The Birth Story aka: TMI :-)

Ooookay folks, here's the scoop!
WARNING: picture and word overload



The day started with a routine appointment, a 41 week checkup, where they did antepartum testing because of my past due date. When they checked the fluids around the baby, they noticed my amniotic fluid was barely enough for them to not be worried. When they called in a doctor to give final word on whether or not I was okay to go home, she basically asked me if I'm willing to just come back today to be induced and have the baby now since Thanksgiving was coming up and she didn't want too much more time to go by without my body going in to labor on it's own. I tried to act cool and just answer her 'yes' I was happy to come back but I'm pretty sure something like, "YES! My whole family can be here now!" came out :-)

So I left the appointment to go home and get my bags and made all the necessary phone calls to everyone around. And I texted Zacho, "Looks like we're gonna have a baby tonight, darlin". To which he responded, "What?!?!?!?!?!?!?" :-)

Once Zacho was released from training and I got all settled in the hospital (LONG story there, but I didn't get to deliver at the Army base which made me super sad, and I ended up getting a stranger doctor at Christus Santa Rosa -read: the ghetto- but a little more on that later...) my Mom was able to come down and the three of us started the 'hurry up and wait' game of labor! :-)

After a few nurse pop-ins to check me for progress, they noticed that my body was coincidentally going into labor on its own, which was good and bad. It meant a LONG night for everyone and that I'd have to actually experience labor, which if you ever asked me how I felt about child birth you'd know that I was NOT interested in feeling ANYTHING :-) But the good part was that it meant Mac was ready and we weren't bombarding him with a mean little surprise.

So into labor I go, and it must not have been more than 45 minutes that a nurse who was monitoring me from the nurses station outside came in because she noticed Mac was under some distress every time I contracted. She showed me the monitor feeds and every time my body contracted (which I actually didn't even feel at this point, they were so early on) Mac's little teeny tiny heart beat would plummet and then take SOOO long to recover back to normal. It was the saddest thing! So she put me on an oxygen mask and had me turn on my side and said she'll be back to check and see if that fixes the problem. I figured that meant I wouldn't see her for another hour or so since that's what the pattern was thus far, but she ended up coming back in 2 minutes later and said, "we need to call the doctor". I guess the stuff she tried to fix didn't work and action needed to be taken pronto. Next thing I know, she's back in my room and telling me that the doctor (who I hadn't even MET yet mind you) is telling her I need to be prepped for a C-section because Mac was under too much stress for how early on in labor I was. I was in complete SHOCK and started crying when I saw the anesthesiologist. It all happened in a matter of about 20 minutes. I went from not even feeling contractions to being prepped for surgery! I think my body started trembling immediately and I was literally trembling the entire surgery and didn't stop until they wheeled me into recovery.

The surgery itself was traumatic for me. I am proud of myself for going through it, but I didn't really have a choice. I can't believe that it even happened though, since no one in my family has ever had to have one and it wasn't even something I was considering might happen. When I say it was traumatic, I can't even describe how much I was shaking... I've never felt less in control of my body. I felt pretty much everything during the surgery, of course not in a painful way, but in a 'holy smokes I just felt them cut me open, I just felt them pull out the baby, I just felt them clean out my abdomen...' kind of way. The epidural worked beautifully, if you actually WANT to feel what's going on. I would have much preferred to be put to sleep. They asked me if I'd like to, but the anesthesiologist pretty much made the decision for me not to, and in hindsight I'm grateful because it meant I was able to nurse Mac right away. And I wouldn't be able to have such a cool story to tell if I wasn't awake for all of it ;-)

Once they pulled Mac out, I saw them rush him over to the nurses, and I just heard him cry and cry. I would arch my back on the surgery table and try and look directly behind me to see him, but the doctors got mad at me for moving to much :-) Later, the nurses told me that the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck 3 times, and that's why my contractions were causing his heart rate to drop. The cord contracts with the uterus (which was news to me) and it was literally strangling him every time I contracted. SO SAD!! I just picture his little body struggling in there and it makes me SO grateful for the quick-acting team who got him out despite my tears and trembling and obvious trepidation about the whole thing. The main doctor who ordered the C-section and did the surgery definitely wasn't my favorite person in the room. I AM grateful to him for being a quick thinker and getting my baby out safely for me and Mac, but there are definitely areas of improvement in his job performance. Examples: I didn't even meet him until I was being prepped for surgery (so I was basically being told by some stranger on the phone that I had to under go this HUGE surgery and I couldn't even ask questions or get any sort of comfort on the matter) AND when I finally saw him in the operating room, he had quickly walked past my left side and when I turned around to see what he was doing, he was pacing the back of the room with ear-buds in his ears!!! SERIOUSLY?! What are you listening to that's so dadgum important RIGHT NOW?! A quick review of the lecture you recorded from your C-section 101 course????

Buuuut, in the end I can see the great work that he did. The more people I talk to that have had C-sections say that recovery is long and hard, usually about 6 weeks. I'm on day 8 right now and if I didn't have fishing line strung across my tummy, I think I'd feel pretty darn close to normal. I stopped taking pain meds yesterday and I can walk and hold Mac and pretty much do anything I want (minus exercise). And little things like Mac's umbilical cord were done beautifully and is healing perfectly. So the doc IS good at what he does. I can at least admit that ;-)

And I guess the rest is history! I was in the hospital a total of 2 and a half days. Mac stayed one extra night for jaundice (we were able to stay with him), and by day 3 we were headed home.

Zach and I can't even believe that we have a little family now. This little guy has completely changed us and changed our lives. We are madly in love with him. We just sit on the bed at night and just stare and him!! Such first-time parents :-) Zach's reaction to this whole thing has been equally amazing for me to watch, too. He is honestly the most incredible person. He took care of me, took care of Mac, and continues to jump at any and every opportunity to do what he can for us. And not only that, he is completely smitten with the little guy. He came running out of the room a couple days ago after we tag-teamed a diaper change and Mac ended up peeing before we could get the new diaper back on, and he said, "My son just peed all over me and I don't even care!!!" :-) There's been so many sweet quotes that I've tried to remember as he's said them, and honestly I feel like they are just too sweet to even share. He has had such a heartfelt, deeply emotional reaction to the coming of our new baby that it seriously makes me cry when I think about it.

And of course, I'm a changed woman too ;-) I am completely shocked that my body could make such a perfect little human being. Not to mention that he's absolutely adorable too :-) And the sleep deprivation is almost not even an issue (knock on wood, I realize it's only day 8 ;-) because I'm not just awake in the middle of night for no reason. This little life needs me and relies on me for everything! I am just so blessed to have this little guy with me all the time. We are definitely new best friends :-)

And I can't finish without thanking my amazing Mom for the incredible documentation with the pictures. You guys, she seriously did the most amazing job, as you'll see below. I had NO idea half of the stuff that was going on because I was being stitched up and what not, so when I sat down at my computer and uploaded the memory card I think my jaw hit the floor. I couldn't believe the incredible moments she was able to get! I can't thank you enough for that Mom! I will honestly cherish these pictures for.ever.