Our Hospital Stay

We arrived in the hospital on Sunday night.  The boys were born just after midnight on Monday morning.  With a c-section, I expected to stay 3 nights.  Luckily, my doctor allowed me to stay a 4th night and we were able to all leave on Friday.  Here is an glimpse into our hospital stay.

Houston and Gatlin - The Birth Story

Saturday, March 15th was the day Josh and I were going to put the final touches on "all things baby", i.e., pack bags, purchase last minute items, etc.  Harper was at Nana and the Govs, so Josh and I took advantage.  We went to Target, Kroger, and I got a pedicure and visited a friend who just had a baby.  Kim drove us to Vanderbilt to see our friend Jenn and in the parking garage, my back started hurting.  We {slowly} made our way to Jenn's room to meet baby Clayton.  The longer we stayed, the more my back began to bother me.  At my 34 week check-up (Thursday before), I was 2-3cm dilated and my doctor said to call with any contractions/back pain, etc.  So, I stepped out of Jenn's room and called the doctor.  She advised me to go get checked out at the hospital.  Kim, slightly freaking out, drove me to Baptist to be admitted to triage. 

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We decided to document my ride into the triage room.  Meanwhile, Josh was picking up Harper and she was running a fever.  I asked him to stay with her and my mom came to meet me in triage.  After a few hours, the back pain died down and I was sent home.  I was glad, b/c it was still early and I never go around to showering or packing my bags. Once I got home, I spent that night in bed with this pitiful face...

We spent much of the next day in bed.  I was swollen, uncomfortable, and worn out from the night before.  Harper was running a high fever (103) so she was pretty pitiful most of the day.  Josh and I rotated keeping an eye on her - until the back pain started.   

From 4-6, it was off and on and at 7, I started timing them.  The back pain is a little different from front contractions.  After an hour and half, I called the doctor.  The on call doctor told me there nothing I told him that gave him any indication I should stay home.  Thankfully, a few hours earlier, Josh threw a few things in a bag for the two of us and the boys.  We gathered up our stuff and loaded up the car.  We were half way to meeting my parents with a sick Harper, when Josh realized he left his wallet at home.  They met us at our house, we loaded up Harper, and sent her home with them.  Josh and I got back in the car and headed to Baptist.  At this point, it was almost an hour after I talked to the doctor and the back pain was now constant.  It hurt so bad, I cried a little on the way to the hospital.  I think the tears and me telling Josh it was like with Harper, it made him realize this might be it.  I had the same experience with her (on a Sunday and everything). 

We arrived at the waiting room (the night before St. Patricks day) and were checked into Triage.  We waited about 45 minutes before seeing the doctor.  The back pain was miserable.  Apparently, I am more sensitive to contractions in my back vs. my front.  They were coming hard and strong and I knew a c-section was in my immediate future.  After talking the on-call doctor, he said it was time to prep for a c-section.  We knew I would be having on with the boys.  I had a hard time laboring with Harper, that my doctor didn't want to risk it with twins.  At about 1130 pm, the prep team arrived and the process for surgery began. 

Josh snapped this picture of them wheeling me out of triage towards the OR. Having been through this before, I had an idea of how it would all go down.  The crazy thing is, with Harper, it was 11:35 on a Sunday night and I had her by 12:07 on Monday morning.  Well, just after midnight on Monday morning, baby A (Houston) arrived at 12:15 am and baby B (Gatlin) arrived at 12:17 am.  Gatlin was stuck up by my ribs with his face up and arm behind his back.  The doctor was having trouble getting him to turn head down (he was transverse), he eventually pulled him out by the hips.  

Baby A-Houston was 4lbs. 12oz. and 16 1/2" long. 

Baby B-Gatlin was 4lbs. 14 oz. and 18 1/4" long.
They were born 5 1/2 weeks early.
Poor Gatlin had a little bruising on his face and hand (right hand is purple) from his position in the womb.

They had the NICU staff ready to take the boys to the NICU.
First, Josh was able to take a few pictures and I was able to "Hold" them.

