I realized that I never wrote about Leah's birth and our stay in the hospital. Although this is a year late, I want to write it down so in 10 years, I can still remember!
Leah was a scheduled C-section. She was always measuring big and even a day after my due date, my body was showing no signs of labor. We (seriously it was just me and the doctor, Brian missed my very last, most important appointment because his boss kept him too long. I was SOOO mad!) talked with my doctor and discussed the options of 1. waiting another week, 2. trying induction, or 3. going straight to the c-section. I did not want to wait another week and the doctor didn't really want me too either because it would just make Leah even bigger. I was not fond of the induction idea either. I had heard so many stories of laboring for 24 hours and then still needing a c-section. My gut was just telling me I would end up there no matter what, so lets just jump straight to it. Plus c-section deliveries are the safest way to get babies out, and it gave me 2 more weeks paid maternity leave! I have to say I have the most amazing doctor ever that she even gave me the option to skip straight to the c-section. I think it was the best choice ever!!
I believe the delivery was scheduled for 4:30 and we were to arrive at 2:30. The drive was exciting. The walk into the hospital doors was even more exciting. When we left there, it would be with a baby! We checked in, were taken to a room where I got in my gown and they started preping me for surgery. I was strapped up to all the equipment, and 4 attempts to get my IV in. That was seriously the most pain I felt the entire time! (I know most women will probably smack me for saying that!)
Our delivery time was pushed back an hour as other mom's to be needed emerceny c-sections. The wait in our room was LONG and nerve racking. We would have never made waiting around for a normal delivery! Brian was antsy and I was getting nervous! A resident eventually came in and asked if I was feeling OK. I said yes... and she went on to tell me that I was having some pretty good contractions. I just thought it was nerves! I think I will always wonder if we didnt have the c-section scheduled if Leah would have came that night on her own.
While waiting around, Brian decided to go to the waiting room and check to see if our family was there. As he walked in, my mother was also walking in at the same time and freaked out thinking Brian was coming out to say she was born! Brian said her reaction was priceless and knowing my mom it probably made alot of people giggle!
Eventually we got the OK that it was our turn for the O.R. and the anestiologist came in to give me the epidural. I always heard that this was supposed to be painful. I kept tensing up to expect great pain, but all it felt like was a flu shot in my back! I think the pain comes from being in real labor, going thru contractions, and trying to sit still.... when you are pretty much labor free, it felt like nothing. It was the weirdest feeling EVER having your legs go numb!!
By then it was time to go! We rolled out of our room and down the hall to meet our baby!! We entered the O.R. and I switched beds and they tied down my arms. Brian took the chair right next to my head. I could tell he was very nervous. The sight of any blood makes him want to hurl, and knowing they were about to cut me open made him a little queezie. The aneseiologist asked if I was feeling OK, the Doctor asked if I could feel her pinching me, and when I responded to both with "no" they began! I r
emember thinking I was in an episode of Greys Anatomy or something. My doctor and the resident were just chatting back and forth like girl friends at lunch....
A few minutes later they found our baby girl! "Look at those cheeks!!!" were the first comment as they pulled her out! The Anestiegologist encouraged Brian to take pictures, but Brian was too scared to look, so the doctor took our camera and clicked away. We have some really crazy pictures with her head coming out my stomach and my stomach all wide open! "She is a big girl and look at how perfectly round her head is. I bet she was breach for quite a while because her head shows no mark of really ever being down. You made a great decision of skipping to this part. I do not think she would have came out on her own." Although I was caught up in trying to get a glimpse of my baby girl, hearing those words makes me so happy in the decision I made. It always feels good to know you choose correctly!
They showed her too me for a second, and I remember thinking "My baby!!" and then she moved over to the basinet to clean her up. 9 lbs 6 oz and absolutely healthy and perfect! I remember Brian looking at Leah, and then looking at me and just having the biggest, proudest smile ever on his face! They asked Brian if he wanted to cut the ambilical cord, I think his first response was actually no. Remember his queeziness. But after demands that he had to, he said "Ok. But how hard do I have to squeeze?" and we all laughed. They eventually wrapped Leah up and handed her over to Brian where he held her for the next 30 minutes while they put me back together. Up to this point, Brian had only held a baby a handful of times, for a total of 5 minutes, so you could see his nervousness on his face, but also pure joy and love.
When I was finished they rolled be back to the recovery room while Brian walked behind with our beautiful baby girl. I finally demanded that he pass her over and went to get our family. I loved the first moment I got with her alone. I loved her little nose, Brian's eyes, and her light brown hair. She was just so perfect. Exactly how I pictured her.
First our moms came in, 2 at a time. I moment my mom and Brian's mom walked around the curtain and caught a glimpse of their first grand baby was so exciting. There was so much joy in the air! Our dads, Brian's sister, my grandma and my uncle Keith were all there waiting to see the new addition. Leah had quite the welcoming.
Why did no one take that hairnet off of me!?!!
After a couple of hours in recovery Leah was taken away from us... up to the nursery to have her first bath. I was wheeled up to my room. When the nurses finally left us, and Leah was brought back, I remember looking at Brian in complete excitement and amazement. We were on cloud 9. Completely in love. We were parents! Our lives were forever changed.
