Levi Marshall's Birth Story

Levi was born on June 14, 2010 at 8:15pm. He weighed 7 pounds and 14.3 ounces and was 20.25 inches long.

I'd have to say the process got started Wednesday June 9th - I was having some minor contractions all morning from about 4:30-noon. However, they just fizzled out to nothing. Friday morning I had a check-up at the OB-GYN and those contractions must have done something because in 5 days I went from nothing to 1-1.5 cm. That evening, my parents arrived to help us out with getting some projects done and to be here for the baby's arrival. I went all day Saturday with nothing, then I woke up Sunday with some slightly uncomfortable contractions and was hoping that this was "it". Well, once again, they fizzled out to nothing by noon. No matter, because the next morning I was scheduled for an induction....

SO - Monday morning at 5:30, Josh and I head out for the hospital. I was given an IV, was checked (1.5-2cm this time) and started on pitocin. The pitocin was being upped every 20 minutes, and I was doing well managing the contractions, which were coming every minute but weren't painful yet. My water spontaneously broke at 10:00am on the dot and felt like a giant popping kick in my pelvis. Then, it all started gushing out. It was the weirdest feeling ever. When my water broke with Tyler, I only felt a teeny tiny little squirt and that was all. I guess Levi's head was not as low, so the cervical opening wasn't closed off as much as it was with Tyler. I think at this point I was about 4 or 5 cm dilated. Anyway - by 10:30, I had decided that I should get my epidural before things get going too much since I knew I wasn't about to deliver without one. Josh went out to get some coffee and then the pain just intensified 100x - I was glad that I already had the epidural "on order". (It seemed every time Josh left, something would happen.) Anyway - I got the epidural about 11:00 and by 11:30 my blood pressure was dropping low - I think it got to a systolic of 67 at the lowest point. The anesthesiologist gave me some ephedrine (i think) and that helped for a little while. Then, my blood pressure went down again, and this time was effecting Levi. So, they shut off the epi and my pit drip for an hour to let my body get regulated again and give Levi a break.

When they started my epi back up, it was started at a lower dose and unfortunately they had to start back at square one with the pitocin and gradually bring that back up to the level it was. So, it just took some time to get back to where we were with the pit. I can't exactly remember what time I started pushing - I think it was around 7:30pm. Of course, the pushing phase had to be dramatic. Levi's heart rate was dropping with the contractions and I had to get oxygen and breathe really deep between to bring it back up. Low and behold, this little man didn't have the cord wrapped around his neck (or tied in a knot like Tyler's) but he was essentially choking himself with his own arm. He came into this world healthy and screaming at 8:15pm... and pooping on the doctor. He was placed on my stomach and I instantly fell in love with him!

My post-partum experience was wonderful - no problems with me whatsoever. Quite a stark contrast to my experience with Tyler where I had hemorrhaging from what I believe was retained placenta bits. Levi was doing good until the second night when the nurses told me he hadn't peed since midnight (and this was now 8am) He was supposed to be getting his circ done that morning, but it was pushed back to 1pm until after he peed. Well, at 1:00 he still hadn't peed, so we decided to start supplementing him with formula and at 3:00 he peed like a champ. So, at 4:00 he was taken for his circ and then we had to have him pee again before he could go home. So, we waited and waited... and waited and waited... and waited some more. At 11pm, the nurse came in with a pan of water to sprinkle on him to make him go. She thought that he might have gone (we think otherwise) so she took the diaper to some better light to see if it was pee or just some petrolium jelly. Well, she determined that he peed, so we were FINALLY able to be discharged. We got back home about 12:15am completely exhausted... That first night home - he had several wet diapers, so he was perfectly fine - just tired of people messing with him I guess!

5 weeks out and everyone is doing good. Tyler loves his little brother - too much sometimes. He won't leave Levi alone when he's sleeping in his bouncy seat!!! Levi is just now in size 1 diapers and his newborn clothes are starting to get a little tight in length. He doesn't sleep super well at night - does better when he's sleeping more upright on mommy's chest. He's getting better on just staying asleep (around 3 hours between feedings - as opposed to every 1.5-2 hours), but I hope his tummy gets better so he can start laying on his back in his bassinet or even his crib. Last week, Levi rolled over from his belly to his back already. He's such a strong little man! In a couple weeks, I take both Tyler and Levi to the doctor, so updated stats coming soon!