(Houston)

(Gatlin)
I was struggling with nausea and the shakes, so I didn't get to see them long. 

Josh went with our sons to the NICU and stayed with them while I was recovering in the OR and then my room.

(Houston)

(Gatlin)

Finally, just before 3 am, the boys were released from the NICU monitoring.  We couldn't believe that these two were released and able to go upstairs with us to the regular recovery floor and nursery. 

At 34 weeks, the lungs are a huge concern and they were both doing so well breathing on their own. 

I was still recovering from losing a lot of blood, having the shakes, and battling some nausea.  Eventually, things calmed down and we moved upstairs.  We all settled in around 5 am. 

(Gatlin left, Houston right)

These two boys are a blessing from God and miracle.  They are thriving for their size/age and we couldn't be more pleased.  

(Gatlin left, Houston right)

Our little St. Patrick's Day babies are the perfect addition to our family.  As Josh said to me in our room, I love that we are now a family of 5.  It was a whirlwind labor/delivery and cannot believe you are out in the world with us.

Gatlin and Houston-you are our miracles and we are so lucky and blessed to be your parents. We cannot wait to see what God had in store for you.

Happy Birthday!

C-Section Recovery

Several people have asked how I am doing with the c-section recovery, so I thought I would write a little bit about my experience. 

I went into labor on Sunday, September 18th and and after 15 or so hours, I ended up having (as my brother-in-law says) Harper surgically removed at 12:07 am on Monday, September 19th.  The c-section was unplanned...but the best option for both the baby and me.  You can read more about that here.

Immediately after the surgery, I was wheeled back to the labor and delivery room with Josh and Harper.  For the next two hours, a nurse comes in every 15 minutes (for the first hour) and then every 30 minutes (for the second hour) to push down on my stomach several times-to make sure everything is "firm".  I am not sure if this is only if you have a c-section...but either way, it is very painful!!! On top of that, I don't know what "firmness" they are looking for b/c I just felt flabby! :)

Shortly after that, we were moved to our new room, where we would stay for the next 4 days.  I was extremely swollen from all the drugs for the surgery and the IV pumping through me.  I was still so exhausted and out of it from all the medicine.  During the first 24-36 hours, Josh was SUPER DAD!  Don't get me wrong, he is still a great dad...but he was basically handed our baby in the OR and took it from there on his own.  All he got from me were drug induced jokes as we were wheeled back to the room. But in all seriousness, I couldnt' get out of bed, I could barely sit up, and I couldn't lift our baby out of her "nursery crib".  He had to do it all...including changing those lovely meconium diapers!  He was a trooper! 

After the IV and catheter came out, I started to feel a little more normal.  I had to take laps around the nursery to help my body get it's groove back.  I don't know if I could have done it all without medication.  *The hardest thing to remember when you have a c-section is that YOU JUST HAD MAJOR SURGERY, but all you are thinking is, I JUST HAD A BABY.*  In my mind, this little tiny (9lbs) baby came first.  I would ignore the pain until she was safe with someone else.  Recovery was on  my mind, but Harper was in the forefront of my mind.  HELP IS KEY!  It is hard to ask for help...especially when you just had your first baby.  You want to provide for her.  You want to prove to people that you can do this.  You want to feel like a good mom. BUT, you also just had your lower abdomen cut open 5 layers deep.  I was lucky to have a very helpful and supportive husband/daddy to Harper.  Plus, we had our parents pretty much "on call" that first week home. 

Also, as a nursing mother, I was fortunate that my milk came in at the hospital.  That might be a different blog post all together.  Either way, it changed up the nursing game for all of us and we needed the help from the lactation consultant.  Holding a baby on your abdomen right after surgery is tough...plus, you throw in new milk...it can be daunting.

