Baby Kolt Jackson; A Birth Story

We had an induction scheduled for Friday, April 28th at 39 weeks. That week I had elevated blood pressure, but instead of moving up our induction a couple days, I spent 5 hours playing musical doctors offices to get some labs done, so the 28th it was! I made it to 206lbs this time! I think this was the first pregnancy that I broke 200lbs, go me!

We were called around 10am to head over to American Fork Hospital and by 11:15 I was hooked up to the monitors and IV, but only dilated to a 2. At 12:15 they started me on Pitocin and at 1:50 I got the epidural. At 2:20 Dr. Young came in and broke my water and said I was dilated to a 3+. By the time they decided to check me again at 4:50 I was complete and ready to go! They always underestimate just how fast I finish dilating there at the end. We just had to wait for Dr. Young to get back to the hospital. Once he arrived I pushed through one contraction and Kolt was here at 5:17pm.

Our last and smallest baby at 8lbs 4oz and 19.48 inches. But I still tore and he came out pooping everywhere! It was the first time I didn't throw up after delivery though. Woo Hoo!

Kyle, Kasen and Kohen all have the initials KJL so we felt extra pressure to find another K name. Luckily we both liked Kolt and I've always wanted to use Jackson, it's my mom's maiden name.

Our nurse called for a respiratory therapist soon after he was born because he was making grunting noises trying to breathe. I was able to nurse him and he came down to recovery with us, but then while Kyle went to get dinner they let me know that they took him to the NICU to be monitored.

They ended up putting him on a CPAP machine and admitting him to the NICU a couple hours later. Kyle stayed up with him all night listening for the bubbles the CPAP machine makes.

I was starving by the time we finally made it down to recovery and room service has already closed. 12 hours is way too long to not eat, especially after having a baby! Feed the moms. Like have a snack ready bedside. Or a full meal preferably.

He moved from a level 8 to level 10 on the CPAP on Saturday morning and they started him on antibiotics, just in case of infection. They also did a chest x-ray and said it just looked hazy like the ends of his lungs weren't opening all the way. He had to really work with hard and fast breathing to get the air he needed.

That night Kyle and Jordan were able to give him a blessing.

But on Sunday morning he was able to come off the CPAP and just be on oxygen! So happy to see progress and be able to nurse him again.

It was especially hard for Kyle to see Kolt in the NICU and made sure that he was never alone. Our kids are so lucky to have him. And we balance each other well cause I worry too little and Kyle worries too much.

I spent the day with him on Sunday, after I was discharged, while Kyle got the kids from his mom and took them to dinner at my dads house. Then I drove the kids home by myself that night while Kyle stayed at the hospital with Kolt. And my poor ankles were ready to pop open! Also a visual representation of what my breasts would be doing the very next day. 

I went back to the hospital on Monday to nurse and pump and be with Kolt, while Kyle caught up on his sleep and the kids got to play with Grammy. Before Kyle went home Kolt had an echo cardiogram done on his heart to check for hypertension. They did see some and decided that he would need to go home with oxygen because of that. Kolt had passed his car seat test and we had the oxygen equipment delivered Monday night to room in with it for 4 hours and get comfortable with it, planning to go home Tuesday morning.

We were getting ready to go pick him up on Tuesday morning and got a call that he wouldn't be going home that day. His bilirubin levels were too high so they had him on 3 lights when we got there.

I spent the day with him and by the time I went home that evening he was only on 1 light!

Kyle spent that night with him and then on my way to the hospital on Wednesday they called and said that he could come home!! No lights, just oxygen. Or as the kids say, his scuba tank.

Kasen had been asking for so long to be the first one to hold him and it melted my heart when he did. "Hi Kolt! I'm your brother Kasen!" I'm still grieving having to cancel my photographer and the kids not being able to see him at the hospital. They didn't get to meet Kohen there cause of covid and now they didn't get to come to the NICU either.

But now our family is finally all together. 

Happy due date Kolt.