10 days old photos

I can't believe my little guy is already 4 weeks old tomorrow! I'm already coming to terms with the fact that babies grow super fast. I already can't keep up with how fast time is flying by. I guess I'm one of those new moms that need like a year to recover and get back to reality (I don't even know what that's supposed to mean) and in the meantime I expect him to not grow but stay as tiny as he is. On the other hand, I'm so completely exhausted that I find myself wishing he was grown-up a tad more; perhaps to the point where he can feed himself and not need to be changed a zillion times a day. Then I might be good. Naw, not really. It's a lot of work but I know that it all comes with the package. It's all part of the experience if you will. Good thing he's so darn cute. It makes it all just a tad easier to deal with.

Here are some photos of Westin at 10 days old. This session with him was quite brief as he woke up sooner than I hoped. I was hoping to get another session in but never did. I'm glad I got these though. He makes me melt!

Here are some more photos from the hospital.

Adoring daddy

His favorite thing... to be curled up in a ball and cuddled

His first visitors; grandma and grandpa! Due to the flu going around, this was the first day of the hospitals new policy of only 2 visitors in the room at a time. They wore makes just to be safe.
Grandma Duncan adores Westin!

First time aunt! McKenzie!

Love from mom

Love from dad

Long Night

The day after we brought Westin home for the first time, I found myself having the most miserable 4 hours ever in the ER. I felt pretty miserable with a fever the Sunday of conference weekend. Skyler took my temperature about a million times and it kept fluctuating but would stay pretty high. Skyler called the on-call doctor but we decided to just wait it out and see if I felt better. Eventually at about 2am on Monday morning Skyler called the doctor again and she reccomended we go to the ER to get me checked out. I was miserable with the chills. I couldn't even help get Westin ready. I could barely pull my hair up with a hair tie. To make matters worse, this night was FREEZING! Luckily it only takes us a few minutes to get to the hospital. When we arrived, the first thing I had to do before I could be admitted was fill out paperwork and answer lots of questions. I hate this!
Once I was admitted I had lots of tests done. I had blood and urine tests done, an ultrasound (to rule out anything from the birth being left behind), and an x-ray. I remember being a bit snappy to everyone that came in the room. I remember the doctor's surprised reaction with a response I had given him. I guess I get this way when I'm in pain and miserable. Sorry about that!
After 4 hours and a dose of antibiotics, we were able to go home, but unfortunately with no answer to why I had such a high fever. I thought it might be related to a shot I had been given the day before, or maybe even because I was engorged. These can sometimes cause fevers. The next day I went to see my obstetrician and she found nothing. And ever since then, the fever hasn't come back, thank goodness. I guess I'll never know!

Birth Story of Westin Skyler Francis

This is the birth story of Westin Skyler Francis
*Written by Skyler

October 1st was a clear beautiful day. Early in the morning, Nicolette had gone to the Dr. to get another exam, because the Dr. said it would either be the 30th or the 1st.

Skyler came along with Nicolette because He was fully expecting that today would be the day. Nicolette started to leak amniotic fluid around 6:30am which the Dr. had confirmed and told us, "Well, you are already leaking..... we could break the sack and get this started within a couple of hours". We agreed, and she told us to head up to the hospital and that they would call her when we got there.

Nicolette and Skyler went home with smiles on their faces with the "This is it!" attitude. They got the bag ready (full of a ton of things that would never be used) made sure the car seat was in the car, the batteries in the cameras were charged and that they had something to eat since it would be the last meal for Nicolette.

They showed up at the hospital around 11:00 AM and got all checked in. At this point, Nicolette was already 6cm dilated and 100% effaced with "contractions" only about 3-5 mins. apart. The word contractions is in quotations, because to this point they were not painful.

Around 11:30, her Dr. came in and broke the sack of waters the rest of the way and noticed that the baby had made a bowel movement inside the belly however, it was really light.

The Dr. left Skyler and Nicolette alone and a couple of contractions later WHAM!!! bring on the pain. Nicolette was feeling now, what all women have been warning her about what all women have been screaming about and what all women have been "Just you wait" ing about.

Nicolette was planning on going the natural (no epi) route. She had prepared hard for it. Read lots and practiced different techniques to deal with the pain. But when the contractions made it nearly impossible to do anything but want scream at every person in the room, she knew this was not what she wanted in her birth experience.

Nicolette, with the help of Skyler, went on 1 hour. "Youre still a 6cm", 2 hours "Youre still a 6cm" 3 hours "Youre a 6cm +") ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?.... 4 hours "You are almost a 7cm"

Nicolette couldn't take the pain anymore. She thought about it for a few more contractions before deciding to push the red call button. "Is it too late for an epidural?"

After the "are you sure?" a few times, she was sure and she got the epidural.

"I'm in Heaven" was her response.

The decision to get an epidural threw many of her plans out the window including which position to push, now it would have to be laying down. But all-in-all she felt it was worth it.

