Post by janda426 on Mar 3, 2015 16:38:25 GMT -5
This is LONG but I wanted to remember every detail for myself:
I guess my birth story starts back at 32 weeks when we went for an ultrasound to check the status of baby's choroid plexus cyst. The cyst was gone-yay!- but they said my fluid was low and I needed an NST every week until delivery. He was also still breech. That weekend I was admitted with decreased fetal movement and given steroid shots to help his lungs develop in case we had to go early. Everything ended up being fine, we went for twice weekly fluid checks and each time little man was still breech. I began to accept the reality of a c section headed our way. I was disappointed at first but really allowed myself to accept the situation and realize I had control over nothing. So we scheduled my c section for exactly 39 weeks.
Thursday, February 26th- The morning of the c section John and I were surprisingly calm. I kept getting that pit in my belly thinking about what the day held for us and I just couldn't wait to meet my baby and have him in my arms. We opened the curtains that morning to SNOW and lots of it. The roads were disgusting and a plow hadn't come down our street once. John went out to clean off the car and within a half hour it was covered again. So that was a bit stressful. We gathered the last of our things for the hospital bags, loaded the car, put the dog away and headed out. We tried "vlogging" the whole day but ended up basically only vlogging the morning of and the drive to the hospital, oops.
The typically 7 minute drive ended up taking us 45 minutes and we were a little late. We checked into L&D and they took me back to the recovery room where id be taken back to after the surgery. They sent J to change into a pair of hospital scrubs and started all my paperwork, IV and bloodwork. They also did a quick ultrasound to confirm he was still breech, which of course he was. Little man was quite cozy with his head in my rib cage. It was about 10 am at this point and we were scheduled to go at 11:30. We ended up getting bumped by an emergency c section so that put us back about an hour which was okay, time was going really fast for some reason. Anesthesiology came by to explain what was gonna happen and what to expect. He was a funny guy and made me feel at ease since I was a little apprehensive about the whole thing. He told me we could do skin to skin in the OR, which I had been told wasn't allowed and when he left I started to tear up- this experience and "missing out" on my vaginal birth may end up not being so bad. And before I knew it, they were opening the curtain and it was time to go.
John wasn't allowed in for the spinal block so into the cold OR I went by myself with a blanket wrapped around me. The operating table looked so tiny and had a spotlight shining down on it. I took a seat sitting off the side of the table and a very, very sweet nurse stood in front of me holding my shoulders and arms and giving me words of encouragement. I shake badly when I'm nervous and I was definitely shaking a lot at this point. The anesthesiologist and nurse anesthetist were both awesome guys who were making small talk with me to set me at ease. I slouched forward as directed and he began the spinal- he said "you may feel a zing" and immediately what felt like an electric shock went from my lower spine right into my butt. Turns out I have a slight case of scoliosis no one ever told me about so that was fun. The next time he warned I may feel it again but I didn't, that time was a success. I rolled onto my back and began feeling my legs fall asleep. I kept asking tons of annoying questions like "okay __ is normal right?! Just want to make sure that's normal." And he allowed me to squeeze his fingers whenever I wanted because that meant the spinal wasn't going into my diaphragm which was an irrational fear of mine. So silly. Quickly I began feeling very numb and they set up the curtain above my head, inserted the catheter (which I didn't feel) and kept tapping to make sure I had no feeling. I kept saying "wait don't start! Where's John??" And they laughed and said they wouldn't start without him, and a moment later he walked in and sat beside my head. I was shaking SO badly my arms were practically flapping against the table like a dead fish. They placed a really warm blanket over me so that was awesome.
About 10 minutes into the procedure they started warning me about the pressure and pulling which I started feeling. I heard "stand up dad come take a photo here he comes!" And John looked up over the curtain- next thing I hear him saying "oh babe he has a full head of hair! Oh my gosh! He's so pasty white- OH HES PEEING!!" And we were all laughing as tears filled my eyes. At 12:31 PM my beautiful breech baby entered the world butt first and screaming. When they brought him by me and said "hi mom!" I gasped "oh my god oh my god!!" And tears just ran down my face as I bawled. I couldn't believe it, that little person was my son, my baby, who I had shared my body with for the past 9 months. Alarms started going off as my pulse shot up to over 200 something and they said okay mama calm down, calm down! I was like "oh I'm fine I'm just crying!!"
