DYLAN JOSEPH SOREM
By now the word is out. We are now a family of five. Andrew said it best the other night when he exclaimed – “Mommy, Daddy, we are a big family now.” I don’t know if big is the right word for it just yet, but it surely isn’t small.
On December 10, 2008, Dylan Joseph Sorem arrived. Our life has not been the same since. Dylan was born at 3:05pm at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, CA. He weighed in at 7 pounds, 12 ounces and measured 20.5 inches long. Dylan was right between both other boys on both counts (Andrew was 8 pounds, 2 ounces and measured 21.5 inches long and Noah was 7 pounds 5 ounces and measured 20 inches long). Dylan’s head measured 13.75 inches in circumference and his chest measured 14 inches in circumference. We are blessed to have another healthy boy.
Five days before the birth, my mom flew in to be here for Dylan’s birth and to lend a hand thereafter. We were concerned she might not make it in time as Robin started having some fairly significant and regular contractions a couple days before she arrived. But she made it and has now been with us for Andrew, Noah and Dylan’s births. How special that Mom could be there with us and share in the birth of her three grandsons.
Our dear friend Theresa Pollock attended Dylan’s birth as well. Theresa and I go back more than 18 years now (we met at our Freshman Dorm at UC Berkeley). Theresa has a Master’s in Public Health, spent many years as an educator for Planned Parenthood and has attended many births. I think eventually she wants to become a doula to assist other women with their childbirth. She was with us for Andrew’s birth and was a tremendous help. She had to miss Noah’s birth because she had just delivered her daughter, Lauren, 18 days earlier. But she was there for this one. We owe her an incredible debt of gratitude for being there and for supplying many of the facts and figures of this shortened version of Dylan’s birth story.
On the morning of Wednesday, December 10, 2008, we dropped both Andrew and Noah off at their respective schools and headed to the hospital for a scheduled “induction.” Because Robin had gestational diabetes during this pregnancy, she was not allowed to go past her due date. We arrived at the hospital at 9:45am and were checked into Labor and Delivery Room number 238. Our nurse put a heparin (hep) lock in – so that they’d have a line into Robin just in case – and we waited for Dr. Wendy Buchi, Robin’s OB, to come in. Dr. Buchi came in around 10:15am, checked Robin’s cervix and declared she was 5 cm dilated already. At 10:30am, Dr. Buchi broke Robin’s bag of water to induce labor (her fluid level was indeed low and there was meconium present). We had used this same method (breaking the bag of water to induce labor) with Noah and it worked out pretty well. From 10:30am to 11am, the nurse had Robin on the fetal monitor. Everything was just fine.
With Noah, after Dr. Buchi broke Robin’s bag of water, we walked the hospital stairs to get labor rolling along. We had planned on doing the same thing this time around. When we inquired about walking stairs, the nurse told us that the stairs were blocked on this floor and they did not recommend it. I asked if the stairs were accessible from other floors and the nurse said that she guessed they would be. I told her that we would go and walk stairs for 30 minutes and then be back. She begrudgingly agreed. At 11am, we all walked out to the hospital stairs and began the process. With Noah, Robin and I walked up and down the 7 flights of stairs 8 or so times. At the end I was exhausted, Robin was fine and it had moved labor right along. So we followed a similar path for this labor. From 11am to 11:30am, Robin walked the 7 flights of stairs up and down 4 times. I did 2 sets and Theresa did 2 sets. It pays to have friends. At 11:30am, we went back for more monitoring. Again, everything was going fine. From 12pm to 12:30pm, Robin did the 7 flights another 4 times. Again Theresa and I split duties. My Mom watched over us and took a short banana break.
On December 10, 2008, Dylan Joseph Sorem arrived. Our life has not been the same since. Dylan was born at 3:05pm at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, CA. He weighed in at 7 pounds, 12 ounces and measured 20.5 inches long. Dylan was right between both other boys on both counts (Andrew was 8 pounds, 2 ounces and measured 21.5 inches long and Noah was 7 pounds 5 ounces and measured 20 inches long). Dylan’s head measured 13.75 inches in circumference and his chest measured 14 inches in circumference. We are blessed to have another healthy boy.
