Chris and I rush to the hospital and they check for amniotic fluid...it was positive. So, I am admitted to BSA immediately and placed on magnesium (to hopefully stop the contractions, which are about 8 minutes apart by this time.) Let me tell you about magnesium.....its great for the baby's brain and preventing brain bleeds after premature birth, and it can help slow down labor. However, its horrible for Mom to endure the side effects of this medicine. However, whatever I had to do to protect Slate, I would do. So, we endure 24 hours of magnesium together and although I froze Mom and Chris out of my room, we all made it out alive. Slate Fynn was about to make his debut. It was only a matter of time and the NICU team began setting up shot in our delivery room. Dr. Harvey, the Neonatologist, came in to deliver the "down low" on having a 28 weaker. Amongst other things, he informed us that he and his team needed 2 hours with Slate after delivery. He advised Chris that he would walk down to the NICU with the team after Slate was born, sign all the necessary consent forms and then be escorted back to our room. We had to wait a llllooooonnnnggg 2 hours before we would get to see our baby again post partum. NOT the idea we had in mind when we began this journey. Here are a few photos before and after delivery. Tough times and super hard to see again. However, I'm so grateful for my Mom capturing these moments so we can remember this miraculous time.
This is just before "go time." It was our last picture as a kidless couple.
Praise the Lord for research and medicine. This is Slate getting his dose of Surfactant. Surfactant basically helps the underdeveloped lungs go from a "cardboard-like" state to a "spongy (normal)" condition. This allows Slate to breathe much easier.
Surfactant still going in
Intubated
Wrapped up in his plastic bag (helps keep him warm), intubated, and ready to go to the NICU.
FIRST FAMILY of 3 PHOTO!
Excuse the half butt shot in this photo...it was the only family picture we got to take for the first four days of Slate's life.
Off to the NICU!
