James Warren Paisley - Valentine's Baby!

Our beautiful baby boy was born at 12:35 pm on February 14, 2012 weight 7 lb 6 oz and 22 inches long. He is perfect! There are pictures below.

If you are squeamish about birth stories or medical stories you might want to stop right here. But I wanted to share our story with you.

At 9:45 AM Monday, February 13, I started having contractions and they progressed quickly. By noon they were lasting at least 30 seconds and 4-5 minutes apart. I was surprised how fast it was going. We called our doula Liz Johnson and our midwives and decided to go to the hospital. We arrived around 2 PM and I couldn't walk myself to the elevators. They called a wheelchair for me and wheeled me to the labor and delivery room. I was checked and was already 4 cm dialated! That was very encouraging. This is where time started to move in a different tempo than I had experienced ever. I labored in the shower on an exercise ball and was uncomfortable. Then I labored on the toilet and was uncomfortable. Then I labored in the birthing tub. This is where I thought it would be such a relief to get in the warm water and soft tub. But I was wrong. Sitting on the bottom even though it was cushioned was painful. Leaning over the side while on my knees was uncomfortable. By this time the sun was setting and getting dark. We had thought my labor would be so quick because I had progressed so fast early on. I was starting to get tired and the contractions were coming faster and harder. I was moaning like a sick animal and couldn't relax. My team was supportive and telling me to relax and visualize the "cervix melting away" but that was no good for me. I was overcome with the conctractions. I wanted to lay down. I got into bed and at least didn't have to hold myself up in any way. I was there for awhile and then back on the toilet and in the bed and maybe the tub once more--I can't remember. I spent most of the late evening in the bed. I started to shake uncontrollably and my midwife put me on Fentanil (sp?) to take off the edge and gave me a minimal amount of Pitocin. I had been checked around 4:30 PM and 7-8PM and was about 7 cm dialated each time. No progression and I couldn't physically do any of the movements we learned in our classes to help my labor along. I relaxed in bed with the Fentinil until it wore off and asked for more. It was given. Then it wore off again. This was starting a vicious cycle. Jim was also affected. His stomach was in knots and he went to the CVS next door and bought Zantac and a Valentine bear. It was now about 11:30 PM. I was laboring on the toilet again and shaking violently and was exhausted. The contractions were only giving me about a 30 second break between them. I would have one strong contraction, break, then a smaller contraction. I could not get enough oxygen and recover. Jim and I talked in the bathroom and I said I needed the epidural to relax and maybe my body would allow labor to continue more efficiently that way. I also knew that if I kept going naturally I would have no energy to push. We called the midwife Margaret and she agreed. She was supportive of our decision. The anestheologist arrived at midnight and within 45 minutes I felt human again. I could have a normal conversation. They also kept me on pitocin to encourage progressive contractions. I climbed into bed and rested for the rest of the night. Jim and Liz slept in chairs and on the floor. I was connected to a fetal heart monitor, contraction monitor, pitocin drip, and epidural drip. That's a lot of straps and drips. I was awoken every 30 minutes when the blood pressure cuff went on.

At about 7 AM February 14 I was ready to push and wanted to be checked again. I had to wait another 3 hours before that happened. I labored down and was completely dialated and James was moving way down. I started pushing at 10 AM. When pushing starts, the epidural is turned off. That is incentive to work hard and get that baby out! Pushing lasted two and a half hours. It became very very hard to do. There was indication that he would need a special team because of the meconium staining. They were waiting and ready. At 12:35 PM he was here! Poor little guy was covered in meconium and the cord was wrapped around his neck and body. Jim helps me with the details here because I was exhausted and my memory was fuzzy. The team got him breathing in two minutes and he was in my arms 10 minutes later. It was such a strange and wonderful feeling holding him. He was taken to the NICU at Atlanta Medical and the next few hours are a blur. I know lunch arrived at one point and I was cleaned up and transferred to the postpartem room. My parents arrived and we were able to go to the NICU. They advised that he be transported to Northside for additional treatment becuase of possible brain injury and seizing. This feels like I'm writing about a dream or an out of body experience. I remember signing the papers and seeing him being whisked away by the transport team but it was so unreal.

From then on he has been under cooling therapy at Northside. He is being warmed tonight, February 17. He's been doing very well and is opening his eyes and looking around. He's all cuddled up, but I would be too if I was that cold. He's our little fighter and has been through more than I can imagine. Tomorrow he should get an MRI to see if there is any brain damage. I'm thinking and praying only positive thoughts.

Our friends and family have been absolutely amazing! We couldn't ask for better. All the warmth, love, thoughts and prayers are so uplifting during this time. It lifts my spirits.

Thank you to my cousin Christie for sharing this verse with me:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perserverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
--James 1:2-4