Baby makes 3

A month ago we had a baby. It's weird to write, and crazy to think but our family is no longer a cult of 2 with fur babies. It has taken me a full month to recover enough and have enough time to blog this but I will worn you I am sleep deprived and baby is stirring so I don't have time to proof read.

On Feb 23 we began final preparations for what can only be described as the biggest, life changing event of our life. We spent the day lounging, snuggling and last minute packing (for whatever reason, I just couldn't pack until it was time to go). We loaded the car with our junk, Courage and Kitty Dot and headed for Murfreesboro. It was the last night as just the two of us. We held hands, talked about the future and listened to our music just a little too loud. I tired to take in every second but much of my brain was occupied with the fact I was nervous about surgery and excited to meet my baby. Since my c-section was to be first thing in the morning we decided we'd go out to dinner then spend the night at my parents house, leaving Courage and Kitty Dot to be cared for by my parents while we were in the hospital.  This idea was great... except a very pregnant Reagan and Jason had to attempt to sleep in a full size bed in their 80 degree house. Needless to say after my delicious Outback dinner (I really wanted the pumpernickel bread and cheese fries), it was a long and restless night. I'm pretty sure I slept less than 2 hours, which was extra torturous because I couldn't have anything to eat or drink.

Feb 24, 2012, I was up before the alarm clock. I took a shower, I loved on Courage and Kitty, I talked to my mom and I didn't rush Jason enough because even thought I was a ball of anxiety and excitement I we were leaving with only 2 minutes till we were supposed to be at the hospital! I drove us, (yes  I drove us to the hospital to have our baby) because I knew we'd get there faster and my brain would be occupied to keep me from freaking out. We rushed inside, up the elevator and into the labor and delivery admitting. It all seemed so sureal. Interestingly even though we pre-registered there was still ALOT of paper work, which I completed while realizing we forgot our birth plan. WHAT?! I know right, after all my bitching and moaning we forgot it. Jason double checked the car but I guess we left it on the dinning room table, so I texted my mom to print them and send them from my cell-phone... they covered me with hospital bracelets and walked me to "my room". Which was really a pre-op room that I had to share with another woman. I was NOT thrilled about a shared room but was reassured this was just until we went to surgery. This room was bare bones, but I did have the window side, so that was a bonus. I didn't even have a pillow. Ask me how much I liked that! Anyway, the nurse I had was a total bitch. She didn't listen to what I had to say, she blew my vein and I have AMAZING veins (there was literally blood all over my arm), she would interrupt what I was saying to tell me know, she didn't want a copy of my birth plan because she already knew they wouldn't do any of it, she actually said "your Dr. doesn't get to decided that" after I told her we had discussed all the requests and finally she was really weird while prepping me for surgery (shaving/washing my lower belly and genitals) saying "does that feel good". I was pissed, I actually cried when she left the room.  Anyway, as soon as we got into the room I started my birthing day affirmation and it was perfect to set the mood. It even quieted my roommate. My mom and dad arrived, I met the anesthesiologist, who was fabulous and then my Dr. came in,  I told her how horrible the experience had been so far and suddenly everything changed. I got a new nurse who was awesome. I had a pillow and after a quick ultrasound to confirm he was still breech and my Dr. removing 2 earrings from my head we were off..

It was weird how quick it all happened... my dad gave me a kiss on the forehead and jason was starting to get dressed and off we went.. the anesiologist and my new nurse.. I had  my head phones on and I was listening to my c-section hypnobabies as we exited my room. The hall air rushed my face and I was thankful to be lying down. Again, it was surreal, being pushed down the hall of the hospital instead of pushing someone, the feeling of moving without being in control... watching the doors open as they used their hospital ID badges. I could hear Jason and saw where they had him sit. I nervous for him, leaving him outside the door seemed more scary then actually going into the OR.

