Welcoming Lucas

***First Family Picture***

It's been nearly two weeks since I delivered my baby and I apologize for taking this long to let this group know. I feel indebted to you, my fellow bloggers, because you have been a great support group during the entire period of my pregnancy. But I'm sure you all (especially the moms among the group) understand that getting through the first week postpartum is no picnic. In between my recovery, the feedings, the diaper change and the catching up of sleep, I find it really hard to spend even thirty minutes of my time on the computer.

So as promised, I am writing to confirm the birth of who was once known as Charles Jr. For those of you who are interested in just facts and nothing else, I have first prepared a Short Version. For those who are interested in a more detailed account, I have prepared an Expanded, less-abridged version so go ahead and read on:

SHORT VERSION:

Name: Lucas Philippe Ocat
Date of Birth: Sunday, May 24, 2009 at 13:53 Pacific Time
Weight: 7 lbs 13 ozs
Length: 20 inches
Fun Fact: He's got some serious hair--easily the one with the most hair among all the babies in the nursery.

***Lucas 20 minutes after birth***

EXPANDED VERSION:

Towards the last weeks of my pregnancy, we have been closely monitoring the baby's size. Dr. Green, my OB was concerned that the baby could get too big, as it's usually the case for babies of diabetic patients. So when I saw Dr. Green for my weekly visit on May 18th, she said "we need to start talking about when you are going to have this baby. How do you feel about an induction?" After she explained all the pros and cons of inducing a first baby, I agreed to it and so we scheduled it for Sunday, the 24th when Dr. Green is working and the hospital is normally less busy. I have always wanted Dr. Green herself to delivery my baby, and not some other on-call doctors who I haven't met in my nine months of pregnancy. No offense to the other doctors--I know they are highly competent, but this is a very significant event in my life that I would prefer to be attended by somebody familiar. And so I thought, Sunday is perfect--Dr. Green won't be seeing patients on appointment so she will have more time to spend at the hospital.

Charles and I checked in at the hospital on Saturday night. Indeed, there was hardly any other patient at the OB Reception. I was checked in immediately and what's so cool is that we got Room 203--the Presidential Suite of the Labor and Delivery ward. It's probably three times bigger than the other L & D rooms, comes with a humungous bathroom with a jacuzzi, a linen warmer that looks like a wine refrigerator, a separate sitting area and a separate area just for the baby.

At almost midnight, Dr. Hom (on call for the night) came in to administer Misoprostal--a tiny pill to help ripen my cervix. Dr. Green had asked her to do so saying I wasn't at all dilated. While Dr. Hom was in the room, she called Dr. Green and told her I was almost 3 cm dilated and the pill could get me going into labor that night. Dr. Green was pretty confident nothing will happen until the following day (this is what I mean by trusting the person who has seen me for nine months). That night, I only experienced minor contractions, which I hardly even felt but I knew they happened by looking at the monitors that were attached to my tummy. Early in the morning Dr. Hom came back to artificially break my water bag and jumpstart my labor. I thought "I know I have lots of fluids and a small baby, so if she breaks my water bag, perhaps the baby could just go along?" I've heard stories of babies born that way. Ah, but no! Still that did not get me going.

Dr. Green came in about two hours later and examined me. I was about 4 cm dilated but the baby wasn't descending. So they gave me a small doze of Pitocin to hasten my contractions and hopefully get the baby to descend. After that, I started feeling the contractions and they were getting closer and more intense by the minute. At about 9 am, despite the whopper contractions, I still wasn't progressing. I started becoming miserable so I know it was time for the epidural (Ladies--the epidural rocks! I highly recommend!). The nurse did remind me earlier that when I ask for the epidural, they'll have to put me on the list and they cannot guarantee how soon it can be administered. It can be as quick as 15 minutes or as long as 45 minutes, depending on how busy the anesthesiologist is. Luckily, Dr. Steven, the anesthesiologist showed up after 15 minutes and shortly after the "good stuff" was delivered, my misery turned into ultimate comfort. I further became more relaxed as I saw my sister come in. I just couldn't have this baby without her!

We were still a bit concerned about my slow progress and the baby not descending as he should, but Dr. Green kept reassuring me that they have a plan. I was hoping and praying that C-section wasn't part of that plan. They then increased the dosage of my Pitocin to nearly double and I think that did the trick! By early afternoon, I was fully dilated and ready to push.

At that time, there was just me, Charles, my sister and my nurse Roxanne who by the way is one of the most awesome nurses I've ever known! Considering all the obstacles of an inverted uterus, a tight birth canal and the average pushing time for a first-time delivery, Dr. Green estimated that it will take me 2-3 hours to push. She had to leave but will be back when I'm really close to delivering the baby (doctors normally don't stay the whole time).

At about 1:15 pm I started pushing. Charles was on my left side holding my head while my sister was on my right coaching me and guiding me through the pushing and the breathing. Nurse Roxanne was busy preparing the baby's receiving area but she was also coaching me from where she was. I decided to give it a college try. I knew it was going to take a while and I wasn't worried about the baby coming out so soon and falling off the edge of the bed. Pushing takes a lot of serious efforts. After a few tries I began to doubt if I can continue doing it for the next 2-3 hours. So I tried even harder and I was determined to get it over with in less than an hour. I guess my efforts paid off. After 15 minutes of pushing, nurse Roxanne had to call Dr. Green back into the room. By the time Dr. Green got back, the baby was already crowning--part of his head can be seen.

Dr. Green took over and this is when it got really cool. I continued to push and made progress. In between the mind-blowing pushes and the heavy breathing, I was able to tell Charles to stop pushing with me. He too, was pushing--as if trying to help me out. I worried that he was going to faint. Dr. Green also noticed and said jokingly "we don't resuscitate husbands here!".  I guess it was just really hard for Charles to be in that same room with me and not get carried away.

Finally, the baby's head was halfway out. Dr. Green asked me to reach down and touch it--it was soft with very thick strands of hair. It felt weird but very amazing! I think that was Dr. Green's way of motivating me to give it my best shot and it worked. The next time I pushed I got the baby's head out--what a relief! Dr. Green then asked me to give it another big push for the shoulders. When the shoulders were out, she reached for my hands and tucked them underneath the baby's arms and asked me to pull the baby out myself. So I made my one last big push and pulled the baby out and up into my chest. Finally, at 1:53 pm, I said "hello" to the little creature that I was nurturing inside of me for the last nine months. I was so overwhelmed with emotions that I found myself in tears. It was the most amazing thing in the world!

We named him Lucas Philippe Ocat. I've always liked the name Lucas and Philippe is from his dad's middle name "Philip". Baby Lucas is awesome! He is a perfectly healthy and vigorous baby. Charles and I are enjoying every single minute with him that I don't care what it took to get him here.

We brought Baby Lucas home two days after his birth. He is still adjusting but I think he likes being home. Charles and I, on the other hand, survived our first night with Baby Lucas and until now we're still good friends! It's been challenging but it's getting better and better every single day--and night. Oh yes--I know we're going to be in for a roller coaster ride in the coming months but I am so looking forward to it!

***Mom and 1-hour old Lucas***

***Lucas cozy at home and in his own bed***