Baby Cooper is here!

After being in the hospital a week on bed rest, the Doctor came by and told me Wednesday evening that they would run more tests the next day to see if my levels they were monitoring were higher and if so, that we would induce Friday morning. So, we called our parents and starting making plans assuming we would be having a baby in a day and a half. Well, the next morning my blood pressure remained very high. Dr. Przybysz came by at 10am and told me she was not waiting around for the other test results. It was time to have a baby! They were going to induce immediately. Will had gone home to help with the children that morning so I was there alone. I started making phone calls letting everyone know of the new plan. An hour later the process had begun! They broke my water around 11 am. Here we are waiting on the pitocin to kick in...

They gave me Magnesium through an IV during labor to prevent seizures (they were a concern because of my high blood pressure/pre-eclampsia). The medicine made me feel awful - similar to the flu. The actual labor was easy.

 James "Cooper" Pringle was born at 4:20pm weighing 4lbs 15oz and was 18" long.

Because I was only 34 weeks along they had a team from the NICU in the room during the birth ready to take him. Luckily, he came out breathing on his own, so I was allowed to hold him for 30 minutes before they took him to the NICU to be monitored.

We were so relieved and thankful that he was almost 5 lbs and breathing on his own!

I had to remain on the Magnesium for 24 hours after his birth which meant I also had to remain on bedrest. Therefore I could not go to the NICU and visit Cooper. It was a long 24 hours. The medicine made me feel miserable. Here I am seeing him for the first time 24 hours later. I burst into tears when I saw him (which is part of why I look so bad). It was such an emotional moment. I was dying to hold him!

Sleeping soundly

He is so tiny (especially compared to big brother Bob who is 27 lbs). I have a big smile on my face here because they let me hold him!

After 11 days in the hospital, they were able to get my blood pressure under control with medicine and I was allowed to come home. Cooper continues to remain in the the NICU. He is still breathing on his own, but has had a few moments where he "forgets" to breathe for several seconds (this is typical of premies). Luckily he remembers quickly, but he cannot come home until he has not done this for a week. So each time it happens we start over at day one count down... He started taking feedings by bottle yesterday and has already been able to increase the amount. Please continue to pray for his progress. He is doing great for being born at 34 weeks, but he has several milestones to meet before he can come home to us!

Check back for updates on Cooper. I am going to attempt to post updates of his progress regularly.