The OR was bring, clean, and very white but not freezing as I had experienced before (they said this is because they don't want to freeze the babies). I use the word white because it is one of the colors I found to be comforting in my hypnosis and that is how the room visually was and felt. A warm white room. I said to them, dear god that's a small table. To which they laughed and told me they knew it would hold me and a couple of them. I transfer over to the tiny table and they had me sit up on the side. My Dr. was there and I leaned on her while they gave me my spinal. I just need to say, my Dr. was amazing. She took incredible care of me. Anyway, the spinal wasn't painful, just weird... pressure and stinging are good words to describe it and then he asked me which side I was feeling more on and I side left... a few more tugging like feels and it was time to lie down. Before I could even get all the way down my legs felt like they'd been shot up with Novocain.  I started to feet faint, which I wasn't surprised by. The anesthesiologist and I talked about how my anxiety causes me to faint and or feel faint so I wouldn't be able to tell him exactly how I felt but I would try... anyway I mentioned it to him and he said, "yeah, your BP dropped but you'll be feeling better any minute now. I've got you covered".  I then had the option of nasal canula O2 or a mask... I opted for nasal and up went the screen and in came Jason. It was sooo good to see him. Like everything would be okay. He seemed far away but just knowing he was there allowed me to focus on my hypnosis. Which I did... I felt tons of tugging, which was VERY hard to describe to which I finally said, it feels like the alien coming out of  Barf on SpaceBalls. The anesthesiologist LOVE that. Away the next thing I heard was something that sounded like "a third nipple" to which I said, what?!? She rephrased with, the cord was wrapped around his neck 3 times and the next thing she said was drop the curtain and there he was.... I had a baby!! He looked at me, but didn't cry at first, just sort of looked around for a second and then she handed him off and he started crying. Hearing your baby cry for the first time brings joy and amazement, of corse now that we're a month in, it breaks my heart. I digress, anyway, Jason got up and went to the baby, while I listened very closely for Apgar scores, crying, and any statements being made. His apgar scores were 8 and 9, he seemed to be perfect. Jason didn't make a peep and then they brought my sweet Kelso over to me, cheek to cheek. It was so strange, I didn't even know what to do. I honestly think I was numb and in shock. He was gorgeous and I just wanted to hold him, but that wasn't a possibility. They stayed for what seemed like forever and yet just a second. It's so hard to explain but it was literally like a freeze frame or something on TV. I think the whole world stopped for those few minutes as I stared into the face of the child we had been blessed with. Jason and Kelso left for the nursery and promised to be in my room asap. My surgery was finished and off we went.

Back in my room, my mom was waiting for me as I asked. I had seen my sister in law come back from a c-section and I was the only one there, everyone else was in the nursery... I didn't want to come back to a room alone and she didn't let me down. Also, my awesome nurse didn't leave me except to go get Kelso. :) She actually said to Jason, stop being a baby hog. lol My random roommate said to me as I left, it's no big deal (this was her 4th c-section), and now here I am back in this room with her and she's hysterically crying. It was wild. Jason and the baby showed up and that was it. We nursed, took pictures and then a room change... which was wild because they shot me up with a pain killer...

The first day went well... baby was amazing, not much pain however that night I can't say the same. I was miserable. Gas pain in my shoulders was excrushiating. Also, I was passing huge ass clots, which I couldn't exactly get to... oh and don't forget the uterine massage.... We had planned on the baby staying in our room round the clock but around 2am we decided to let him go to the nursery for a few hours so we could sleep, as it is hospital policy to not let all the lights be turned off if baby is in the room. I can't say how glad I am we did this. I LOVED our night nursery nurse and Kelso loved her. They brought him to me ever 2 hours anyway and between nursing every hour and my pain... I couldn't have done it without the help.

The rest of the time at the hospital was pretty typical. We had a few visitors, we slept very little, nursed constantly and we were amazed by our baby. The biggest excitement we had was the horrible staff pediatrician discovered a heart murmur and Kelso had to have an EKG and an echo done.... I say she's horrible... she was just SUPER scattered. I also had a terrible lactation consultant, my nipples looked like I'd been breast feeding a honey badger and all she said was, "Wow, that looks painful".  On day 4 when it was time to go home my milk was just starting to come in and poor Kelso was ravenous as he had lost more than the "allowed" amount the lactation lady stopped by and told me she wanted me to supplement with formula but I refused... and I'm glad I did. However, by the time we got home from the hospital I was near crying from the pain of my breast engorgement and honey badger abused nipples. I took a hot shower, I pumped... to no avail... thank god I knew a good lactation consultant who I called and got an appointment with right away.

Anyway, that's it... that's the story.  We had a beautiful baby boy on Feb, 24, 2012. He weighed 8lbs 6oz, 20.25 inches long. Our lives are totally different, which I expected... it's the fatigue that's getting me. That being said it's totally worth it and time is going so quickly... I can't believe it has been a month. I'm still staring at him with wonder and amazement....


If you haven't watched already here is a picture version of our pregnancy/birth.