Colton Brooks Coker
August 26, 2014
7:46 pm
7 pounds, 13 ounces
20 inches long
Here is the whole story…
(and this is mostly for me to be able to remember in a few years!)
My pregnancy with Colt was very similar to being pregnant with Cade. Every person in the family was predicting that we would have another boy. I had no problems during my pregnancy, just very uncomfortable and had a hard time sleeping - especially near the end. I felt like the baby was huge and I could never get comfortable. I gained the most weight with Colt, but it was all in my belly, thankfully!
I went to my 36 week appointment not expecting anything, but Dr. Edwards let me know that I was already dilating and Colt was getting ready to come so I needed to take it easy. Bryan had to go to Athens Friday through Sunday for a wedding, so Aunt LaLa made the trip home to take care of Callie and Cade. And it was a good thing she came! She was a huge help and did everything with the kids so I could rest. I obeyed and stayed in the bed or on the couch, but felt totally ok and didn't feel any contractions. I went to the doctor on Monday all proud of myself, only to find out that I was even more dilated and Dr. Edwards was convinced I was going to have the baby within a few days. I was very conflicted because I did not feel like I was in labor at all! He told me to go home, get Bryan and all of our stuff and come back Tuesday morning. Driving to Savannah on Tuesday morning, I was not ready to have a baby. I did not feel like I was progressing at all or even having contractions. But apparently I just didn't know what was happening. By the time I was ready to leave the office, I was almost 5 cm dilated and he told me I had to check in the hospital - the baby was coming whether I was ready or not. At only 36 weeks and 6 days, I thought it was too early! But God had a plan for Colt to be born on August 26 and so that is what happened.
We called all of the family and everyone started to make their way to Bluffton. We got Bryan some food and checked in to the hospital around 12:30. I got an epidural and hooked up to all of the monitors. I was having consistent contractions but I couldn't feel them. We visited with everyone coming in to say hey, finally decided what to name our child(!), and tried to get some rest.
I had a really great epidural, but my left leg was falling asleep, so the nurse suggested I turn over on my side. Once I did that, it all starting happening fast! Apparently that encouraged Colt to drop even lower and it was time to start pushing. I had to kick LaLa and Emi out of the room and call the doctor. Colt must have been pressing on my bladder because I had major stomach pain with every contraction. Whoever told me that each labor gets easier lied to me! I think they have all been painful! We made it through and after only 10-15 minutes of pushing, we had a beautiful baby boy.
Since he was early, the special care nurses were present for delivery and they checked him out when he was born. Perfect baby boy!
All of our family was able to come and meet the newest addition to the family.
(Aunt Jamie had to come a few weeks later, but she got to spend the whole weekend with us.)
As the night went on, #coltbstrong became the perfect hashtag for our little one. Because he was premature, the nurses had to check his blood sugar every few hours. Very early on Wednesday morning, his blood sugar dropped and he had to be admitted to the special care nursery. Thankfully it came back up quickly and he did not have to be hooked up to tons of monitors (just a few). He did get his own little home in the nursery where he stayed until Friday morning.
Seeing all of the other babies in the special care nursery, made me so grateful for our precious little one and how healthy he was… and still is! I was still admitted in the hospital downstairs, so we had to walk up and down, back and forth, every couple of hours. After I was discharged on Thursday, we were able to stay in the special care nursery with him for his last night. The nurses were wonderful, but they had to prick his heel every 3 hours, and it was so sad!
His poor little feet did recover though, although PawPaw was worried for a few days that they were too blue and purple.
Callie and Cade were finally able to meet their brother on Thursday morning. They had to walk through the special care nursery and I think it was a lot for Callie to take in! But they were so excited to see Colt. I was surprised with how interested Cade was in meeting his brother.
It was a short visit, but Callie did take time to teach Aunt Libby how to listen to his heartbeat. :) Maybe she will be the next (or first?) doctor in the family!
Colt passed his hearing test, the carseat test, and multiple other tests that they gave him over those 3 days, and we were able to bring him home on Friday. I always think they look so little in the carseat those first few days.
All of our family, Gigi, Big Daddy, Mama D, PawPaw, Mimi and Papa, and especially LaLa and Auntie Em, took such great care of Callie and Cade (and Bear) while we were in the hospital. It was a group effort and I don't know what we would have done without them! Lauren got to stay through the weekend and help out which was wonderful. Then the moms took turns staying with us - night feedings, load of laundry, dishes, cooking… they did it all!
Callie loved having another baby in the house - but he is a little more fragile than the baby dolls!
Cade wanted to play with him, and didn't understand why he couldn't play catch?!
After that first night/day of low blood sugar, Colt has not had any more issues and we thank God for that! CG and Cademan were teaching him the Clemson cheer before he was even a week old.
Bryan and I are so blessed with these three beautiful children!
Welcome to the family, Colton!
(and thanks to Janet Powell - Silly Goose Photography - for wonderful newborn photos!)
