Titus Allen Johnson is here!

Well late Thursday afternoon of the 3rd I knew that Titus was going to be coming sometime over the weekend, things had began to happen and contractions were starting that night, slowly but surely. On Friday evening we had some graduation parties to go to and I was determined to go although my contractions were progressing. Walking for me was the most comforting thing I could do. By about 5:30 am Saturday our contractions had been 5-6 minutes apart for about an hour and a half and we decided to head to the hospital for what seemed the longest day of my life! I was dilated to 4 cm when we got there and we began the process. We walked the halls lots of times and when a contraction would come we would rock. Tom did so well through everything, I couldn't have done it without him. I tried the warm bath but that only lasted til the water cooled off. I also liked the ball for sitting and bouncing, but I could not stand to be in the bed at all, it was just uncomfortable. I had to have IV antibiotics every 4 hours while the labor lasted because I tested positive for Group B Strep and I hated that too. I just didn't like feeling restrained in any way and every time they flushed the IV after the antibiotics it stung my arm so bad.
Well by 3 pm I had only progressed to 6 cm and my water had broke on the ball but I think it was more like a leaking faucet because the doctor checked me and she said I still had like a forebag that she could feel and wanted to break that to see if that would help. My doctor by the way could not deliver Titus because it was graduation Saturday and his son was graduating from high school, so the doctor on call, Dr. Givler delivered him. Thankfully she was very nice and sweet. Well when she did that my contractions definitely intensified but after an hour I was no different! They were getting concerned because they expect you to dilate a cm/hour and they asked me to think about having some sort of drug! I was heart broken because that is not what I wanted and I cried and Tom and I prayed. I knew I didn't want an epidural or Pitosin, my contractions were already painful enough without Pitosin. So they gave me some pain relief IV called Numa?, only half the dose they could have given me and it was supposed to take the edge off my contractions and relax me in between them. It sure did the later of the two, I was dozing in and out of sleep between them and within an hour, which is how long she said that drug would last, I dilated from 6cm to 9cm. Then Titus' heartbeat dropped and the doctor said I needed to start pushing otherwise it was going to have to be a c-section if his heart rate didn't come back up. Well I began for what seemed like the longest hour of my life pushing and finally our baby boy came out and Tom cut the cord. And the doctor said that I basically just had "skid marks" down there and no stitches were needed! God had answered our prayers for that drug to work and for our healthy baby. He was born at 5:22 pm on June 5th, weighing 8.49 lbs. and just under 21 3/4 in. long. He is so amazing and doing well. When we left the hospital he had dropped down to 7.11 lbs. and the next day at his weight check he was 7.15 and then at his first well baby check on Thursday he was up to 8.6 1/2 lbs.! They were so shocked because it usually takes them 2 weeks just to get back to their birth weight! He sleeps well and obviously nurses well although it can take him a while because he is a little Jaundice and falls asleep a lot. Mommy works really hard feeding him every 3 hours.

Titus does not seem to mind his car seat at all, we have gone on a few outings besides his checkups so far, he has been to ShopKo, Target, the Vet Clinic (to be admired!)and to church this morning, the ladies (mostly girls from youth group) were swooning over him! Look at those long fingers, those are from his dad :) Uncle Kevin called them monkey hands! Mommy disagrees of course.

This adorable outfit is from Auntie Daisy, for all those aunties out there, Titus wears it for you!

Even Grandpa Bob was here to see little Titus the next day after his birth, he was on his way to Seattle with a load to deliver there and he came through Missoula just at the perfect time, Thanks Grandpa!

Titus roomed in with us in the hospital, which was great! This helped for breastfeeding for me because you are able to catch on faster to their cues for feeding time so that you get it down before you leave the hospital. With him being with with us there all the time also helped my milk to come in faster. You can't tell from the footprint, but Titus has really long toes just like his daddy also, the actual foot in his newborn socks is too short already!

Daddy helping with his first bath!