Birth Story - Oliver Linnus Harker

January 20 - Wednesday

We meet Sara at the airport at 10:50am. It was so good to see her after not seeing her for over 2 years. While at the airport, I had a few menstrual like cramps then nothing. After the airport we went out for lunch, mid afternoon I had a few more cramps one after another. Then we went to the mall for a bit, and more cramping  happened. I wasn’t sure the cramps were braxton hicks or the real contractions as I hadn’t had any braxton hicks this pregnancy. The cramps would happen a few times, then not for 2 hrs-1 hours. For dinner we went to Japanese Village, which is a fun restaurant in Down town Calgary. Once we got back to RMD house (7:00pm), I got my bags ready for the hospital. I figured we might as well go to the hospital and get checked before bed, if I am in labour we need to get admitted fast. I'd hate to go to bed and wake up in the middle of the night and have everything rushed. We got to he hospital at 8:30pm, cramps are still random about every 30 mins with a few back to back. The hooked me to the monitors and I was defiantly having contractions and was 2 cms dilated. They weren't letting us leave. Good thing we came in when we did. They didn’t want to do the c-section yet as I ate at 5:00pm and they wanted my food to settle for 8 hours. When you go into a c-section if they have any complications, they will put you right out and if you have food in your system it causes you to puke/choke. We got to wait a painful wait till 2:30am. Contractions slowly got more painful and lasted longer. I was so ready for the c-section when it came, as we both got no sleep yet, how could we. As we were both excited and thinking about what was to come and all the unknowns. I got a nurse who stayed with me the whole surgery and recovery, which was so nice.

January 21- Thursday 

Our little baby man decided he couldn't wait till his scheduled c-section today at 9:00am and surprised us at 2:51am weighing 7lbs 9 oz. and 21 inches long.  The doctor showed Oliver quick to me then Oliver was taken to the heater tables to be assessed/ stabilized. The doctors had no concerns other then his Spina Bifida. We couldn't be more excited to meet our little man. He's perfect.  He’s a healthy baby boy! Around 3:15am I got to see him quick in the OR after they had wrapped his lesion on his back before he was taken to NICU ( I told Josh to say with him and that I'd be just fine) and I went to recovery. My c-section went well. They were able to get my placenta out with out me loosing a tone of blood, so glad as I was nervous from my past deliveries.

I was in the recovery room from 3:20-4:30am, the same nurse stayed with me (this was one of the differences then the Lethbridge hospital). On the way to my room on the maternity floor we were

 able to stop by the NICU for 20 minutes so I could see Oliver.

Oliver had pooped! Which was good news, as we weren't sure if he'd be able to on his own. At around 6:00am we got word that Oliver would be transferred within the hour. I insisted I got to see Oliver before he was transferred. My nurse said I couldn't go visit him until I could walk on my own. I still didn't have full felling in my legs at this point. Spinal taps take around 5 hours to wear off ( around 8am, meaning Oliver would be transferred by then). That's when I broke down and started to cry. I felt till this point I was holding myself together pretty good. I asked if I could go visit Oliver in a wheel chair, my nurse went to check to see if that was okay. At 6:45am Josh helped me get into a wheel chair so I could go visit Oliver. I was able to see him for about 30 minutes, then I needed to go back to my room as I was beginning to feel nauseous. Which is one of the side affects from the spinal tap and moving around so soon after my c-section. But I was determined to see my baby before he went to a different hospital, plus I didn't know when I'd see him next. Oliver got transferred to the Children's hospital at 7:30am for his spinal surgery that will be taking place today (time has not been determined yet). We waited all day for a surgery time but since Oliver was stable he kept getting pushed back.

Oliver's lesion, they were switching his wraps and wetting new ones down before he was transferred.

At 9:00 am the Neurosurgeon saw movement in Oliver's upper hips. The surgeon said he can't guarantee Oliver will  retain that movement as it all depends on how surgery goes.

I was able to text Josh all day to get updates and pictures on how Oliver was doing. Josh has been an amazing dad and has stayed by his side since I can't be there. When Josh talks to Oliver he opens his eyes.

My recovery is going well, at the Foothill's hospital they are really on pain management and getting you up and walking as soon as possible as it's suppose to help you recover faster.  I had an awesome day nurse and she told me once my IV and catheter is out and I’m not nauseous, I get a day pass to the Children's Hospital to see Oliver. She was so helpful and encouraging in making it possible for me to do so.  I couldn't have done it without her. I would have loved to have Josh by my side, but I way rather him be with Oliver. It was so hard being in a different hospital and not being able to hold Oliver but I know he was in good hands and where he needed to be. I spent the day trying to rest as much as possible, taking my meds, drinking lots of water and going on small walks. By 5:00pm I got my day pass! I was one happy mom to be able to go see my baby. Josh came and picked me up from the Foothill's hospital and took me over to the Children's hospital. I loved seeing Oliver, it’s hard not being able to hold him. Oliver isn’t allowed to eat till after his surgery, so he’s on IV till then. Oliver has his own room in the NICU at the Children's hospital with a pull out couch, and a lounger chair, so we can stay with him. It as nice to spend a few hours with my baby... My recovery with this c-section vs. Lincoln has been way better.

Lincoln and Lacey are pretty excited about their new baby brother. They love looking at all the pictures we send them and videos.

Oliver in his room at the Children's hospital in the Surgeical NICU.

Waiting for a surgery time.

It was so hard to leave Oliver and Josh that night. I was just hoping it wasn't to much longer till I would be released so that I could be with both of them. I just kept praying that I could remain strong and rest as much as I can till then. Josh spend the night with Oliver, where I wanted him to be. Plus the Foothlll's hospital has a policy that husbands can't stay the night with their wives. Which I thought was kinda weird. 

Being a NICU mom is hard as I was on the maternity floor without my baby, let alone a different hospital, I was sharing a room with another mom who had her baby with her in the room. So you hear her baby cry, see her get to snuggle her little one. Which made me miss my baby that much more. I tried to focus on resting and that it would be too much longer till I was with my little one.