A Baby is Born!

 

So, as a follow up to my last post..  Here's my labor.. errrr ummm  birth story.

As you probably already read, on Sunday December 11th, Jeremy and I took the kids to Winterhaven to see the lights and I jokingly said (and hoped) the walking would put me into labor. 

We were getting ready to leave and trying to find the crossroads we came in on around 10:00pm and thats when I started having mildly painful contractions.   Nothing too awful, just absolutley annoying..   which by the way I attributed to the fact that I had a very full bladder and needed to pee like my life depended on it. 

The whole ride home I was having some intense period-like cramps and some back pain but like i said..  nothing too awful.  

After we got home and taking our sleeping girls inside, I decided to shower to be fresh and clean for my scheduled C-section that was set for the following morning at 7:30am.   My cramps laid off a little bit after a nice long relaxing shower and after laying down for a few minutes Maleah woke up and refused to go back to sleep.      We played on my bed for a little bit but my cramps kept getting more and more intense and seemed to be coming faster and faster.

I spent about 3 more hours cramping every 2-3 minutes with them becoming more intense as the minutes passed but I was trying not to show too much pain since Maleah was getting worried with my groans and breathing.    

At 3:00am I decided I had better finish packing my hospital bag and wake my Mom up to watch Maleah since she was still awake and I went and told Jeremy (who was laying on the couch resting) that it was 'Time'.  He seemed a little worried and excited and we grabbed my pillow, bag and boppy and kissed Maleah goodbye and were out the door to the hospital.

Now I wasn't due to be at the hospital for another couple of hours.    My scheduled C-section was supposed to take place at 7:30am and I was to check into the hospital no later than 5:30am...  Well, we checked in at 4:15am after a VERY painful car ride.    I contracted every 2 min of the 40 min car ride, gripping the door and Jeremy's hand in pain and stomping the floor while trying to breathe through the pain.

After we finally got check in and all the paperwork signed, I was taken to a room where they asked for a urine sample and had me change into a gown and I was hooked up to the monitors in no time.   Pretty soon I had several nurses and techs in my room, swarming around me asking me a dozen of questions all at the same time meanwhile Jeremy was being absolutley AMAZING reminding me to breathe through every contraction and rubbing my shoulders and running his fingers through my hair.    

Because of my exteme adhesive allergies the nurses, drs and Anesthesiologist were all trying to figure out how they were going to hook me up to my IV without using any kind of adhesive pads or tape and came up with the best solution...   sewing it into my hand.

The Anesthesiologist numbed my hand with several shots and inserted the IV.   He then took out a needle and with several small stiches he literally sewed around the vein and cathetar to hold it in place and then had the nurses wrap my hand with a roll of gauze and self-sticking wrap to keep it covered and secure.    

It seemed like time was flying by as I was signing paperwork and they were getting everything prepped.    My OB wasn't on the schedule until 7:00am but they didn't want to wait because of how recent my previous C-section was.   At 6:20am after having a bag and a half of fluids and one round of antibiotics in my system they gave Jeremy his painter's scrubs and put my hair net on and I was getting wheeled on my way to the OR.  

Jeremy had to wait outside the OR doors while they got me moved to the operating table and ready to get my spinal.  The Anesthesiologist was scrambling to have all the adhesive cut out of the surgical drapes and any other items they used for routine C-sections.   After 15 minutes, my Spinal Block was getting placed and I was being layed down on the table.   After inserting the cathetar and covering me with drapes, Jeremy was brought into the room right at the same time the Dr was cutting my incision.    He stood by my head and continued to rub my head and hair and within what seemed like just minutes, I felt a ton of pressure and pushing on my stomach and heard a loud squack from behind the curtain.. 

On Monday, December 12th 2011, Eleanor Nichole Vega was born at 6:50am.     She was a perfect 21" and 9.14lbs.   She let out her first cry before she was even completley out of my abdomen..   just as her head was pulled out and her airways being suctioned.

Ellie is our third little beauty...   a head full of soft black hair and slate blue eyes. 


They pulled her out completley and brought her to my head so I could see her and immediately I cried a few tears..   they took her to the nursery to do her intial checks and Jeremy of course followed.

As I layed on the table and they were still working on me..  removing my placenta and cleaning up my old scar tissue I began to get nauseous but was unable to get sick but kept gagging.   It's an incredibly weird feeling to need to vomit but not be able to control the muscles around your stomach to actually do it to feel better.     Between gagging and feeling ill in general I started having a severe stabbing pain under my right shoulder blade.    I was given another medicine that was supposed to relax me and stop the pain a little bit but it didnt help.   With my upper body thrashing around on the table the Dr was unable to finish with my surgery so I had to be put under completley. 

I partially woke up when I was being lifted from the OR table to the hospital bed and didn't wake again until I was in my recovery room from almost an hour.. but I woke to the crys of my hungry baby girl wanting her first meal   <3     Jeremy gave her to me right away and she latched on for her first meal like a pro.

We spent a few hours in recovery and then were moved to a regular labor sweet for the next few days.   
Jeremy was amazing during this whole process and practically refused to leave my bedside or sleep.

 

After about 30 hours of no sleep, he finally gave in and napped for the first time.


 She's perfect..  absolutley PERFECT.

Our hospital stay was pretty uneventful but in a good way..  I was able to get up and get moving 24hours after my C-section and got to take a much needed shower.  Jeremy had to go home Tuesday afternoon to take care of the girls' since they stayed the night before with my Mom. 
 

 

Bonding with her Daddy after delivery.

After a little begging and more bloodwork, we were released Wednesday evening and got to go home to everything familiar.   Things have been amazing since being home.  Jeremy has been awesome taking care of us and keeping up on housework so I can recover and take care of our girls..  She's a womderful baby and doesn't cry unless she's cold after a bath and her sisters absolutley LOVE her.

I'm truely blessed to have a wonderful man in my life and three beautiful, perfect little girls.