It's Baby Time!

(All posts by Brother John)

Ashley and Turner are off to the Rockyview Hospital. Ashley's in labour. But she's in great spirits.

UPDATE (March 19th, 2005 - 1:04 AM)

We're back from the Rockyview Hospital. Ashley has told me that she's currently dilated about 2-3 cms. The doctor has informed us that Ashley will have to return in about 2-3 hours. However, it's anyone's guess as to how long it will take until Ashley is ready to give birth. In the meantime, I've started a photo journal for tonight here.

Movie #1: Prior to leaving for the hospital (first time) (1.9 MB)
Movie #2: Ashley experiencing a contraction; Turner and Ashley's plan of notifying friends via e-mails and such, ruined. (1.6 MB)

UPDATE (March 19th, 2005 - 2:50 AM)

I just received a phone call from Mom stating we're headed back to the hospital. Ashley is experiencing significant labour pains now. Here we go!

UPDATE (March 19th, 2005 - 9:15 AM)

My apologies for the delay. I just woke up.

Ashley's water broke earlier this morning at around 3:30 AM. Shortly afterward, she vomitted. According to the on-site nursing staff, all of this was perfectly normal and indicated a healthy labour. The only thing that was a cause for concern was the fact that they found "poop in the contents of the Ashley's water break". There's a medical term for this and I can't remember it right now. My apologies. Basically, it meant that the doctors and nurses would have to watch the baby closely before and after its delivery.

At about 4:15 AM, they transferred Ashley to the delivery ward were she would spend the next five hours going through - what I would describe as - mildly intense labour. Personally speaking, I had never seen Ashley in this much deep pain before, except for when she was undergoing radiation treatment for cancer back in the mid 1990's. Fortunately, Turner was doing a stellar job of rubbing Ashley's back for each contraction she experienced. Appartently, this helped Ashley to bare the pain.

While in the delivery room, they attached a baby monitor to Ashley. The heart rate was below normal; approximately 130 hearbeats per minute. However, the doctor said that it wasn't anything to worry about it at this point.

I left the hospital at 5:45 AM, leaving Ashley and Turner in good shape. Ashley was about to recieve an epidural. I recieved a phone call at 7:30 AM that Ashley would be delivering in about an hour. To use military terminology for a second, "we have a 'green' light." Everything looks good as this point.

I will be leaving for the hospital shortly. I will try to post an update ASAP.

UPDATE (March 19th, 2005 - 5:46 PM)

It's a girl! Hooray!

Mom and I just got home from the hospital. Both of us are absolutely exhausted.

Not to worry, I have photos and more movies, which I will be posted momentarily. Hang tight.

UPDATE (March 19th, 2005 - 6:30 PM)

Movies first. (Warning: Some of these videos contain course language and material.)

Movie #3: The Morning After; Visiting Ashley & Turner this morning after 9 hours of labour (8.5 MB)
Movie #4: The Weather Outside; for the baby's reference, later in life (796 KB)
Movie #5: Chatting with Ashley about the labour (5.2 MB)
Movie #6: A message for the baby (2.2 MB)
Movie #7: The heart monitor (1.7 MB)
Movie #8: The baby! The baby! (4.1 MB)
Movie #9: Parents' reaction (2 MB)
Movie #10: More baby highlights (8.51 MB)
Movie #11: Even more baby highlights (5.41 MB)

UPDATE (March 19th, 2005 - 6:36 PM)

Here's the blow-by-blow action of today's events:

