Birth Announcement

Introducing John “Jack” David Cole. 

I love that my last post was about preparing for the next few weeks, because little did I know I didn’t have them. I gave birth at 34 weeks to a beautiful baby boy. 

Jack’s birth story isn’t totally full of crazy complications, but we did have some ups and downs. I was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia the day before he was born. My midwives passed me off to the high risk doctors who chose to induce. Over 24 hours and 40 minutes later, Jack was born. Unfortunately his lungs were not totally ready and he had to be cared for in the NICU. After a dose of surfactant to coat his lungs, he started breathing properly and was on the road to recovery. He only had to be intubated for four hours. After a couple days on a feeding tube, we started feeding him breastmilk by bottle, and then 12 days later we brought our baby boy home. 

My emotions have been all over the place. I’m now totally full of joy and love each day more and more. However, those first few days…weeks really…were rough. I was so upset I couldn’t carry Jack to term. I felt like it was my fault he was in the NICU because I developed preeclampsia. When I was finally released from the hospital I felt so alone because Jack was still in the NICU. (The Ginger was amazing this whole time, but I still felt lonely without Jack) I missed him in my belly and I missed seeing him in the NICU. I really felt lost not being pregnant anymore. Despite some nausea and the high blood pressure, I loved being pregnant. I loved my figure, I loved my clothes, but obviously, most of all, I loved being so close to my baby.

Now that Jack is home, it’s almost been a month, I feel so much better.  We are learning how to do this parenting thing and I gain more confidence each day. Jack is developing so well! He weighs a whopping 7 pounds 4 ounces now, compare that to five weeks ago his birth weight of 4 pounds 13 ounces! Our boy loves to eat! And best of all his lungs are great. He is developing just as he should be! Our next goal, according to the pediatrician (other than keep gaining weight), is to get an intentional smile! I can’t wait for it!