get tight again so I called my doctors office and told them what was going on. They made me an appointment an hour later. Kellen's work would not let him leave so I took my dad's truck and went to the doctor. He checked me as soon as I got there and I was dialted to a 1 and was 60% effaced. He sent me straight over to Labor and delivery. Who knew a drive accross the street could be so hard? I drove over and sat in the car for five minutes just trying to calm myself and get the energy to walk inside. As I am walking inside I puked 3 times having many people look over at me all grossed out. I get inside and they have me get in a gown and hook me up to see baby's heart beat and my contractions. They were every 1-4 minutes apart. They started an IV and gave me the first shot to help his lungs. They tried a couple different things to get my labor to stop and it just wouldn't so they admitted me and started me on magnisium. They kept me on magnisium for a little less than 48 hours and let me tell you that drug is strong and hard. I felt like I had to keep my eyes shut all the time because it changed everything. They gave me a cathitor and that is when the contractions finally stopped. That cathitor was more pain than labor all together. I hated it and freaked out any time they talked about it. They moved me upstairs and planned on me staying till Monday and if I had not dialted anymore I could go home on strict bedrest. I had no contractions and was doing good all day Saturday.

(29 weeks, so swollen from all the IV fluids!)



 Sunday morning Kellen went to our nephew's baby blessing and my parents came to hang out with me. We went down to Labor and delivery to do my daily testing and I mentioned to my mom that I had felt pretty wet but didn't say anything to the nurse because I thought it was nothing. My mom said something as soon as the nurse came in and so she did a check and my water was broken.They called my doc and decided not to stop labor anymore. I called Kellen who came back as soon as he could. My brother Ryan, dad and Kellen gave me a blessing and thirty minutes later labor started and started good! Everyone left so Kellen and I could do this labor business together. I was really nervous about everything and didn't know if I could do natural. The nurse came and checked me and I was a 4-5 and I decided to get an epidural. She checked again right after the epidural was in and I was a 6. Kellen and I laid down to take a nap and about 45 minutes later I was a 10 and ready to push! Our nurse called my doc who came for the delivery and kellen called my mom. We have always wanted to deliver our kids just the two of us and it was just the two of us. We decided since this was so scary and a lot to take in, that when kellen went with the baby my mom would come be with me. We were so excited we were getting to meet our baby boy but we were beyond scared. We were only 29 weeks and 5 days. He was going to be so little. I pushed for 3 contractions and was able to watch the entire thing in a mirror. I LOVED every second of pushing and seeing Kellen so excited. 3:16 AM Kohen was here! Dr. Watts laid him on my belly and let Kellen cut the cord.  We were both freaking out and just wanting them to take him. He was purple and we knew he needed help as soon as they could. The NICU team was in the room ready to help him. They handed him over to the team and my doctor kept finishing my delivery. The NICU doc had told us that Kohen would not cry when he came out and so we knew not to wait for that but it is hard not to wait for his cry. The NICU team was working so hard to get Kohen stable and was having a hard time. They did CODE BLUE and many many more doctors came running in. They were doing compressions and trying to get his heart rate going. Kellen grabbed a chair and was having a hard time while I was trying not to listen to anything they were saying and freaking out. My sweet doctor finished my delivery, came and sat next to me on the bed and held my hand. Finally they took Kohen into the NICU and Kellen followed. My mom came in and I just lost it in her arms. My doctor went to see how things were going and came back in and told us Kohen was stable and that he weighed 2 pounds 4 ounces. Kellen came in a while later and showed me pictures of our amazing little boy:) It was the scariest minutes of my life! I am so glad my mom was able to be there to comfort me so Kellen could be there with baby Kohen! about an hour later I was able to get up and go visit Kohen for my first time. I could not believe he was here and he was ok!

Kohen is doing so amazing! He was taken off the ventilator a couple hours after being born. He was taken off oxygen at 6 days old. He has graduated into room 2/3. He started food 12-6 in a feeding tube he started off with 1cc every 6 hours and did so well that they gave him 1cc every 3 hours. He is now going up in cc's every 12 hours. He still has his IV in his belly button but once he is doing full feedings that will be coming out! The NICU nurses are the sweetest people and are so cute with Kohen. The nurses that were in the delivery room come up to him often and say how much he scared them and how strong he is! I can't believe I am a mom, Kellen is a dad... We just sit and look at pics of him when we are home and stare at him the entire time we are with him. We are now able to hold him 30 minutes once a day and have a hard time sharing that time with each other lol