babE Grayson decided that his end goal was 32 weeks. So after a few long days, Grayson David Richard Ernst joined our family at 3:45am on Sunday January 30th weighing 5lbs 10oz, and 19.5 inches long.
Friday morning I started contracting again, and called Dr. Newell – she sent us to go and get checked out – she wasn’t too worried as the contractions were still more than 25 minutes apart, so we waited until Brian got home from work and headed to Guelph. Well by the time we got there they were about 7 minutes apart. The OB on call checked us out, and started the search for a hospital that would be able to handle both Grayson and I if the preterm labour didn’t stop. Grand River’s L&D was full, as were most of the hospitals in the area. So after 2 hours, and the OB on call calling in a favour with another OB here in Brampton, we were transported to Brampton Civic by ambulance, lights and sirens going most of the way.
We spent early Saturday morning in the L&D triage waiting for the contractions to stop or do something. This L&D was not as comfortable as others, but at about 9 am we were able to go to the ward and be observed as it looked like everything had calmed down. Just like in Hamilton we thought we would be there for a bit, or maybe a while, but hoping to that we would get a few more weeks. Things were going really well, until 2:15pm when my water broke. Total shock, since I hadn’t had a contraction in about 5 hours. So by 4pm we were in L&D hooked up to monitors and iv’s and talking about oxytocin.
I wont to into all the details, if you want them read the blog in a few days or a week when I have time to put it all in a nice eloquent tale. But after a few hours of hard labour, an epidural, and a lot of discomfort, Grayson arrived to a room full of doctors and nurses ready to take care of him.
He cried a beautiful cry letting me know he was okay, and after they cleaned him up a bit and weighed him and got his measurements done, I even got to hold him for a minute before they took him to the NICU. A lot more than Brian and I had expected. We thought we would be looking at our son for the first time as he was wheeled out of the room to the NICU.
He’s just over 84 hours old now, and doing really well. He’s been off supplemental oxygen for almost 80 hours. He’s learning how to nurse, and taking a bottle really well. We have to wait to see what his blood work comes back with, but right now he’s doing pretty darn great.
We’re able to hold him, and feed him and snuggle him. And all I can say is thank goodness he’s big, and healthy, and thank you for all your prayer.
We’re starting a new journey now; one of making sure we’re doing what’s best and getting him big and strong. The doctors and nurses here are great, and very good at explaining everything that they are doing and what their hopes are for Gray based on how old he is and how he’s doing. It is a bit deceptive when you look at him because he looks like a tiny full term baby, but he is only 32 weeks gestation. So we are being careful not to stress him too much or ask too much of him.
Thank you for all of your prayers and support over the last 11 weeks of bedrest. Now we start the weeks of growing Grayson into the strong boy God created him to be.
I’m so thankful for my faith and all of you who support us. We knew he would be born healthy and whole, we just didn’t know the timing, Well God has perfect timing, and he kept his promise, and delivered us a healthy baby boy.
We love you all, and can’t wait to see you holding our son.
Blessings,
Jacqueline and Brian
And Grayson too.