He's HERE!
FINALLY!
We are SO excited to announce the birth of our much awaited little prince Kiptyn!
He arrived at 6:24pm on Wednesday, July 27th, 2011. Weight: 8lbs, 13oz.
I have a TON of pictures so I will start with the birth story and see how far I get. Sorry for the delay, as I catch up on the blog you will understand why we have been a little too busy to get on the computer!
Birth Story of: Kiptyn Campbell Welbourn
The morning of Wednesday, July 27th was a loooong morning as I waited patiently for the time to pass getting more and more anxious about the scheduled c-section. I had accepted the fact that he was coming early, and that having a c-section was indeed the safest way for all of us to deliver. The morning seemed like hours as Dave and I cleaned up the house, took a couple of last pregnant pictures outside and lay on the bed to talk about how excited we were about what was going to happen in only a few short hours.
Notice Dave's shirt....."I did that". Yes I made him wear it to the hospital.
We headed to the hospital around 11:30am. Of course halfway there we realized we forgot the camera. After debating whether or not we could make it home in time we decided to let the grandparents pick it up for us on their way. We were scheduled to go into the Operating Room for 2pm. When we arrived with all of our bags in hand to the Mother and Birthing Unit we found out that there were quite a few emergency c-sections happening that day and that we were going to be pushed back a little bit from our 2pm start time. As we waited in the waiting room I became more and more anxious to get the show on the road. 2pm came along and both sets of grandparents showed up surprised to find us still in the waiting room! We chatted and talked for what seemed like FOREVER until finally around 3:30pm they took Dave and I back to a birthing room.
I had been fasting all day and night so therefore the IV was a little difficult to get in and they had to try three or four times. I was tired, hungry, anxious and worried about the operation at this point so being poked so many times left me a little fearful and teary. It wasn't until 6pm that we FINALLY were able to get into the OR. Dave wasn't allowed to come in until they had given me the spinal, the catheter, and made the first incision. I left Dave and was rolled into the Operating Room as I wondered how I would do without him. I was quite upset.
The Operating Room was VERY calm. The doctors told me exactly what was going on at all times and they were very good about keeping me informed throughout it all. As soon as I started feeling the freezing I felt a big sense of relief and calmness take over me. By the time Dave was finally allowed in I felt very peaceful. Dave couldn't believe how my mood had changed from 20 minutes before. I was now excited and looking forward to the moment we would finally meet our baby.
It seemed very fast before the OB asked Dave how he was doing and then told him to take a look over the curtain at the birth. Dave got to see the whole thing! The OB pulled out little Kiptyn and held him up only for a brief moment before taking him away to get cleaned up and looked at. I barely saw the little guy and he was gone. Dave went with the doctor while the rest of the team continued to finish the section.
When Dave finally returned with the baby we only had a minute or two with him before he had to be taken to the NICU. C-section babies are often born with a lot of fluid and mucus in them and therefore he needed a little help to breathe. As the doctors were sewing me up Dave and I still had to decide on a name! We had it down to three names and since I really didn't get a great glimpse of the baby, Dave and I talked it over and finally came to a decision. Kiptyn. He looked like a Kiptyn. Since we are both teachers we found it hard to find a name that suited us both and that wasn't too common throughout the schools. We liked the sound of it and it wasn't too strange or something that could easily be made fun of. Campbell (his middle name) we decided on a LONG time ago. It is Dave's middle name as well as Judy's maiden name. If we didn't pass it down then we didn't think there was a way to keep the name in the family so that was an easy one.
After everything was finished we were taken to the recovery room where both sets of parents and our siblings were able to come and visit with us. Unfortunately the siblings didn't see Kiptyn that night since he was in the NICU for three hours. Our parents went out for a bite to eat and when they returned they were able to meet him!
I made special birth favours for our little Prince! We were so excited to finally put his name on them at the hospital!
The first night was very exciting and Dave was able to stay over with me even though we didn't get a private room until the next day. Nobody can prepare you for motherhood. Nobody can really tell you what it will feel like to have that little baby in your arms. Nobody can give you an idea of how much love you will feel that first moment you set eyes on that little baby. It was very very overwhelming and exciting.
The first night I was taking everything in and didn't sleep a wink as I lay there and watch my baby's chest go up and down with each breath. Dave finally clued in that as long as the baby was in front of me I wouldn't get any sleep so he took Kiptyn for a walk down the hall to a sitting room for two hours in the middle of the night so I could catch a quick nap. When I saw him in Dave's arms, I fell in love with both of them all over again. My family.
The next couple of days we spent in the hospital as I recovered from the c-section and Kiptyn tried to learn how to feed. It was a struggle right from the beginning. We had many visitors every day (which we are so thankful for), and we enjoyed learning about our new family, watching his first bath, talking about the future and just staring at him for hours.
We were allowed to leave three days later and set off for home. It was surreal as I sat in the back seat with the baby watching over him to be sure he was okay. First time in a car seat, first time outside, first time riding in a car, first time entering our house that was all ready and prepped for his tiny life. We also went for our first walk and gave him his first at-home bath this week!
The next few days were trying but so very special. We learned very quickly about parenthood and about how much more we needed to learn. When we saw that Kiptyn was not peeing, and that his mouth was very dry and that he did nothing but slept for hours and hours on end never to wake even for a feed we became concerned. We ended up calling the Infantline and taking him into the Emergency Room upon their advice. They checked him out, took some blood (poor guy!), and basically told us that he was starving and needed to get his fluids up right away. He downed three ounces of formula from a bottle right then and there, spitting a bunch of it up afterwards, and then fell back to sleep.
The next few days we hired a lactation consultant to come to our house and help with the feeds. It seemed Kiptyn had some troubles with feeding and therefore wasn't getting what he needed. Carol- an angel, came to our house four times over two days and called twice in between. She honestly saved us from giving up. She is now in Cuba on vacation and things are slowly coming together. It is still a struggle each feed but slowly we are making progress and the worrying is dying down.
All in all, this almost-two-week adventure has been amazing. We have never been so in love and cannot imagine life without him now. He is the CUTEST thing we have ever seen and most of the time when he is awake we just sit and laugh at him with all of his funny faces and gestures. He sure has personality already! He LOVES his bunny bouncy chair to bits! As for his looks...once I dig out some baby pictures, you will see....he is my clone! It sort of freaks me out sometimes while looking at him. He looks just like I did when I was born. I am hoping he grows into his Daddy's looks too since I would love to see his full head of dark locks turn into brilliant curls and his blue eyes stay crystal blue just like "Dad".
We have been so blessed with friends and family visiting, bringing meals, groceries, picking up necessities, staying over the night (love you MOM!), and helping out wherever they can. You have NO IDEA how much we appreciate all of your love and kindness.
As for Dave and I...yes we are sleep deprived, yes we are still learning each and every day, and yes we have been pooped and peed on multiple times, but we wouldn't have it any other way. Dave has been my saviour and I can't imagine a better Daddy for my precious little baby.
Stay tuned! More to come! More professional pictures to come...so excited!
Now where is my bed?.........
