Emma Lou's Birth Story

I realized recently that I never typed up Emma Lou's birth story! It's already been 2 months and the details fade even now, so I don't want to wait much longer to get it down lest I forget even more!!

We had originally planned to name this sweet child Edith Marie, but a few days before her scheduled c-section Bryan and I started second guessing ourselves, and we finally decided to just wait until we met her to decide on anything completely. 

The c-section was scheduled for 7am on Monday, March 31 (40 weeks and 2 days gestational age). I had been freaking out for a solid 3 weeks about a repeat c-section. If there was anything I could have done at that point to (safely) avoid it, I 100% would have. I think Clara's delivery (a MUCH longer birth story, which I just realized I never posted on my blog!! I have it saved somewhere; I'll have to add it later) emotionally scarred me. To this day I still get light-headed as soon as I smell the hospital-esque scent.

We were told to arrive by 5:30am to check in and get prepped for surgery. (My mom had Clara-duty, so we didn't have to worry about waking her up so early and taking her somewhere.) Bryan and I arrived at 5:30 almost on the dot. I loved writing on the sign in sheet, where it asked, "reason for your visit?" that I was "here to have a baby!" :) 

We filled out the paper work, signed all the forms, and were given medical bracelets to wear. We showed to a tiny room and I changed into the hospital gown and was told to put on the crazy humongous bright yellow hospital socks because I would officially be a "fall risk" shortly. Sure enough, as soon as they hooked me up to the monitors to check out baby and gave me an IV, I had a massive panic attack, started to overheat, BP spiked, and I fainted. I realize many women can check in to have a c-section without panicking (lots of people told me it would be fine), but even though I believed everything would be fine mentally, I just couldn't shut off my fear. 

Now I had eagle-eyed nurses checking in on me every 15 seconds to make sure I hadn't fainted again. Which, for the record, I didn't! But they gave me something to "calm my nerves" in the IV so maybe that had something to do with it? I don't know. Anyway, my Dad had showed up and so Bryan waited out in the waiting room so Dad and I could visit for a little while before they took me back. 

It wasn't too long later that they brought Bryan back in, had him get dressed in the fancy scrubs, and took us back.

Bryan wasn't allowed in the room while they gave me the spinal block. Thank you Lord for putting that sweet nurse in there with me. I'm disappointed I can't remember her name now, but she was WONDERFUL and let me clutch onto her while they were numbing me. I think she could see the terror written all over me, and remained caring and calming the entire time. The numbing shot hurt like a beast, but it meant I didn't feel anything but some pressure when they put the giant spinal block needle in, thankfully. 

Then they laid me down (I couldn't feel my legs or my torso so I wasn't coordinated at all). That's when the block started working all the way up to my chest. I couldn't feel myself breathe anymore, it felt like something very heavy was sitting on my chest, so naturally I had yet another panic attack - so they fetched Bryan quickly and had him try to talk me down. I can't remember what he started talking about - plans for a patio maybe? - or something to try to get my mind off the fact that less than 2 feet away they were slicing me open behind that blue sheet. I couldn't feel anything sharp, but I could feel tugging, and I could hear the doctors and nursing murmuring. I had calmed down by the time they were ready to pull our baby out, but then it took FOUR people to get our Tiny Two out behind all of the scar tissue from Clara's c-section. I felt that and it freaked me out again, but then I heard our baby cry, and my panic was totally gone. It was 8:13am.

Dr. Rizotto held up our girl to show me. She had promised that they would allow me skin to skin contact as long as there were no unexpected emergent situations. 

They did their Apgar checks, weighed her and sponged her off just a bit and wrapped her up. They were taking quite a while, and I finally asked them to please bring me my baby. Another nurse (one handling our baby) said, "you've waited 9 months to wait to meet your baby, you can wait a few more minutes" and I was officially pissed off. I guess everyone else realized that too, because one of the nurses told her they could finish later, and let the mommy have her baby. Thank you, kind and understanding nurse. Waiting while your baby is in your tummy is one thing, waiting while they are outside in the world is quite another!

They brought her over and I got to hold her and love on her, and we had several pictures taken. I got to cuddle with our newest baby girl for about 10-15 minutes before they took her back to give her her first bath and finish all their baby duties. I didn't want her to go alone so I told Bryan to go with her. I think he was torn between staying and going, but they were almost finished with me anyway. 

He even filmed her first bath for me to see later!! THAT is my idea of an awesome husband - one who proved he knows me very well!!

Holding Daddy's finger

Peering through the window into the nursery

 I'll have to find the video of her first bath and post it later :)

They took me back to a little room to try to regain SOME sensation in my toes, etc. They didn't want me to eat or drink or anything, but I guess they got tired of me asking every other minute for some ice because they finally gave me some anyway. And then I switched from asking for ice to asking to go be with my baby. Again, they must have gotten sick of me because they let me go sooner than technically they were supposed to. Being irritating has its merits!!

By the time I got back to the room our girl had already been there and passed around from Lulu to Papa to Grandpa. I couldn't believe the hospital would do that and not let me be there with our family! As if I couldn't regain sensation in my toes with my family rather than all alone staring at a boring pink curtain? Strange customs these hospitals have. 

Anyway, I was given her immediately and we started nursing. She took a moment or so to figure out how to latch, but then she nursed like a champ! We still didn't have a name, so we just kept calling her "Tiny Two" or "Baby." 

 

Later that day, after I changed clothes and felt like a human, my Mom brought Clara to meet her new sister!!

Clara wearing mommy's socks

Reading a book about being a big sister :)

Impressed with her new baby!

I've posted about all of our visitors and the rest of our stay in previous posts right after she was born, but that's her story! She was 19" long, 7.2 lbs, some soft dark hair and a sweet button nose. 3 days later we finally decided on a name, Emma Lou. Emma after my great-grandmother, and Lou after my Mom. 

Love you Emma-girl!