Five days before the birth, my mom flew in to be here for Dylan’s birth and to lend a hand thereafter. We were concerned she might not make it in time as Robin started having some fairly significant and regular contractions a couple days before she arrived. But she made it and has now been with us for Andrew, Noah and Dylan’s births. How special that Mom could be there with us and share in the birth of her three grandsons.
Our dear friend Theresa Pollock attended Dylan’s birth as well. Theresa and I go back more than 18 years now (we met at our Freshman Dorm at UC Berkeley). Theresa has a Master’s in Public Health, spent many years as an educator for Planned Parenthood and has attended many births. I think eventually she wants to become a doula to assist other women with their childbirth. She was with us for Andrew’s birth and was a tremendous help. She had to miss Noah’s birth because she had just delivered her daughter, Lauren, 18 days earlier. But she was there for this one. We owe her an incredible debt of gratitude for being there and for supplying many of the facts and figures of this shortened version of Dylan’s birth story.
On the morning of Wednesday, December 10, 2008, we dropped both Andrew and Noah off at their respective schools and headed to the hospital for a scheduled “induction.” Because Robin had gestational diabetes during this pregnancy, she was not allowed to go past her due date. We arrived at the hospital at 9:45am and were checked into Labor and Delivery Room number 238. Our nurse put a heparin (hep) lock in – so that they’d have a line into Robin just in case – and we waited for Dr. Wendy Buchi, Robin’s OB, to come in. Dr. Buchi came in around 10:15am, checked Robin’s cervix and declared she was 5 cm dilated already. At 10:30am, Dr. Buchi broke Robin’s bag of water to induce labor (her fluid level was indeed low and there was meconium present). We had used this same method (breaking the bag of water to induce labor) with Noah and it worked out pretty well. From 10:30am to 11am, the nurse had Robin on the fetal monitor. Everything was just fine.
With Noah, after Dr. Buchi broke Robin’s bag of water, we walked the hospital stairs to get labor rolling along. We had planned on doing the same thing this time around. When we inquired about walking stairs, the nurse told us that the stairs were blocked on this floor and they did not recommend it. I asked if the stairs were accessible from other floors and the nurse said that she guessed they would be. I told her that we would go and walk stairs for 30 minutes and then be back. She begrudgingly agreed. At 11am, we all walked out to the hospital stairs and began the process. With Noah, Robin and I walked up and down the 7 flights of stairs 8 or so times. At the end I was exhausted, Robin was fine and it had moved labor right along. So we followed a similar path for this labor. From 11am to 11:30am, Robin walked the 7 flights of stairs up and down 4 times. I did 2 sets and Theresa did 2 sets. It pays to have friends. At 11:30am, we went back for more monitoring. Again, everything was going fine. From 12pm to 12:30pm, Robin did the 7 flights another 4 times. Again Theresa and I split duties. My Mom watched over us and took a short banana break.
Robin on the Fetal Monitor After the First Round of Stair Walking 
The Stairs
Walking a Set with Theresa
Robin then took a short break. My Mom and I ran down to the cafeteria and picked up some food for the helpers but not the laborer. We were hungry and the least we could do was feed my Mom and Theresa. During this time, Robin and Theresa walked around the Labor and Delivery area and Robin was starting to feel more significant contractions.
After my mom and I returned with food, Robin and I went back and did one final set of 7 flights of stairs. We were planning on doing 2 sets, but Robin said one was enough. At about 1:45pm, we arrived back at Room 238 and real significant more painful contractions had now begun. You could see the changes in Robin.
After my mom and I returned with food, Robin and I went back and did one final set of 7 flights of stairs. We were planning on doing 2 sets, but Robin said one was enough. At about 1:45pm, we arrived back at Room 238 and real significant more painful contractions had now begun. You could see the changes in Robin.