John went over to be with him and took a ton of photos. He came back and showed me his face up close and I said "oh he looks like me!!" He had such a little old man face and the expression on his face looked so wise. He had the classic breech baby froggy legs and kept kicking himself in the face by accident. My silly little boy. They wrapped him up and John was able to hold him next to me. We ended up not doing skin to skin since I was shaking so badly but surprisingly I wasn't upset about it, I knew I'd be able to hold my boy so soon. The rest of the procedure flew by, from start to finish it was only like 45 minutes. Next thing I knew they said all right you're all done! And they took the curtain down and moved me to a stretcher to take me back to recovery. When I got back they hooked me up to a bunch of heart monitors and pulse ox but I just wanted my baby. The nurse was kind of crabby but I told another nurse to give him to me so I could start breast feeding and she did. And oh my god, when they put him in my arms the water works started right back up. I just soaked in every inch of him, he is so perfect. I kissed his head and face all over and reveled in the best moment of my entire life.
The nurse who started getting him to my breast was very forceful and impatient and after 5 minutes of no success went to get a pump to syringe feed him. When she left I said screw that I'm not intervening 5 minutes into the recovery room. Using my knowledge from researching by the time she came back I had him latched on. Take that, lady. Don't give up on my baby. Recovery flew by as we just enjoyed the newness of being a family of three. I've never loved my husband so much as seeing him become a daddy. It's amazing the depths to which you can feel love for another person- our love created this perfect human being and that is just so unreal to me.
We stayed in the hospital until Sunday night and were so ready to get home. Breastfeeding has gone VERY well and my big boy has gained 6 oz since we got discharged less than 48 hours ago! The pediatrician was so shocked that as a FTM I am able to EBF him and already have him gaining weight when most babies are still losing. I was very proud of myself in that moment. I love being a mom. My heart bursts all day long thinking about or looking at my son and I'm so happy and feel so fortunate to have what I've always wanted. I am the luckiest mama in the world to have my baby boy Connor Elliott
I will add photos once I'm off my phone!
I guess my birth story starts back at 32 weeks when we went for an ultrasound to check the status of baby's choroid plexus cyst. The cyst was gone-yay!- but they said my fluid was low and I needed an NST every week until delivery. He was also still breech. That weekend I was admitted with decreased fetal movement and given steroid shots to help his lungs develop in case we had to go early. Everything ended up being fine, we went for twice weekly fluid checks and each time little man was still breech. I began to accept the reality of a c section headed our way. I was disappointed at first but really allowed myself to accept the situation and realize I had control over nothing. So we scheduled my c section for exactly 39 weeks.
Thursday, February 26th- The morning of the c section John and I were surprisingly calm. I kept getting that pit in my belly thinking about what the day held for us and I just couldn't wait to meet my baby and have him in my arms. We opened the curtains that morning to SNOW and lots of it. The roads were disgusting and a plow hadn't come down our street once. John went out to clean off the car and within a half hour it was covered again. So that was a bit stressful. We gathered the last of our things for the hospital bags, loaded the car, put the dog away and headed out. We tried "vlogging" the whole day but ended up basically only vlogging the morning of and the drive to the hospital, oops.
The typically 7 minute drive ended up taking us 45 minutes and we were a little late. We checked into L&D and they took me back to the recovery room where id be taken back to after the surgery. They sent J to change into a pair of hospital scrubs and started all my paperwork, IV and bloodwork. They also did a quick ultrasound to confirm he was still breech, which of course he was. Little man was quite cozy with his head in my rib cage. It was about 10 am at this point and we were scheduled to go at 11:30. We ended up getting bumped by an emergency c section so that put us back about an hour which was okay, time was going really fast for some reason. Anesthesiology came by to explain what was gonna happen and what to expect. He was a funny guy and made me feel at ease since I was a little apprehensive about the whole thing. He told me we could do skin to skin in the OR, which I had been told wasn't allowed and when he left I started to tear up- this experience and "missing out" on my vaginal birth may end up not being so bad. And before I knew it, they were opening the curtain and it was time to go.
