A new life begins

What a different experience from last year. A very different experience from my first 3 labor and deliveries. Finally

My water broke about 7pm on October 5th  while celebrating Romeos 12th  birthday at my mothers house with all of us, my mother and grandmother. After getting to the hospital and settling in everything went smoothly from there. I got my long awaited epidural and delivered my beautiful baby boy. It was such an amazing experience to go through without all the pain and suffering. I almost had no pain at all. I think the worst was getting the IV'S and the allergic reaction I had to the antibiotics they had given me. After the placenta delivered we had a bit of a scare with a rapid blood loss, low blood pressure and a case of the after delivery shakes. The very well trained staff got it under control with some medications and fundal massage though and everything was ok.

A Moment you wish could last forever

Dominique Nisay(Cambodian for, " Loved from afar; love at first sight") was born October 6th 2011 @ 5:24am weighing 7lbs 6oz and 20 1/2 inches long. We spent 3 days at the hospital because of jaundice in the baby, he had to be treated with the phototherapy and was sent home on a "Bilibed" for continued jaundice treatment. We have been to the doctor everyday to have bilirubun levels checked and they continue to rise. His hemoglobin also has dropped a bit. Tomorrow if the levels are up he will have to have more aggressive treatment with the hospital grade phototherapy but the pediatrician said the medical supply company can bring that to our house.

Its a bit hard because the only time he has been able to be out of the therapy bed is to be fed. Hopefully his numbers start going down so we can all snuggle him soon and hold him all the time. His jaundice and hemoglobin problems have been related to the whole antibody issues we had during the pregnancy. I never would have thought that would affect him after he was born but I think its just a small bump in the road. He'll get better and be ok.

This time around breastfeeding is going smoothly, the baby is latching great, gaining weight and thriving. While we were at the hospital my mother did all of our laundry, cleaned the house and welcomed us home with great meals. She even exercised the dogs. I don't know what we'd do without her. Prob also had and has been doing a great job taking care of the older kids, nurturing Gabriel and loving me. We were having a bit of a rocky road before the baby was born but his birth has been such a bonding experience for us. I saw a quote the other day that fits just that;

 “Children make you want to start life over.”

~Muhammad Ali

I like that, and that's how I feel, like Dominique is a new start for us, our relationship, our family. A new start for me with a better experience to remember and best of all the beginning of a precious new life. We may not have expected for our family to grow so quickly but I guess we never know where life will take us and I am glad we are here. Welcome to the world beautiful Dominique, Welcome.