Asher Chandler is Here!

We are so happy to announce the birth of our third child, Asher Chandler Pattillo! He was born on Monday, October 2nd at 7:52am was 7lb 2oz and 20.8in long. 

With all of the unknowns and knowing Asher already was measuring weeks ahead in measurements, we had a scheduled c-section. Brian and I checked in at 5:30am and got all ready. My parents, sister, and Brian's dad all came down to Baylor to hang out and be in the waiting room. Brian's mom took one for the team and stayed at home with our kids. 

The whole c-section experience was so different and strange for us because it was the first time I had ever given birth that way. I asked my mom to join us in the operating room just in case there were any complications we would have someone to be with Asher and someone to be with me. The plan was as long as Asher came out breathing and acting normally the NICU team would do a quick assessment and then he would come with me to recovery. Praise God he came out kicking and screaming! They did a quick assessment and determined that everything looked good so they handed him to me. It was such a relief to finally see him and know that at least for this moment that everything was alright. 

Getting my epidural

After we got my pain under control in the recovery room they sent me up to the postpartum floor. Tyler and Eisley came up to visit and were so excited to meet their baby brother. Eisley was a little more cautious but they both were excited to hold him and see what special toy he brought for each of them. It was such a special time because we had initially told Tyler that he wouldn't be able to meet Asher in the hospital because we assumed he would go straight to the NICU. 

The next day we noticed that Asher would randomly get a "shiver" so we mentioned it to the nurse. Thankfully because we were on such high alert looking for things that were out of the normal range we asked about every little thing. This time it paid off! Apparently shivering can be a sign of low blood sugar. They tested his blood sugar and it was super low. They did a few things to try and bring it up and it just wasn't really working so that night he was admitted to the NICU. It was a whirlwind of emotions for Brian and I. We never anticipated that we would be in the NICU for low blood sugar. Thankfully the NICU was right down the hall so it got me motivated to get up and out of bed multiple times a day to go and hold/feed him. 

He was also treated for jaundice while in the NICU.

The plan had always been for Asher to receive an ultrasound of his head after birth to see if there was any fluid pressing on his brain or evidence of the brain bleed. Both of these were things that had shown up on the fetal MRI. I will never forget Brian texting me to come to the NICU as soon as I could. When I walked in and saw him weeping it totally freaked me out. He said "They found nothing." The ultrasound showed no excess fluid or evidence of a brain bleed in Asher. This is what we had been praying for over the past few months. We will have a follow up MRI on November 28th with a neurologist at Children's but we were overjoyed at this amazing news! 

Both Tyler and Eisley got to visit Asher in the NICU a couple of times. Thankfully we were able to pull the curtain around our little space and slip the kids right in from the door. That way they never saw any of the other sweet babies in the room with Asher. They were so brave and so sweet. Tyler asked all about the cords and things they had hooked up to him and Eisley was worried about his diapers. They love him so much and it is so sweet to watch how much they want to love on him.

I was discharged from the hospital on Thursday so Brian and I stayed at the hotel in Baylor on Thursday night so that I could spend all day with Asher on Friday. We were released from the NICU on Sunday and headed home as a family of 5. We praise God for this amazing gift he has given us and are so excited for the years to come!