Due to the fact that Nicolette was so far along, and that her contractions were about 2 mins apart, there was no need for pitocin. Nicolette and Skyler were both relieved that no pitocin would be needed.

Nicolette laid there resting while the contractions kept coming. The baby's heart rate was between 125-150 constantly without any signs of distress.

It took a little more time before Nicolette was completely dilated, and it was time to push around 7:30 PM.

The new nurse which was very knowledgeable (unlike the very nervous apologetic I'm sorry, I'm sorry oops I'm sorry nurse that we had before), the pushing began. Skyler was on one side while the nurse was on the other.

After about 1 hour of pushing and the progression coming along very well, the baby was almost crowning. "Ok, where is the Dr." The nurse asked. I reminded them a little earlier, about the meconium (baby stool in the belly) and so they called in extra people. There were 3 people there from the special nursery so that they could get him suctioned out before he started to cry.

It is supposedly very dangerous for a baby to swallow or get the meconium in their lungs being that it can lead to infections or other issues. The Dr. showed up and explained that after the cutting of the cord, they would want to get him suctioned out before he starts to cry, but that he will be back quickly for mom to hold.

After a couple more contractions and Nicolette pushing, Westin Skyler Francis was born at 9:02pm after about 1 1/2 hours of pushing. The baby was laid on Nicolette's stomach for a few seconds while Skyler cut the cord, and then the baby was taken across the room to get cleaned and suctioned.

Skyler followed the baby across the room. Westin who had not cried yet, had a tube put down his throat to get the fluids suctioned out. Once, then twice. Meanwhile, one of the nurses was saying that his heart rate was 80...... Then 60...... Then 50...... Still no crying, no movement, no breathing.

The nurse started doing chest compressions while another one held a mask over his nose and mouth giving him a shot of air after every 5 compressions.

Now, even at this point Skyler didn't know that anything was out of the ordinary. He assumed that they were just maybe stimulating him a little..... that was until after a couple of times he heard the nurse say "Get more help" as another nurse hit the "Code" button.

It was at this point, that Skyler realized that Westin was not breathing and because of that, his heart was stopping with the lack of oxygen and that they were actually not stimulating him but giving him CPR.

Within 30 seconds, and right when the "help" had showed up, Westin started breathing and his heart rate went back up to 140. Even though he was "breathing", he was really having a hard time breathing and grunting much like a person who has had the wind knocked out of them and now they are trying to breathe.

The nurse told another nurse to tell Nicolette that unlike what they had told her before, Westin was not coming right back and they needed to take him to the special nursery for awhile.

Skyler went back over near Nicolette for a few moments and sat down pretty shaken up (now that he realized what had happened). Nicolette also realizing what had happened, was teary eyed and worried.

Skyler went back and forth from where the baby was, to where Nicolette was but spent most of the time with Westin in the nursery. Westin, had to be on oxygen for about 3 hours before he could breath the lesser oxygen filled air of our world (roughly 23%)

While Skyler was alone with Westin in the special nursery, he had 1 hand on his chest and 1 on his head. While doing that, Skyler gave Westin a blessing. He blessed him that he would know how much we loved him and were so happy that he was in their lives. He blessed him that he would recover from this experience quickly and that mom would be able to be with him and that he would be healthy.

After 3 1/2 hours had passed, the nurses said that he was looking good and that they would take him in to see mom in about 15 mins.

Nicolette felt really disconnected at this point. 4 hours after giving birth, and only seeing Westin for 10 seconds. Around 1:00AM, Westin and mom were reunited where they shared a special moment and where Nicolette was finally able to feed him for the first time.

The same day (2nd of October), the Pediatrician had stopped by and told us that Westin's coombs test was positive which meant that something in his blood was off and which gave him a greater chance for getting Jaundice pretty bad. He also said that he had a heart murmur which a lot of babies have while their heart adjusts from getting oxygen from the umbilical cord to the lungs. He said due to these and the rough start he had, expect that maybe Westin will have to stay in the Hospital for a couple of extra days. We were not surprised, but really wanted to stay as little as possible.

Throughout the day, the nurses said that he was looking really good. The next day (3rd of October) they said that the Jaundice test was looking good, that the murmur was gone and that he is perfect. You can take him home today whenever you want.

After spending a couple hours deciding what his middle name would be and Nicolette getting her last "Room Service Meal" Nicolette, Skyler and Westin were headed home 8 blocks away.

It has been 10 days since Westin was born, and although there has been a lot of sleepless nights, frustrations and a lot of getting used to, Westin is like every other feeding, sleeping, happy and pooping baby, who's parents love very much!

Welcome Westin!

Westin Skyler Francis was born October 1, 2009 at 9:02pm.
8lbs 7oz 21 inches

I'll hopefully be posting about the birth a little later on. Just wanted to let everyone know that he is here and doing well!