Baby Jackson Arrives

Baby Jackson has come into the world! Jackson Chase Butterfield was born into the world at 7:43 am on Sunday July 8, 2012. We are so excited to be the parents of his strong spirit. Jackson's entry into the world was dramatic. Becca and I went into the hospital on Saturday evening to be induced. Jackson only needed a little push to come. Becca's water was broken and she went right into labor. Becca dilated quickly throughout the night until she hit 9.5 cm. At this point Jackson's heart rate began to decrease and stay low. At this point the doctor decided we needed to get the baby out. The doctor tried to do a vacuum delivery; however, the baby was posterior and couldn't get past Becca's pubic bone. Jackson's heart rate then settled down in the 70's to 80's, showing that he was in distress. The doctor then made the decision to to a c-section. In hind site, the decision to deliver Jackson through c-section saved Jackson's life. Once Jackson was born he was handed into the nursery. Unfortunately, we didn't hear Jackson cry. This was the first indication that something was wrong. The hospital staff acted very quickly to get a PA from the NICU to Jackson's bedside. It was determined that little Jackson had marconium aspiration. He was then placed in the NICU where carful physicians suctioned the lungs. It was determined that Jackson's marconium aspiration was very serious and had compromised the surfactant in his lungs. Also, as a result of the marconium it irritated his lungs causing pulmonary hypertension. At this point little Jackson had his heart and lungs revert to how they operated inside the womb by shunting the majority of the blood through the heart and bypassing the lungs. It was a constant fight to get Jackson's oxygen saturation and his blood ph to acceptable levels. Jackson was then flown to Primary Children's Hospital where they performed a machine, called ECMO, to bypass his lungs and heart to allow them a break while they heal. Jackson is responding well to the machine and the treatment given.