Group Discussion of the Pain
Trying to Help Work Through the Pain
Breathing Through the Pain
The nurse checked Robin again and she had progressed to between 6 and 7 cm. We were moving along. Labor seriously picked up from there. The contractions were coming a mile a minute (each lasted about 40 seconds, but they never really died out and came on every 2 minutes) and Robin was giving all she had to handle the pain. But she was doing it all by herself! No epidural, no nothing. There was a lot of side rocking back and forth to get through each contraction. After about half an hour of seriously intense contractions, during which Robin was being monitored, Robin took Theresa’s advice and got into the shower. The water of the shower on Robin’s back made the pain a little more bearable – a little more. Robin stayed in the shower for about 20 minutes and worked through many more contractions.
Working Through Contractions in the ShowerAfter Robin got out of the shower, Dr. Buchi checked her and she was at 9cm. Robin was really struggling at this point to work through the pain.
Serious PainDr. Buchi and the nurse started preparing the room and trying to get Robin in position to give birth. Dr. Buchi tried EVERYTHING (birthing chair, bar, standing up, over the top of the bed, etc), but nothing was working for Robin. And I mean nothing. And Robin was in MASSIVE (back) pain at this point. At one point, Robin screamed out – “Why is no one listening to me?” We were all listening, but nothing was working. Dr. Buchi finally had Robin laying on her side and burying into me.
Dylan is Seriously Close to Coming OutThat’s when Robin screamed out that Dylan’s head was crowning. Robin started pushing on her side and then was flipped onto her back. With two pushes Baby Dylan was born.
Mommy & Daddy Greeting Baby Dylan
Daddy Cutting the Cord
Daddy & Dylan Having a Talk
Nana Meeting Baby Dylan
Pretty Cute for Son #3
Dr. Buchi and Dylan
The Pout
The Pain Pregnancy is Over!
Aunt Theresa Meeting Dylan
We chose Dylan as his first name in respect of my grandmother (Deon) and Joseph as his middle name in respect of my grandfather (Milton Joseph) and both because of their meaning and origin. The meanings of his first and middle name are below:
Dylan - Meaning: a legendary sea-hero; Origin: Welsh
Joseph - Meaning: God shall add (another son); Origin: Hebrew
Another son we have… Perhaps he’ll be a legendary sea hero…
An hour after the birth, Dylan started to nurse for the first time. Robin is an old pro, so everything went very well with nursing. Another hour later, we placed the call to my sister, Karin, to get the word out about the birth. She took down the info and sent off the mass email about the birth.
A bit later that evening, our dear friend Brigitte Patel, who had watched over Andrew and Noah for the afternoon, brought the boys down to the hospital to meet their baby brother. How sweet it was.
An hour after the birth, Dylan started to nurse for the first time. Robin is an old pro, so everything went very well with nursing. Another hour later, we placed the call to my sister, Karin, to get the word out about the birth. She took down the info and sent off the mass email about the birth.
A bit later that evening, our dear friend Brigitte Patel, who had watched over Andrew and Noah for the afternoon, brought the boys down to the hospital to meet their baby brother. How sweet it was.
Andrew & Noah (The Big Brothers) Greeting Baby Dylan
The New Family of 5 (Our "Big" Family)
Dylan Resting Peacefully
Now we’re a family of 5 and we have our Dylan Joseph. Our family acronym is now – ERAND (in order), EANDR (E and R), RANDE (R and E) or ERDNA (ER DNA – which is exactly what made all this happen…)
A couple of days later we took him home from the hospital. We were delighted to be home with him.
Dylan in his Carseat - Ready to Go Home
We'll leave all with a parting shot of Dylan, taken on day 2 of his life, by our photo expert friend, Brigitte Patel. Just two words for this one - Simply Beautiful....
posted by Evan and Robin Sorem @ 3:00 PM
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