New Fears

Surely today Robert would come home, wouldn't he. No, a fit of shaking had made the hospital staff worry Robert might be suffering withdrawl symptoms (from the pain meds Margaret had been taking).

This day would likely have been a very hard one for Margaret if not for two special visitors - Jolene and Alison. (for Sean, still sick, it was a very hard and lonely day)

Disappointment

Sean left work early expecting to help Margaret bring Robert home, but instead found his wife in tears - Robert would have to stay another day due to jaundice. As she had barely slept since the birth Sean insisted Margaret go home and rest.

Downturn

Day three of Robert's life was not a happy one. Sean came down with a sore throat and as such was not allowed in the nursery. Margaret met disappointment when her hopes that Robert could come home were dashed; he began to show signs of jaundice and needed to be put under the lights.

Margaret Goes Home

Robert's second day of life had some exciting developements:

• Margaret was discharged from hospital after nearly two weeks (her gall stones had been little more than an irritation since Robert was born)
• Robert passed his car seat test (and as such was removed from much of his monitors
• Sean fed Robert and learned about babies spitting up the hard way

World's Greatest Cousins ?

Though Robert has more cousins than most new babies (more than 30 from Margaret's side alone), nearly all of them live far from Edmonton. However, two cousins who are close to home, Clarke and Alison, came to pay visit in the evening.

Rob Meets Rob

In the afternoon Rob Dyer (whom little Robert was named after) and his wife Grace came to meet little Robert.

First Times Held

After getting a few hours sleep Margaret and Sean went to the nursery to hold the baby for the first time.

Meet The Parents

After Margaret had a chance to recover, she and Sean went to meet the baby.

The First Hour

After a few brief minutes in the delivery room young Robert was rushed to the nursery. Sean stayed with him through the first few minutes, watching the nurses measure him (47.5 cm) and insert an IV. Soon, however, concern over Margaret and worries that he was getting in the nurses way, pulled Sean back to the delivery room.

Labour and Delivery

Thursday June 23rd at 9:00 am Dr. Chua examine Margaret then made the first attempt to induce her. She was 0 cm dilated before the induction.

Though she felt some cramping through the night, labour did not begin. The next morning Dr. Chua found her to be just 2 cm dilated. A second attempt was made to induce.

Again she felt some pains and cramping, but labour did not begin. On the morning of the 25th Dr. Chua's partner, Dr. Lee decided to put Margaret on the drip. Confidently Dr. Lee predicted that the baby would arrive by 4:00 pm.

At 10:00 pm, still 2 - 3 cm, Dr. Lee declared that at midnight she would order a c-section. Less than an hour later Margaret called in the nurse with questions about an odd feeling she was having; she was 10 cm dilated and beginning to push.

Sean and a paramedic trainee named David were recruited to hold Margaret's legs while the nurse coached. A surprised Dr. Lee returned to the hospital just before midnight.

Throughout the delivery both Sean and Margaret pointed out to the medical staff that Margaret was asthmatic. A number of times they asked for her to get oxygen; these concerns were largely brushed off.

When Dr. Lee arrived she was not happy that the baby had barely moved in the past half hour (though the crown of his head had been visible). She told Margaret that if on the next push no progress was made she would be using the forceps. Margaret said she could not push again without oxygen, this time the nurse got it for her. With the oxygen Margaret was able to made real progress pushing. However, it seemed that Dr. Lee's mind was made up and she went for the forceps anyways.

Robert John Henderson was forcibly brought into the world at 12:25 am on Sunday June 26, 2005. He weighed just 4 lbs and 12 oz. at birth.

The Gall Stones

Margaret has often said "Except for the gall stones I have had a wonderful pregnancy." Unfortunately the gall stones were a very big exception.

In mid-March she was diagnosed as having gall stones. The pain was such that she was practically confined to bed. Though her doctor, Dr. Chua, wanted to have them removed, the surgeon, Dr. Kennedy, was unwilling to perform the surgery.

As a result Margaret spent more than three months on pain killers. And during that time she was admitted to hospital five times; with the average time spent in hospital being over a week.

In the end Dr. Chua induced her into labour at just 36 weeks, feeling the baby would be better off being a preemie than staying in his stress-out, drugged up mother.