Meet Benjamin

Saturday February 2, 2008 my water broke, 7 1/2 weeks before my due date. I was admitted to the hospital in Provo and kept on bedrest, antibiotics and monitors for a week before I went into labor. Props to Jeremy for being superdad that week! My contractions started late Friday night and the nurse gave me a shot to try to stop labor. That nasty drug did not work, it just made me jittery and anxious. It was really awful! The baby was breach and his foot was crowning, which is dangerous because it could allow the cord to fall out and get crushed. They started wheeling my bed to the O.R. for an emergency c-section and Jeremy walked in just in time. I was so glad he made it!

The c-section was not a good experience for me...I think mainly because of that shot they gave me. I was so anxious I think I had a panic attack. When they showed me the baby and I saw he was here and okay I had a moment of joy. Then again when I saw how excited Jeremy was to go help clean up the baby. Then my anxiety got so bad I think I passed out, but I'm not sure. Apparently they gave me another drug to calm me down and it made me really weird. I was in and out of consciousness for the rest of the night but don't really remember much of it. Jeremy said, "Now I know what you would be like if you ever got drunk!"

At 2:52 am February 9, 2008 Benjamin Richard Haws was born. He was 4 lbs. 2 oz. and 18 inches long. He was in the NICU for 3 weeks and a day, which was a really long and hard time for me and my family. While trying to recover from the surgery and dealing with postpartum depression I had to find sitters for my kids 3 times a day to drive to Provo to try to teach Benjamin how to nurse/ bottle feed. Since he wasn't strong enough yet, I had to also pump milk 7 times a day so he could get it through a tube. So much thanks to my mom and dad, my inlaws, sister, grandpartents and great ward members durring this time! We received true charity!

Benjamin is doing great! He is home now, on oxygen and an apnea monitor, but he is growing fast and is a really good baby. It is hard having him hooked up to so many wires and tubes and not very fun trying to keep him home, away from germs. The doctor said to keep him away from crowds and public places at least until the end of March, maybe longer. I am hoping for an early spring so we can get outside and go for some walks! Things keep getting better...I am feeling better, Benjamin is getting bigger and closer to being off his "equipment" and most of all, it is just nice to have our whole family home together again!