Jayden Paul Engelman

Jayden right after he was born - not happy with the world.

The scale showing his weight.

Me getting to meet our little boy for the first time.

Being checked out in the nursery.

Another shot in the nursery under the warmer.

And...on with his eyes open.

The family in the room after Jayden was born.

Joey holding his baby brother.

Tori holding her baby brother.

William holding his baby brother... with a little help from Dad.

The 4 kids with their shirts that I made them.

A close-up of Jayden's onsie that I made.

Mommy and Jayden

A close-up of his beautiful face.

Mommy and her 2 youngest sons.

On Tues, April 27, 2010 we welcomed the newest addition to our family. His name is Jayden Paul Engelman. He was born at 2:11pm and weighed 7lbs 14oz and was 21 inches long. It was not the birthing experience we had planned on but we were thankful to finally have him with us. It all started on Monday morning. I went into my doctor's office for an routine visit. We went in to discuss a possible induction. William had been almost 10lbs and was a very difficult delivery so I was trying to avoid having such a hard delivery this time. Hoping to keep his weight down I discussed with the doctor about being induced a week early. He was on board with that as long as everything checked out ok at the doctor's visit. I had been 2 cm dialated and between 50-70 percent effaced for 3 wks so he felt like I was a good candidate for induction. At my office visit that morning I had not changed so it was decided I would go in that night instead of straight over. I went home and rested for the day. My mother-in-law was at the house (she had come the day before) so I was thankful for that. She was going to stay with the other 3 kids while we went in. I was told to go ahead and have a light supper before going in, so I enjoyed dinner with the kids. Around 7:45 Eric and I left for the hospital. Suddenly the nerves hit me. I was ready but it is still nerve-wracking to know that very soon we will be having a baby. I was also scared about the induction being as I had never had one before. I had really quizzed the doctor that morning about the risks of induction. I was scared to death of having to have a c-section, something else I had never had before. The thought of someone cutting me open absolutely terrified me. I had never had any surgery of any kind before. Anyway on the way to the hospital I was kind of quiet and just hoping for the best. I was feeling pretty positive. Once at the hospital they were waiting for me and showed me to my room. I was put on Cervidil to soften the cervix and prepare it for the second phase of the induction in the morning. I had the Cervidil in for 12 hours overnight. I was able to sleep a little bit that night. They actually gave me some Ambien to help me sleep because of the excitement and nerves of what was going to happen the next day. At 5 am my IV was started with fluids and antibiotics. At 9am the Pitocin was started. Almost immediately the contractions started. They increased the Pitocin a little bit every half hour. Around 11am I was so uncomfortable I just wanted to get out of bed and move. I got onto the birthing ball and leaned over the bed to help ease the contractions. Just before noon I felt a very strong kick and my water broke while I was still sitting on the ball. There was some meconium staining in the water which meant that the baby was in a bit of distress. Because he was still high up inside, my nurse had me get back into bed. Around 12:30 my doctor was doing his lunch rounds and he came in to check on me. He did an exam and I heard him say, "that doesn't feel like a head. I don't know what that is." I looked at Eric with disbelief. My doctor ordered a sonogram to be done right away and he left the room for awhile. The nurse brought in the sonogram machine and within a couple minutes determined that the baby was breech. His head was WAY up in my ribcage and his bottom was down with his legs across my stomach and sticking out the other side. He was sitting in an L shape. I immediately started crying because I knew what that meant. My nurse left the room and about 15 minutes later came back in with paperwork for me to sign giving my consent for a primary c-section. My worst fear was coming true and it felt so out of control. This was NOT what I had planned on. With no other option I signed the paperwork and they began preparing me for my c-section. The anisthesiologist came in to talk to me - THANK GOODNESS. His name was Dr Copeland and he was SO nice. He was patient and kind and he listened to my fears and did everything he could to ease them. My biggest fear was that I would not get numb because 9 yrs ago my epidural did not work with Tori after about 15 attempts and I told them to shut it off and had her naturally. He assured me that even though I had a hard time last time he was pretty sure he would be able to get me numb. He was only going to make one attempt however and if it didn't work he was just going to put me out with general anesthesia. While he was talking to me I saw my doctor slip into the room and stand up front near the door. He was staring out the window in deep concentration, shaking his head and I knew what he was thinking - "how could this have gone so wrong?" After Dr Copeland left my doctor came over and asked, "so when did he turn?" I told him I had no idea when it happened because we were both so sure he was head down the previous morning. In fact he had been head down for about 3 months. Dr Williams then got the sonogram machine and took a look for himself. We were both kind of in shock that this is how this was turning out. He left the room then and they finished getting me ready for my surgery. I was wheeled down the hall to the OR. After being transfered to the table Dr Copeland explained what he was going to do and true to his word was able to get my spinal in on the first try. It was a very weird feeling having my body numbed like that. After that things went pretty quickly. My doctor and the assistant doctor came in all dressed in their scrubs and masks. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. I remember at some point looking at the machine displaying my vital signs and seeing me blood pressure being something like 180/92. I was never so glad in my life to see my husband than when he walked in the room with his scrubs on. He came and sat by my head holding my hand and calmed me down by just talking to me. They got me opened up quickly but after that the difficulties began. I am told that Jayden did NOT want to come out. When my dr tried reaching in to grab him he turned and layed sideways across my abdomen. He began trying to turn him while the dr assisting him literally laid on my chest trying to push him down. I don't know how long it actually took but I think it was at least 10 minutes after cutting me open to get him out. He ended up having to make another cut on me which created an inverted T cut. At one point he thought he had Jayden's foot and when he pulled it out it was his arm, so he had to push it back up and keep trying. Eventually Jayden Paul was born at 2:11pm and he came out screaming. He didn't stop for a long time. It was very difficult for me to lie there and listen to him screaming across the room and not being able to do anything to help him or reassure him. I was very emotional because this was my brand new son and was not how I had planned this. I found out that he had had the cord wrapped around his chest so tight that there was a big bruise on his back and his cord was in an actual true knot. The doctor said only about 1 in 200 births have that happen. It was explained that was why he had turned at the last minute. He had probably tried to descend into the birth canal and because of the knot cut off his air supply so he turned and went as far up as he could get. It was a survival instinct. I felt like even though I hated having a c-section done, it was a blessing in disguise.

