Lil’ Bear’s Birth Story – Part 1

There are two parts to this story – two very different volumes.

It started pretty early the morning of January 28, 2013. At 6:00 am we got in the car and headed to the hospital for our scheduled C-section. While I had hoped to go in for a VBAC, this boy did not have any intention of coming out. Since the chances of vaginal birth after the due date get slimmer and slimmer, we went with our back-up plan of C-section. Again, while I had hoped for a VBAC, I was not upset to have another C-section. I just wanted to meet our little boy, and it wasn’t so bad last time, the C-section that is.

We got all checked in at the hospital, and I got hooked up to my IV after my last visit to the bathroom. We had to wait for a bit before the OR was ready, but in the meantime, we watched some TV. Seriously, we were calm.

Then it was time to gear up. The Hubs looks good in blue, right? I was pretty impressed that he coordinated his shirt (the one under the scrubs) with the actual scrubs. Very color coordinated he is.

Since I posted a picture of him looking good, I figure I should post one of me in my fun hair net thing and hospital gown, which don’t make anyone look good.

Then it was off to the OR. While Hubs waited outside I got my spinal and the nurses and doctor went through a whole checklist of items. A spinal is different than an epidural even though they both go in the back. I do remember feeling a little short of breath or just a heaviness on my chest with this one, but it quickly went away. It was time to get to it.

The curtain went up, and Hubs was then let in. Our nice anesthesiologists were talking to us about all kinds of things including Downton Abbey, which by the way, I should have not watched the night before. It was “that” episode. The very not happy episode that dealt with delivering a baby. If you’ve see it, you know which one I’m talking about, and I definitely should not have watched that the night before going in for a c-section.

Anyway, I actually remember asking when they were going to start, and my doctor laughed because she already had made the incision. Yep, spinals are that great. There was some pulling and some tugging and more pulling, and then finally, I heard his cry.

I made this picture black and white to save you from being bothered by the sight of blood. It’s just nicer this way.

He was born! At 9:50 am, our lil’ bear was out!

Hubs counted his toes and fingers, and the doctor and nurses reported he looked great and healthy. His apgar score was a high 9.9, which I’m not really sure what that means, but I think it means he’s advanced.

Then I got to meet him.

Seriously, we could not have had nicer anesthesiologists. He took the last two pictures for us and many more. I’m so happy he captured these moments for us. I actually asked him to snap a picture as they were pulling him out, but then we all decided that might be a little gruesome, so the moment right after was captured.

After getting to spend a couple minutes with lil’ bear, he was taken to the nursery for weighing and cleaning. Hubs went with him, and I just chilled out while getting sewn back up.

He weighed in at 8 pounds, 10 ounces and 21.5 inches long.

I probably fell asleep while getting closed up, but I remember feeling a bit nauseous…nothing major, but I do remember taking big deep breaths to keep it at bay. Again, the anesthesiologists were amazing and gave me some meds to take care of it. The nurses went over another checklist, counting utensils and making final checks. Everything checked out, so back to my room I was rolled.

And that is when things took a turn.

To be continued…

(How is that for a cliff hanger?)