Introducing Baby Taylor

Well, he is here!  Jett Gregory Taylor made his grand debut into the world early in the morning on Tuesday, November 19, 2013.  He weighed in at 7 lb 3 oz and was 21 inches long.  Chris and I went in to start the induction process on the night of the 17th and after nearly 24 hours of nothing happening, my body kicked itself into labor (without pitocin).

To make a long story short, labor lasted exactly 90 minutes from first contraction to baby born.  I decided against an epidural and did this the old fashioned way (not that I had much of a choice because it all happened so fast).  Chris and I walked a couple of laps around the hospital floor and we barely made it back to our room before my body started pushing.  Luckily, a team of nurses and residents were very nearby and four pushes later, Jett entered this world. 

He immediately got passed to the neonatologist team who helped clear his mucous and make sure he was stable enough to stay in the room with us for a little while.  Then Chris and I got to hold him and be with him for almost an hour before they took him down to the NICU. 

The next four days in the NICU were long and miserable.  Jett was huge compared to the preemie babies, but he still had troubles of his own.  He was hooked up to several monitors: heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation levels, although he didn't really need any of those things.  While in the NICU, he had a whole slew of tests--both typical and more specialized to his case.  He had the regular newborn hearing test, 2 ultrasounds, a VCUG (where they filled his bladder with dye), echocardiogram (all fluid around his heart is now gone), circumcision (we wanted this, and it was also VERY highly recommended to prevent UTIs which could be serious for him), and a slew of bloodwork every 12 hours.  He was also put on antibiotics, which we are continuing at home, as well as hooked up to an IV for a special one-time dose of antibiotics.

After 4 days, Jett was cleared to come home (just one day after me).  We are now running around Boston visiting different doctors--pediatrician, urologist, nephrologist, and getting visited by nurses--but at least he is home.  He has 5 appointments this next week with another ultrasound and VCUG.  We are looking at an MRI and functional kidney scan in a few weeks and definite surgery in a couple of months, if not sooner. 

I feel like this journey has been hard so far, but I know that it is only the beginning.  In a way, I was almost jealous of the preemie babies when we left the hospital.  When preemies leave, they have tackled most of their big hurtles and with some extra catching up and monitoring, most preemies do okay in life.  That is not the case for Jett.  He is okay for now, but is facing a long life of surgeries, medicine, continuous monitoring/testing, and a possibility of transplants.  It seems like our road has only begun. 

However, as I held my sweet boy on Thanksgiving day, I was completely overwhelmed by how grateful I am to actually hold him in my arms. The other day, one of the doctors said that looking at his prenatal ultrasounds and scans, it was "surprising" that he was able to come home as quickly as he did.  Based on what they saw beforehand, they thought he would have a much longer hospital stay and would not have left the hospital without intervention. 

Jett is truly our miracle baby.  We are so grateful for all of the support, love, and prayers offered on his behalf and ours as a family.  I will probably do periodic updates on this blog, but will share more on our regular blog.  Although I respect and understand other people's decision to post pictures of their kids on facebook, Chris and I have decided to somewhat limit our children's online exposure and let them make that choice for themselves when they are 30 and see a computer for the first time.  ;)  I will be making my regular blog private very soon and if you are interested in following along over there, send me your email info.  Otherwise, enjoy these small snippets of Jett!  And thank you again for your concern during this difficult time in our lives.

Nearing the End

I had my last check up with Children's Hospital yesterday.  Next step--birth. 

The baby's fluid levels are still normal, however, his kidneys are a little more dilated than they have been in the past.  They also found trace amounts of fluid surrounding his heart.  So, what was supposed to be a quick ultrasound turned into an all day affair.  After 2 echocardiograms and a meeting with the pediatric cardiologist, we think that there is nothing new to worry about.  The doctor said that the extra fluid around the heart may be due to the problems with the kidneys and how he is so scrunched up inside of me.  He doesn't even think that we need a follow up after birth because the fluid amount was so mild, but I am sure that we will get one anyway.

My meeting with the urologist was a little different this time.  Normally it's a quick update on the fluid level, answer some questions, and set up the next appointment.  This time, Dr. Lee told me that his kidneys look more dilated and that could be from a change or because the baby just peed and it refluxed back into the kidneys.  His next statement caught me by surprise, "I think it's about time for this baby to come out."

Wow.  My high risk doctor will work with Dr. Lee and I will probably be induced next week or the following week.  I am 36 weeks now, so I do have a term baby and delivering next week isn't that much earlier than I delivered Lincoln.  Whereas I knew that there was still a chance that I would need to be induced and even kind of hoped that I would deliver next week (to keep Plan A of babysitters for Lincoln), it still kind of hit me hard.  Relief that I will finally hold my sweet boy as well as utter terror that we will be leaving the comfort of a complicated but consistent pregnancy and head back into the unknown.  I am so scared of being induced and giving birth again, but even more scared to hear the results and find out just how bad this little guy's kidneys actually are. 

This little guy was using the placenta as a pillow--that's what all that floaty stuff around him is.

On my way out, I got a brief NICU tour at Children's, although our baby will probably start over at the Brigham.  It was heart breaking to see row after row of baby lying in their hospital beds.  That poor nurse who showed me around.  I am sure that I am not the first mother to cry thinking about my sweet little boy lying in one of those beds when all I want is to hold him and have him sleep in my room with me.  I don't know how long I will get to hold him before he is taken away from me, but the nurse told me to have Chris take lots of pictures so I can look at them until I am able to go down and see him for myself. 

So, once more, Chris and I ask you to keep this sweet little baby in your thoughts and prayers.  I have leaned on Chris and so many friends and family throughout this pregnancy and I think that I could use all of your support now more than ever.  Thank you for helping us through this journey thus far.  We will try to do another update when this little guy is born, and hopefully home from the hospital.

 My favorite picture so far.  I love his little fingers that are almost always up by his face.