Saturday, August 6, 2011

Welcome Baby Henry

We welcomed Henry Oliver Owens on August 1 at 4:42 a.m weighing 7 pounds, 8 ounces. He is 21 inches long with huge hands and feet.  We named him after Reid's Papa (Oliver). His genes gave Reid his big feet and hands, so it is fitting.   Baby Henry arrived nearly 3 weeks early (just squeaked in at full term).  My water broke, just like in the movies in a puddle at my feet, around 5:00 on Sunday night.  We went to the hospital and after almost 12 hours of labor (with a hour and thirty-two minutes of pushing) Henry was born.  Most babies are born facing down...but Henry is not most babies; he was born facing slightly sideways, so his shoulders got him stuck in my pelvis. Because of his presentation my pelvic bones didn't squeeze his lungs like they should, so he still had fluid in his lungs.  He was born with Transient Tachypnea, which is basically underdeveloped lungs filled with fluid. Ten percent of babies born at 37 weeks have Transient Tachypnea. The nursery nurse was fantastic and caught it right away, so Henry got rushed off to an Isolet where he received oxygen for about 32 hours. He was also on IV antibiotics for 48 hours to prevent pneumonia.  He did a fantastic job breathing as he was weaned off of oxygen and will have no lasting affects from either complication.  By Wednesday morning the pediatrician said "he is now just a normal baby."   We came home on Thursday afternoon where we are making up for lost time holding him.  Henry is a fantastic eater and a decent sleeper.  Reid and I are adjusting well, as are the animals.  He is such a sweet baby and we are loving being parents.

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