Eventually they wrapped him up and Eric brought him to me to see and kiss before they took him away to the nursery. As planned Eric went with him. It took awhile for my doctor to get me all stitched back up. I was lying there looking at the ceiling waiting with nobody around me. Dr Copeland was behind me monitoring my vital signs. Finally he got up and looked over the curtain. I asked him if everything was going ok. He very calmly said, "he is almost finished. He just needs to put your uterus back in." WHAT??? Ok that was just too much information! I wish now I had the wit about me to have said, "that's ok. I don't really need that anyway." I guess they figured out how to get all my parts back in because I was soon being wheeled into the recovery room. It was there my nurse informed me just how difficult that c-section had been and the inverted T cut they had to do. She explained that I was a higher risk now for uterine rupture if I ever got pregnant again. I assure you I am not planning that. I think 4 children are enough. It was a little while later Eric came in wheeling Jayden in his bassinet. I remember seeing him lying there and being overwhelmed with emotions. I could not believe he was actually here. He was wide awake and staring at me. I felt a little sad that I had not been able to be there while he was being checked out in the nursery and getting his first bath. Eric asked me right away if I wanted to nurse him and I did. So I was able to feed him for the first time within the hour after he was born. After they got one bag of Pitocin in me I was transfered to my room - on the second floor as the maternity ward was being remodeled. My mom and mother-in-law were in the room waiting for me. I was lucky enough to get one of the only single rooms so I didn't have a roomate which meant Eric was going to be able to stay with me and Jayden the whole time. I am so glad tht he did too, because I don't know what I would have done without him. For the first 2 days I was unable to do anything for my self. I wasn't even allowed out of bed until 6pm the next night. Eric had to do everything with Jayden's care while I was in the hospital. I don't think I even changed one diaper until after we got home. He would bring him to me to eat and then put him back to bed. Later on after my spinal wore off I was in a lot of pain. I had to take pain medicine around the clock while in the hospital and even after coming home. I made the comment to Eric that I don't know why anybody would actually opt for a c-section. Give me good strong productive contractions any day! I was very frustrated about how long it took to feel "normal" again. I was used to my previous 2 births and being able to get up and shower and walk around an hour after giving birth. I found out that with a c-section, recovery is a lot slower and more difficult. On Thursday night Eric went and got me a chicken sandwich and a milkshake from Jack in the Box. It was delicious! I had been craving some "real" food. I was able to go home on Friday, April 30th.