Caitlin and Jordan welcomed their first child, a boy, on April 4! Oliver Eric came barreling into the world in a very surprising fashion! Caitlin went to her routine prenatal appointment just a couple of days past her due date. She had an ultrasound that revealed low fetal movement, and an NST that was not excellent. So they agreed with her provider that induction was the safest option for baby’s well-being. Caitlin went straight to L&D to begin the induction process, but not until her sweet nurse handed her a sandwich and snacks, because, you know, inductions are usually LONG. And Caitlin was dilated 1 cm with her first baby. This was going to be a long and involved process. Right?

Wrong!

This is where Oliver decided to throw everyone for a loop. It’s a perfect example of where making assumptions gets us…nothing. They began the induction with pitocin around 7:00 pm. Caitlin knew to rest and not get drawn into her contractions too soon. But her uterus responded very well with the pitocin and before long she was thrown into full-blown active labor. She was feeling overwhelmed and panicked as her body moved at warp speed. After just 2 hours of pitocin, at 9:00 pm she was dilated to 4 cm. Caitlin was in great discomfort and her baby was having decelerations that were concerning. She preferred not to have her water broken to speed things up, so after laboring for awhile, she opted for an epidural to help with the pain and aid in relaxation. Caitlin’s contractions were extremely intense, making it hard for her to relax and breathe deeply. Plus her blood pressure was very high and the epidural would help with that too. And after all, it could still be hours, right? But that’s where everyone was wrong! Shortly after the epidural was placed, Caitlin was dilated 9.5 cm! (No wonder she was in great discomfort!) There wasn’t even time for a nap. Oliver was born at 12:41 am on April 4 after just 3 pushing contractions! And lo and behold, he had a true knot in his cord, which might have accounted for the decels during labor. He is a lucky boy indeed.

Oliver’s parents were overwhelmed and in love all at the same time. From start to finish, Caitlin had her son in her arms less than 6 hours after they hung the pitocin. That’s an unbelievable timeline and just goes to show that you just never know. I am so proud of this couple for rolling with the punches and making the decisions that felt the best for them and for their baby. A few months have passed since, but they continue to learn and grow together as they parents their sweet Oliver. Congratulations on becoming parents and thank you for allowing me to accompany you on your journey and to share that amazing journey here.