**If you don't like bloody stuff, stop reading**

We made it home with one week of pain medicine and help from our families!  I had a fever the first day and probably pushed myself a little too hard.  By Monday, my incision was bleeding.  We knew that could be normal, but there were other signs to look for.  Again, SUPER DAD turned into SUPER HUSBAND and was lifting the lovely "fatty flab" hanging over my incisions to check out the situation.  It was red, irritated, and bleeding.  We called the doctor on call on Tuesday, and she had me come in.  Here I was, one week past surgery and going in to get checked out.  She let me know I had cellulitois (basically fluid build up that is seeping out my wound-gross, i know).  I was sent home with antibiotics and told to put alcohol on it twice a day.  Since I can't see my incision, SUPER HUSBAND stepped in, again.  For the next week, my incision was bleeding and painful.  

Now, 3 weeks after surgery, I am healing well.  My incisions looks good and I barely notice the pain.  It's almost like it's just a part of life.   Again, with this surgery, you can't sit in bed for a few weeks and recover...you have a baby to provide for...plus, family and friends visiting.  I have put off having a ton of visitors b/c it has just been difficult to keep the energy up.  I am starting to get used to not only the pain, but lack of sleep.  I drove for the first time yesterday.  It was a nice feeling.  I still cant lift anything heavier than Harper.  I don't have feeling around my incision and that could possibly stay that way forever. 

In 3 more weeks, I should be released to live life again "normally".  I feel fortunate to have hit the halfway mark feeling pretty good.  So that is my update so far.  Harper made all of this worth it.  I found out I am not a good candidate for vaginal births...so my children might all be c-section babies.  As hard and stressful as recover is...it is all worth it!!  

(Photo: MemorySnapPhotography.net)

9.27.2011

P.S. I am in no way trying to say a c-section is harder or easier than a vaginal birth...just sharing my experience.

My Whole World...

Is right here.

{minus the furbaby--Harper meets her tomorrow}

Harper's Arrival

As you can see from my earlier posts, labor was progressing just as we hoped...until I hit 6 cm.

Aunt Sissy stopped by to check on the labor status as well! At 8:30 pm, my contractions were consistent and strong...have I mentioned how wonderful epidurals are? I was 6 cm and 80% effaced (if you don't know, the goal is 10cm and 100% effaced). On average, on pitocin, you gain a centimeter about every 2 hours. At 10:30 pm, the doctor came back in and thought I was close to 8 cm and then the baby moved back up towards my ribs and the doctor realized I was still 6 cm. She also noticed that the way she was sitting in my uterus, it was thinning on one side and not the other. We decided to wait on more hour to see if there was any progression and if not, we would discuss a c-section.

(everyone waiting to see what is going to happen)

At 11:30 pm, the doctor checked me out and we were still at 6 cm. She asked me what I wanted to do and I just looked at Josh. I was really fine either way. Josh was hoping for a vaginal birth...but also knew if we waited another hour, it was only getting later in the night and we could still have the same results. We talked to the doctor and she said she thought this was the best way to go.

Within 1 minute of deciding, there were 6 people in the room prepping me for a c-section. I was put on a few different types of medication and began shaking like crazy. I started to feel really weird and uncomfortable.

They rolled me into the OR and had Josh wait for me outside. They got me all prepped and he joined me. The shaking was making me second guess our decision...so I just shut my eyes and tried not to think about what was going on. The doctor asked if I wanted a play by play and I said no. I was worried I would freak out about body parts and stuff. Josh just held my hand and I tried to "sleep" through the surgery.

A few minutes later, I heard this small little cry...she was here! It was such a sweet sound. According to the doctor, she shot her arm out first...my little drama queen! Once she was out (head first), she was immediately taken over to the corner of the room and Josh joined her.

They did all her test, weight, etc. and then handed her to Josh. He walked her over to me and I saw my little girl for the first time. She was beautiful...with the fattest cheeks ever!

She was here. Finally here. After 40 weeks and 5 days, my daughter entered this world.

Harper Elizabeth

9.19.2011

12:07 am

20 inches long

8 lbs. and 15 oz.

She shares a birthday with her great grandma anna (my moms mom).

She said it was the best birthday present!

Here she is making her pirate face...oh by the way...she was born on "National Talk Like A Pirate Day".

I find that to be very fitting for my child...to be born on a talking day of some kind!

UPDATE: the doctor saw the size of her head and said she was glad we decided on a c-section!