9:55 AM: I arrive at the hospital to find out that Ashley is fully dilated but has not started pushing. I'm currently sitting in the waiting room, hoping to hear from the hospital staff soon. I'm sure Ashley is doing great.
10:15 AM: Turner comes out to meet me. He looks tired but much less stressed. I follow him into the delivery room.
10:16 AM: Ashley looks great, Mom's in good spirits, and Turner is tired but looks to be very happy. Ashley is fully dilated and will be ready to start pushing soon. According to Ashley, the epidural is a God-send. She's much more comfortable now.
10:41 AM: The nurse just left. She's informed Ashley that she'll start pushing at 11 AM or so.
10:47 AM: Nurse: "13 minutes rest..." (Ashley laughs and promptly falls asleep.)
10:54 AM: Waiting, waiting...
11:02 AM: Ashley wakes. Nurse arrives. It's time to get ready to push. Nurse adjusts the bed. It looks like Ashley will use a squatting bar.
11:30 AM: Ashley is pushing. She's in great spirits. "[This] seems so much different than the first part, which is to just survive it (the labour)."
11:58 AM: Ashley is still pushing. She's making excellent progress. The baby is currently exhibiting heart rate decelerations (called "d-cells") when Ashley pushes; nothing too much to worry about.
12:00 PM: Turner is an excellent coach. For every push, Turner counts eight beats.
12:02 PM: Ashley: "I'm starting to feel a little shaky." Mom: "Do you need some sugar?" Ashley: "Yeah, that would be great." Mom leaves the Mom to grab some soda.
12:03 PM: A member of the hospital staff enters the room. He informs us that, in the past 10 minutes, two girls have been delivered in other rooms. (Cool!)
12:04 PM: Dad enters the room. "Sorry I'm late. Emerg[ency] is all over the place." (Dad is a radiologist who's working on-site today.) Dad tells Ashley, "[relatives and friends] are calling from all over. They're cheering you on."
12:07 PM: The baby's heart rate is around 140-155 beats per minute.
12:13 PM: Ashley's a little chilly. Mom runs to grab blankets. (Ashley is doing so well.)
12:16 PM: Ashley pushes some more.
12:18 PM: Nurse: "The baby's head is still a fair way's in. But you're a great pusher. [...] You're doing very well."
12:20 PM: Ashley hits the epidural button. (She's experiencing some pain, but not a great deal.)
12:21 PM: Another push.
12:22 PM: Nurse: "You'll be here another couple of hours after the baby is born."
12:23 PM: Another push.
12:24 PM: Another push.
12:26 PM: Another push.
12:27 PM: Apple juice request from Ashley.
12:27 PM: Ashley: "I can't wait to have sushi."
12:28 PM: Another push. Ashley: "Come on little Coney Island." (I don't know what this means.)
12:29 PM: Ashley: "I feel so good. That [apple juice] helps so much." (Mom laughs.)
12:30 PM: Baby's heartbeat is about 135 beats per minute.
12:31 PM: Another push. (Turner's got this coaching thing nailed.)
12:32 PM: Ashley: "This is like going to a spa for your perineum."
12:33 PM: Ashley looks outside. "It's like we're at some hospital in rural Connecticut." It's currently snowing in Calgary. The view from the window looks out on the Glenmore rest
12:33 PM: Another push.
12:34 PM: Baby's heart rate is approximately 135 beats per minute.
12:36 PM: Dad enters the room. Apparently, Nanny is a little nervous. (Yep, we're getting calls from all over the country.)
12:37 PM: Another push.
12:37 PM: Turner: "Well, we all know that Nanny would find out somehow." (Ashley laughs.)
12:38 PM: Another push.
12:38 PM: Dad: "I have a thought for you. Pretend it's your Dad yelling at you from the sidelines during one of your soccer games."
12:40 PM: Another push.
12:40 PM: Dad leaves. On the way out, he smiles and says, "Come on, push!" (Ashley laughs.) Ashley: "Yes, sir."
12:43 PM: Another push. According to the nurse, the baby's head is about a finger's length from the opening. She can see the head.
12:44 PM: Nurse: "You're doing great, Ashley."
12:44 PM: John: "I'm personally hoping that this baby is male... in a long list of females." (I have two sisters and 15 cousins, all female. I'm the last male "Bristowe" to carry on the family name.)
12:46 PM: Another push. Nurse: "It won't be long..."
12:48 PM: Baby's heart rate is approximately 137 beats per minute.
12:48 PM: Another push.
12:49 PM: Nurse: "Yep. You're doing well, Ashley."
12:51 PM: Another push.
12:54 PM: Another push.
12:58 PM: More nurses enter the room. Nurse: "Looks like Ashley's doing well."
12:59 PM: Another push.
1:00 PM: Nurse: "Ashley's a very good pusher." Ashley: "It's all the peeing that I do."
1:00 PM: Ashley's temperature is currently 37.2°C.
1:03 PM: Another push. Nurse: "Come on, Teresa." (Ashley exhales.) Ashley: "Ashley." Nurse: "Oh, I'm sorry. I was thinking of my friend, Teresa." (Ashley smiles.)
1:05 PM: Another push. Turner: "Good job, Ash."
1:05 PM: Ashley: "Why can't they keep these rooms at a humane temperature?"
1:06 PM: Another push.
1:08 PM: Another push.
1:09 PM: Another push.
1:10 PM: Dad arrives. "Is this child ever going to go to school? Or, are we going to leave it in kindergarten here?"
1:13 PM: Another push.
1:14 PM: Dad leaves.
1:15 PM: Nurse: "You've been pushing for about two hours and 15 minutes."
1:16 PM: Another push.
1:17 PM: The baby's bed is made by the nurses. Nurse: "A nice, warm bed to jump into."
1:18 PM: Doctor enters the room. Doctor: "We're going to see where you're at. If it's low enough, I can vacuum. There's a lot of ‘cappa'." (I'm not sure what "cappa" is.)
1:20 PM: Doctor suggests that Ashley should relax and rest since there hasn't been much progress thus far. Doctor leaves to get the obstetrician. The baby might be delivered using forceps.
1:23 PM: Another push.
1:25 PM: Ashley is resting now. She appears tired.
1:26 PM: The obstetrician, Dr. Allen, enters the room.
1:27 PM: Obstetrician: "The baby's in a good position. He's a little squished in there. I'm just going to feel to see how much he comes down during your next contraction, OK?"
1:28 PM: Another push.
1:28 PM: It's a bit of a tight squeeze. We have three options: 1) Continue pushing, 2) Vacuum or forceps, 3) Caesarean section.
1:32 PM: The doctor is explaining the options available for Ashley.
1:34 PM: It looks like Ashley will undergo a trial using forceps and if unsuccessful, a Caesarean section.
2:57 PM: Mom and I are sitting in the waiting room. Ashley (and Turner) has been in the operating room for approximately 20 minutes. I called a few friends and family to provide them with an update. We have asked Turner to come out and provide us with an update once the procedure is complete.
3:06 PM: Dr. Allan just walked past. He said, "Everything went fine." (Hooray!) He said that Turner would be out momentarily to tell us how it went.
3:08 PM: Mom: "This is torture. Why won't they tell us what happened?"
3:16 PM: No news yet.
3:30 PM: It's a girl! Wahoo!

Official time of birth: 2:37 PM
Official weight: 8 lbs. 7 oz.

Categories: Family | Married Life | Pregnancy
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