Samuel Reed was born at home on Wednesday, December 18, 2002 at 1:39 pm. He weighed 7lbs 15oz and measured 20.5 inches in length. Labor and delivery went beautifully. However, Sam was a little slow to cry, and seemed to have trouble catching his breath.
The midwives were a little concerned and gave him a bit of oxygen and a vigorous rub-down to help him get started. But after an hour or so, it became clear that Sam's breathing wasn't normal. Sometimes his breathing was rapid, almost a panting, and sometimes it was very light and slow. Sam occasionally stopped breathing for several seconds at a time.
So, after a couple of hours at home, we took Sam to see our pediatrician. He was concerned about Sam's breathing pattern, but thought maybe he just needed some time to "get started." The doctor allowed us to take Sam home and watch him closely for the night, which we did. The next morning, we went back to the pediatrician, and Sam hadn't improved. The doctor recommended that we take Sam to the NICU at Mission Hospital, where he could be evaluated and treated by experts. So, off we went, beginning the emotional roller coaster ride that continues as I write this.