Surprise!!!

Happy Birthday!

Spencer Preston Hunter

Born Oct. 18, 2009

5 lbs. 4 oz - 19 3/4" long

Hello Everyone! We have some GREAT news and wanted to share our joy! We had a surprise early arrival yesterday at 12:20 am...Spencer Preston Hunter was born via C-section six weeks early, weighing in at 5 lbs. 4 oz., 19 3/4" long! Mom and baby are doing very well.

Now the story, I'll warn you it's long. Saturday afternoon (around 1pm) I realized that I hadn't felt the baby moving that day. This was really unusual as Spencer was a very active baby - doing flips, stretching, kicking, etc. It really worried me for him to go from super active to nothing except a few flutters, which could easily have been explained as something else. So anyway, I started doing all the things that usually make him wake up and get active. I ate lunch - nothing...I laid down so he could stretch out - nothing...I poked my belly - nothing...juice, sugary foods, etc. - nothing. By 6pm I had myself conviced that something was really wrong and I needed to hear his heart beat on a monitor to reassure myself.

Jesse happened to be out of town (OF COURSE - my kids tend to pick the least convient time get sick) in Chicago at a Neuroscience Conference. I called a friend (Heather) and when I started to explain what was going on I burst into tears. I was trying to keep it together to not pass on the worry to Isaac and Keltsy. Well, of course the kids started talking about how the baby was just sleeping, etc. Anyway, Heather's husband came and got the kids and Heather, being the great friend that she is, went with me to the hospital. They got me hooked up to the monitor and immediately felt reassurance when I heard the heart beat and it was at a normal speed, etc. The doctor monitored the heart for a couple of hours. At this time I had definitly felt SOME kicking, but still not anywhere near what I was used to, but hearing the heart beat was VERY reassuring.

When the baby would move the doctor was looking for the heart rate to rise for 20 points and for it to last for 20 seconds. Spencer's rate was only pulling 10 points for 10 seconds, which made the doctor to want to get more information so he ordered an ultrasound. At this point I was ready to go home - it was 9pm, I was tired, thinking that Isaac and Keltsy needed to get to bed, etc...but who would turn down another ultrasound this late in the pregnancy?!

So I got the ultrasound, again heard his heart beat and for 30 min. I was waiting for him to move. They were rating certain things during the ultrasound and he needed a 8 or 10 for the doctor to feel that everything was okay - Spencer pulled a 2 (and that was having enough amniotic fluid, not really anything that the baby was doing).

While waiting for the results of the ultrasound test I called Jesse. It was around 10pm by this point. Jesse had his presentation, was going to dinner with some friends and Chicago is an hour behind our time zone - so I knew he wouldn't be back to get the phone until sometime after 8. We don't have cell phones so really no way or time to get ahold of him. About 10:30 the doctor came in, told me the results of the test and recommended a C-section. From the ultrasound he could tell the cord was around Spencer's neck, but could tell the blood was still flowing etc. and really they couldn't tell what was wrong. He was really concerned, as they could tell from his lack of movement and Spencer's heart not accelerating when it should have, they KNEW something was wrong, but not knowing what it was he wanted to get him out so they could treat ASAP. Spencer was laying sideways in my belly, with his feet down and head on my right side, so there was no way to try to deliver with him in that position, and the doctor felt that turning him might put Spencer under too much stress.

So I called Jesse back, explained what was going on, had him ask the doctor all the question he could think of and at 11pm started getting ready for surgery. Jesse rode the bus to the Conference so he rushed to the airport and rented a car. Being after 10pm there were no flights going out anymore and ALMOST all the car rental places were closed. He found Hertz out in the parking lot was open and made the frantic drive home. I was able to get a blessing before going into surgery, which was very comforting and I'm so greatful for. By 11:45 I was in the operating room and 12:20 Spencer was delivered! I was relieved to see his size and he was crying so I knew his lungs were at least functioning.

The "big problem" that was causing all this panic was that the cord managed to get around his neck THREE TIMES! He literally couldn't move. I got a quick 'welcome to the world' touch and hug. The NICU nurse came at the end of her shift and reassured me that she was so glad I had done what I did, that he wouldn't have made it to term. Jesse made it back at about 3:30am and went down to the NICU to get the status of the baby. Spencer did need a ventilator until 10am the next morning, and they couldn't find a vein so they had to use one in his umbilica cord. But he's off of the ventilator, now has a little tube that's puffs air in his nose and helps him get his lungs filled completely. And they found a vein in his arm to use, so they took out the one in his belly and we were able to hold him this morning. You could tell he likes to cuddle and according to the nurses he REALLY likes his binky!

My mom is come in last night, and our ward has been fantastic with help babysitting the kids and lots of offers for meals, etc. Turns out Jesse is sick with an ear infection, so he can't come back to the hospital - our hospital is keeping out sick people, how funny is that? For me, the pain meds work great :) - and I've been surprised at how good I feel. We appreciate all the prayers we've been receiving at this point and would appreciate any more people would like to send our way.

Apparently, Isaac keeps calling Spencer by his middle name of Preston - who knows, maybe Preston will end up being his nickname.

Thanks for the love and support,
Jesse and Amy (Isaac, Keltsy, and most especially Spencer)