A Baby Story

On Tuesday, my last baby was delivered.  I say last, because, unless God does a miracle, this will be the last baby I grow inside of me.  Baby boy (still working on a nickname) was welcomed into the world by me, Racer, Blue, Professor, Girlie, Gorilla, my parents, Racer’s mother and grandmother.  He is already well-loved and Girlie and Gorilla are totally smitten with him!

Tuesday morning, Racer and I got to the hospital at 6am.  I was taken back for some pre-op paperwork and prep.  I was asked and signed multiple times that a tubal is “permanent and  irreversible.”  I had to state my medicine allergies and the type of surgery I was having I think with each paper I signed and person I spoke to.  I was gowned, given and iv and had to drink some awful, salty, nasty cup of something.  Pretty sure it was an antacid of some sort, but it was GROSS!

Racer then came in and soon the anesthesiologist and OB came in to speak with us.  I learned I’d be getting a spinal instead of an epidural.  Not sure what the exact difference is, but the process for me is the same.  I wasn’t that impressed with the bedside manner of the doctor, but I just figured that’s his personality.  It happens.  My OB came in then.  And, for someone I chose over the internet, mid-pregnancy, I’m impressed.  I really like her and connect with her style of medicine.

Then, it was time to head up to the delivery/operating room.  My first delivery ended in an emergency c-section and because of the facilities available for my second pregnancy, I have opted for repeat c-sections.  This would be my 4th.  Because it was my 4th and was being done at 38 weeks and 6 days (one day before AMA recommends), my OB had another doctor from her practice assist.  Before all that, though, had to come the spinal.

Let me explain this part by saying that I dread the epidural/spinal part more than any other aspect of the c-section.  Even with my first, I dreaded the epidural.  So going in, I have some anxiety about this procedure.  Then I was asked to lay on my side instead of sit up like I was used to.  Y’all know me and change…  Then, the doctor couldn’t get the spinal.  He tried.  And tried again.  I curved as much as I could.  Then I sat up and he tried that way.  I was getting more and more anxious and scared and nervous.  I took a minute between tries to calm down.  My blood pressure was going up and up and up…  He tried again.  The nurses were great.  I was curling into one as much as I could.  I think I left marks on her arm from gripping it so tight.  Then, the doctor stepped away.  He called in his partner to do it.  The second anesthesiologist came in.  They had to re-sterilize the field.  He got it on the first try.  Got some meds and my blood pressure went back to normal.  I had some nauseous feelings, but they went away.  Soon I was lying down, Racer was with me and we would soon meet our baby!

Once they got started, things moved quickly.  I could hear the OB’s talking and then heard that we had a baby.  Racer looked over the curtain and it was a boy!  Soon he began to cry and they got him wrapped up and brought around so I could see him.  I gave him a kiss, snuggled for a minute and then baby and Racer went off to get tested, washed and ready for the world.

My doctors quickly finished with me and got me into recovery.  At some point, they transferred me to another bed, but I don’t remember that.  All I remember is asking when I could see, hold and nurse my baby.  Soon is what they kept saying.  I guess I kept bugging, but “soon” they brought baby boy back and we snuggled and tried nursing.  He latched on right away!  Racer came back and joined us.  It was time to go to our room and meet the rest of the family.

On the way to my room, I was my typical self trying to help.  The nurse had to tell me twice to keep my hands in the bed; I was only trying to move the curtain out-of-the-way and hold the door open!  When we got into the room, our family was all there.  I got to announce the name to everyone.  Until then, they only knew we had a boy.  The younger kids couldn’t wait to hold him.  Blue was upset seeing me all connected and in bed and hurt.  Baby boy was held by all and then everyone went home and left me, baby and Racer alone for some quiet, a nap and some bonding time.

Later in the afternoon we got another family visit.  I was tired, but I already missed my other kids.  Although I appreciated the time of rest in the hospital, I missed my other kids.  I missed being at home.  I was glad for the visits, but I am also glad that we had plenty of help in the form of loving grandparents who could take care of them at home.  Racer stayed with baby and I in the hospital most of the time.  We had great nursing care.  The food was pretty good too.  The kids found it funny that I could only have liquids until I “passed gas.”  It’s funny to hear kids pray that their mommy would fart!  They really wanted me to have “real food.”

I was up and walking (minimally) on Tuesday night.  Wednesday morning brought a shower and more walking around.  It felt so good to get out of bed!  Slowly I was up and around.  I got to wear my regular clothes and more and more tubes were being disconnected.  I did spend Thanksgiving in the hospital, but I also got to watch the Macy’s Day parade uninterrupted!  Racer and Blue brought be a plate of yummy food and also brought some yummy Thanksgiving fare for the nursing staff that was working.  They were so appreciative!  Baby boy was doing well, even though he lost some weight.  We continued to learn how to breastfeed, which is always fun at first.  Sometimes it went without a hitch and sometimes, we tried and tried again.

Friday morning brought time to come home.  Paper signed, staples removed, instructions given.  Being a “seasoned” mom, the nurses were more relaxed in our discharge instructions.  And, we were the last of a slew of discharges.  When we arrived, baby boy made #13 in the nursery.  When we left, there were no more.  Thirteen has always been a lucky number for me.

So now we are home.  We just spent our first night together as a big family in our own home.  Baby’s cries carry further at night that I thought they would and we woke a few people up.  Plus, we are at the breastfeeding stage where baby is having trouble latching at first.  That’ll go away, but it does make for a little impatient crying in the middle of the night.  But, it is now morning of a new day and I’m looking forward to what our new routines will be.

I am still pretty sore, but glad to have grandma’s around to help for another week.  Racer is really great in the middle of the night so that I don’t have to get in and out of bed a bunch of times.  And even this morning, I had coffee and toast brought to me!  I could get used to this, but I don’t really want to.  I kind of like being the caretaker.  I don’t mind the “vacation” though.

So, for now, that is our baby story.  Soon, I’ll have a cute nickname and you’ll be inundated with lovely baby boy stories!  But until then, I hope you’ve enjoyed all the lovely and not so lovely details of his birth.  Thanks for “listening!”