John wasn't allowed in for the spinal block so into the cold OR I went by myself with a blanket wrapped around me. The operating table looked so tiny and had a spotlight shining down on it. I took a seat sitting off the side of the table and a very, very sweet nurse stood in front of me holding my shoulders and arms and giving me words of encouragement. I shake badly when I'm nervous and I was definitely shaking a lot at this point. The anesthesiologist and nurse anesthetist were both awesome guys who were making small talk with me to set me at ease. I slouched forward as directed and he began the spinal- he said "you may feel a zing" and immediately what felt like an electric shock went from my lower spine right into my butt. Turns out I have a slight case of scoliosis no one ever told me about so that was fun. The next time he warned I may feel it again but I didn't, that time was a success. I rolled onto my back and began feeling my legs fall asleep. I kept asking tons of annoying questions like "okay __ is normal right?! Just want to make sure that's normal." And he allowed me to squeeze his fingers whenever I wanted because that meant the spinal wasn't going into my diaphragm which was an irrational fear of mine. So silly. Quickly I began feeling very numb and they set up the curtain above my head, inserted the catheter (which I didn't feel) and kept tapping to make sure I had no feeling. I kept saying "wait don't start! Where's John??" And they laughed and said they wouldn't start without him, and a moment later he walked in and sat beside my head. I was shaking SO badly my arms were practically flapping against the table like a dead fish. They placed a really warm blanket over me so that was awesome.
About 10 minutes into the procedure they started warning me about the pressure and pulling which I started feeling. I heard "stand up dad come take a photo here he comes!" And John looked up over the curtain- next thing I hear him saying "oh babe he has a full head of hair! Oh my gosh! He's so pasty white- OH HES PEEING!!" And we were all laughing as tears filled my eyes. At 12:31 PM my beautiful breech baby entered the world butt first and screaming. When they brought him by me and said "hi mom!" I gasped "oh my god oh my god!!" And tears just ran down my face as I bawled. I couldn't believe it, that little person was my son, my baby, who I had shared my body with for the past 9 months. Alarms started going off as my pulse shot up to over 200 something and they said okay mama calm down, calm down! I was like "oh I'm fine I'm just crying!!"
John went over to be with him and took a ton of photos. He came back and showed me his face up close and I said "oh he looks like me!!" He had such a little old man face and the expression on his face looked so wise. He had the classic breech baby froggy legs and kept kicking himself in the face by accident. My silly little boy. They wrapped him up and John was able to hold him next to me. We ended up not doing skin to skin since I was shaking so badly but surprisingly I wasn't upset about it, I knew I'd be able to hold my boy so soon. The rest of the procedure flew by, from start to finish it was only like 45 minutes. Next thing I knew they said all right you're all done! And they took the curtain down and moved me to a stretcher to take me back to recovery. When I got back they hooked me up to a bunch of heart monitors and pulse ox but I just wanted my baby. The nurse was kind of crabby but I told another nurse to give him to me so I could start breast feeding and she did. And oh my god, when they put him in my arms the water works started right back up. I just soaked in every inch of him, he is so perfect. I kissed his head and face all over and reveled in the best moment of my entire life.
The nurse who started getting him to my breast was very forceful and impatient and after 5 minutes of no success went to get a pump to syringe feed him. When she left I said screw that I'm not intervening 5 minutes into the recovery room. Using my knowledge from researching by the time she came back I had him latched on. Take that, lady. Don't give up on my baby. Recovery flew by as we just enjoyed the newness of being a family of three. I've never loved my husband so much as seeing him become a daddy. It's amazing the depths to which you can feel love for another person- our love created this perfect human being and that is just so unreal to me.
We stayed in the hospital until Sunday night and were so ready to get home. Breastfeeding has gone VERY well and my big boy has gained 6 oz since we got discharged less than 48 hours ago! The pediatrician was so shocked that as a FTM I am able to EBF him and already have him gaining weight when most babies are still losing. I was very proud of myself in that moment. I love being a mom. My heart bursts all day long thinking about or looking at my son and I'm so happy and feel so fortunate to have what I've always wanted. I am the luckiest mama in the world to have my baby boy Connor Elliott
I will add photos once I'm off my phone!