Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Declan Travis Warrick


Announcing Declan Travis Warrick, who was born June 28 at 6:36 pm. He was 7 pounds, 5 ounces and 19". Photographs were taken by Jessica Inman, who is a wonder with children and has blessed our family with many captured moments over the years.
On June 28, I began to feel some contractions around 8 in the morning. I called my husband who had recently left for work, and told him to keep posted. He was about to make a presentation and asked if I needed him to come home.

Then I called my mom. My parents were about to head out to visit my brother in Idaho Falls before heading to Albuquerque following my due date (July 7). I cautioned them that the baby wasn't going to wait until 40 weeks, as anticipated. By the time my husband's presentation was finished, I knew I was unfit for parent-tot swimming lessons, and called him home to serve in my stead.
I'd been instructed to go in for some lab work, as I had preeclampsia with my oldest child, and my midwife wanted to check out my levels. Around lunch time I went in to have my blood drawn and a "sample" collected. Ooops! Things would have gone much faster if I hadn't relieved myself right before I was called back.

My husband picked up my chauffeuring duties (art class for my oldest and Lego club at the library) as I consumed half a bowl of Cheerios, left a message for the nurse on call, and started having more frequent and unpleasant contractions. After Lego club finished, I had my husband head to the hospital to drop me off at triage, battling some rush hour traffic. The midwife called back and confirmed that I should go in, and I called my good friend, Betty, who kindly skipped out of work early at a local sewing machine store to entertain my three children with Legos and princesses at her house. Meanwhile, I struggled and admitted defeat when faced with hospital gown assembly and dressing. It really should be a baby shower game.

Arrangements were made for my oldest son to have a slumber party at a friend's house, and for my most trusted babysitter to stay the night at our home with the remaining two children. After an hour, I was promoted from triage to a delivery room and my water broke. In spite of his urgings, I insisted my husband take the children to their respective evening locations before it was inconveniently late in the evening. I resumed my epidural begging with fervor. An hour after being admitted to the delivery room, the anesthesiologist arrived and struggled to find an opportune time between contractions to accomplish her task.
Immediately thereafter, one of the women attending started shouting, "Crowning!" which I wish was a royal ceremony and not a head coming out of...
Three consecutive pushes and baby was out.
Then, to my dismay, my legs began to go numb. Ten minutes more was all I needed;  ten minutes was longer than the baby wanted to wait. Numb legs after you deliver a baby are totally overrated. I'm pretty sure I didn't get my money's worth on the epidural. I begged for them to hold off the cord clipping until my husband resurfaced, but they were too eager.

Then my husband showed up, looking pretty dismayed that he missed the glorious whooping and wailing, weeping and gnashing of teeth. Honestly, I don't get it; if I had my druthers, I would have shown up precisely when he did.

During Declan's check-ups with the pediatrician he was losing too much weight, so I was instructed to supplement with formula. Unfortunately, he must have signed on as an Enfamil affiliate, because he now refuses to nurse, or turns it into a rigorous resistance sport. Here's hoping I win this battle of wills.
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23 comments:

  1. Aw Declan looks sweet and so do the other 3 looking on at their new baby brother. Interesting name, is there any family history to the name Declan? Enjoy your family! Hugs!

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  2. What a sweet post heralding your newest arrival. You have such a lovely family. These pictures say it all! Congratulations!

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  3. Congratulations he's adorable and what a lovely name. Fingers crossed you get where you want with the nursing x

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  4. congratulations on your new arrival!! He sure is cute, and the pictures of the family are beautiful!! And somehow I missed that you were pregnant!! Did you tell us, or did I just miss it? I hope he gives in and starts nursing for you soon! Hugs, H

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  5. Mazeltov! Many blessings to you and your growing family!

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  6. Congrats! Hope you are adjusting well to being a family of 6!

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  7. Afton, congratulations! He is precious! Great photos of the all the family too!

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  8. Congratulations Afton! And to the entire family! What a beautiful little guy he is! Your family is gorgeous and you all look so happy!

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  9. What a beautiful series of photographs. My favorite are the three serious faces of your older children looking down on him. Good luck in the battle of wills with the formula and I look forward to meeting Declan sometime soon!

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  10. Beautiful! You have a lovely story telling 'voice'....so happy for you and your darling family!

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  11. Congratulations on the new arrival. What a lovely family, beautiful photos and you really could start writing books because your story telling is wonderful. Don't know if you can use a breast pump to keep your milk supply up and to combine with or supplement the Enfamil. It looks like you have a strong minded young man there.

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  12. Affton what an adorable story. Congratulation to you and your family with the arrival of Declan.

    A funny story about my cousin when she was nursing/using formula with her baby. She was having a similar battle of wills once formula was introduced so she would fill a bottle with formula and drizzle it down her breast while nursing her son. While it was a site to see, it worked. Her son kept nursing and getting his formula all at once.

    Good luck with finding a solution for you and Declan.

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  13. Congratulation, Afton and family! Declan will be such a wonderful blessing. Enjoy every moment. It will be so awesome to see him become the newest member of your family. He will be loved, for sure!

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  14. Congrats on your new addition! Declan is so adorable!

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  15. Congratulations Afton. Declan is so adorable. I loved your story telling and as a midwife I could relate to the events of the day for you. There are a few tricks to getting babies back on the breast so I hope you have peopple helping you with this.

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  16. Congratulations on the birth of your beautiful baby.

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  17. Congratulations!! What a beautiful family you have!

    When I had my 3rd child (the first two were twins), I had to look back on the lactation advice from the prior pregnancy. I had originally thought I was a pro at nursing so it wouldn't be a problem, but of course the baby was a novice. ;) All that advice about nursing before the baby is too hungry, nursing skin to skin, etc, was very helpful. The first time around, I used to pop a pacifier in the mouth of one of my babies (especially if he was already too hungry and frantic). He would frantically suck on it and then I'd quick pull him off the pacifier and shove my breast into his mouth!

    Good luck -- you can do it!

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  18. Yay you guys! Good luck with the feedings, and all the adjustments.

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  19. Fun fun story! Congratulations my dear. I hope he nurses too : )
    Blessings on you all

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  20. Oh my goodness! What a delivery! I'll send positive vibes on getting nursing going again, Sam's latch at the very beginning was terrible so it was an exhausting few weeks before he could do it.

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  21. So glad to hear this news! The baby looks gorgeous and you, of course, are radiant and I'm happy that the baby arrived safe and sound. Congrats to the whole family and especially to your husband for his good timing.

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  22. congratulations to all the family.Declan is adorable and also his brothers.

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