Monday, November 17, 2014

Andrew's Birth Story



It's crazy to think that Andrew will already be 4 weeks old this week!! Time really is just flying by. I went in for my scheduled c-section at 39 weeks and 1 day pregnant. It was such a surreal feeling going into the hospital and knowing that we would have a baby in a few hours! We had taken Abby to my mom and dad's house the night before, and then Dave and I went and had one last dinner out together at DeLuca's. We went home and tried to get a good night's sleep, and then we were up bright and early to shower and be on our way. Checking into the hospital didn't take too long, and by around 6:30am I was in a gown in a recovery room getting my IV in. At that point I started to panic a little - more about the surgery than anything! I felt hot and nauseous, but once the IV was in I was able to calm down a bit. Our doctor was running a little late, so finally at 8:30am we went over to surgery. Dave waited outside while I walked into the room and got up on the operating table. I had been most nervous about the spinal block, but everything went very smoothly! I did end up getting sick a few times, most likely as a reaction to the pain medicine that was administered in my spinal block. Dave finally joined me and by that time I was feeling much better. I do remember that one of the nurses had a very strongly scented lotion on! I actually had to ask her to step back for a few minutes because it was making me feel so ill! Once I was completely numb from about the shoulders down, Dr. Tucker came in and started the surgery. It seemed like no time at all before they were pulling Andrew out! He came out crying and sucking his thumb! 







They brought him right to me and I got to touch him and hold him while he was all covered in goo! Then after getting him cleaned up and weighed the nurses pulled my gown down and I was able to hold him right against my skin while the doctors finished sewing me up. It was so different in every way from my birth experience with Abigail. I was just so AWARE this time around, which was so wonderful. When Abby was born I was so drugged up that I felt completely out of it. After surgery was over we got wheeled into recovery, where I was able to nurse Andrew right away. He latched right on and it just felt so natural. Dave and I spent a couple hours in recovery sending pictures and texts and chatting with our families. We finally moved into our hospital room and had our first visitors (Dave's parents!) not too long after. I felt pretty good because of the spinal block and medicine that had been administered through that, so I wasn't really having much pain, which was nice. My mom and dad brought Abby to visit later that afternoon. She was tentative and a bit shy, but she was excited to meet her baby brother! 



We were able to go home after just two nights in the hospital, which was really great. I had originally thought that I would want to stay a third night, but we were so ready to get home to our bed! Abby stayed an extra night with my parents, and then we all got settled in at home together the day after that. So far, things have been going really well!! Andrew is a very content baby, and as long as he is able to nurse every 2-3 hours he rarely cries. The sleep deprivation is definitely not fun, and Abby has had a few tough moments adjusting, but that's all to be expected. Dave stayed home with us for a week and a half before heading back to work, and having him home was wonderful. I've been trying to find my "new normal" now that I have two kids to care for alone during the day, and so far we've been doing all right for the most part! We are pretty confident that Andrew will be our last child, so I'm trying to savor all of the sweet baby moments and when things feel extra hard I remind myself that he will only be this little once. Before long we will have two toddlers running around! But for now, we have this sweetness to snuggle with...