The last 4 weeks of my pregnancy we were fortunate enough to get ultrasounds done every week. It is amazing to be able to watch your little miracle moving around inside you! There were a few times that Hannah had hiccups! I mentioned to the the Tech that I thought she was kicking but it was very gentle. So she checked it out and it was the hiccups. She must have had the hiccups a lot in there, because I would feel that gentle "kick" very often. Anyway, I digress.
At about 32 weeks or so Hannah was not in position (head down). My doctor said that there was nothing to worry about and that she had plenty of time to move, but if at 37 weeks, she was not ready, then we had to explore our options. Every time that we would look, she was not in position. My OB always told me that she would not let me go to 40 weeks because we didn't want Hannah to get too big. So all along I knew there was a strong possibility to induce. At 38 weeks, we checked again and she was still in Breech position and after the doctor examined me, there was no sign of me going into labor anytime soon. That's when the doctor told me that were were going to bring Hannah into this world through C-section the following week! So many thoughts and feelings were rushing around through my head!
The first thing I thought was, "I should have paid more attention to the C-section part in our Childbirth class!" In my defense, they spent about 3 lessons focusing on vaginal delivery and only part of 1 lesson on C-Section births. I mean it's pretty straight forward right? I had watched I don't know how many episodes of "A Baby Story" so I was not a stranger to the procedure. Not only that, but my mom and Brian's mom had C-sections, and so did my sister-in-law. I was still apprehensive about the whole thing. I really didn't know what Brian was thinking. He seemed pretty calm to me, but he didn't confess until afterwards that he was really afraid of things going wrong.
At first we were scheduled for the operation on May 27, then they called back to say May 28th! It was only a few days away! I spent the rest of the time making sure we had EVERYTHING. It seemed like every night we were going to Target or Wal-Mart and buying something or other; pretty much whatever popped into my mind.
Finally it was the day before! I went to get a manicure and pedicure and relaxed at home. OK, I wish I could have relaxed. I was really afraid. I know its pretty routine, and that a lot of mothers have c-sections, but it was still major surgery! The part that scared me the most was getting the epidural. The thought of a huge needle in my lower back really freaked me out. I was also worried about recovering and the pain afterwards. However, towering above the fear was the bliss of knowing that I would meet Hannah in a few hours and get to hold her and kiss her! Brian and I were about to be parents, my sister was about to become an aunt, and my parents were about to be grandparents!
We arrived at the hospital at 5:30 in the morning. My C-Section was scheduled for 7:30am. My parents and sister followed us in a another car and arrived moments later. My heart was pounding but I was trying to calm down so my vitals weren't read all wrong! I have always had that issue. I get nervous and my heart starts beating a hundred miles an hour and when they take my blood pressure, the nurse usually becomes concerned. Whatever I was doing worked! I was at the admission desk filling out paperwork and I felt her KICK! I think that Hannah knew she was about to make her appearance today and was READY! Finally the nurse takes Brian and I to a room to prep me for surgery. I won't give too many details but I am sure anyone that has had this operation knows what I mean. The Nurse got my IV ready and my parents and sister came by to see me one last time before I went in.
It was time. I was wheeled in to the operating room and Brian was not allowed to come in until after I had the
dreaded Epidural. I felt so overwhelmed! The Nurse asked me to sit up as my legs dangled over the side of operating table the anesthesiologist came in and explained to me what was about to happen. I remember his voice was very calming and gentle. As I sat there hunched over a pillow, the nurse was holding my hand. It was such an awkward feeling. There was a brief sting of the first needle and then an area was numb. Then the doctor asked me to tell him if I felt anything and he slowly guided the needle into my back. After a few minutes he was done. I lied back down and he poked my feet to see if I still had feeling. All I felt was pressure but not the poking. He kept checking and increasing the medication until I was pretty much numb from my armpits down.
Before I could even ask for Brian, doctors and nurses were all rushing into the room. My OB spoke to me for a few moments and I don't even remember what she said. Finally Brian appears wearing his "scrubs." A curtain came up separating the 2 of us from the rest of the staff. Within moments, I feel lots of pressure and movement. As everything was happening I remember looking at the clock and it was 7:35am. I just closed my eyes trying to relax.
All of the sudden I couldn't breath. There was a lot of pressure on my chest and I frantically told Brian I couldn't breath! Brian later told me that the pressure I felt was one of the doctors pushing down on my upper abdomen. Before Brian could tell somebody about what was going on, we hear a CRY! Tears began to stream down my face uncontrollably. It was the most beautiful sound in the world! It was 7:55am. One of the doctors lifted Hannah up over the curtain so we could see her. At first I couldn't believe she was ours. She was such a small baby! I told Brian to go over and take picture of her as the cleaned her up and he didn't want to because he didn't want to see them sewing me back up, but I insisted. My bossiness never ceases to amaze me.
They finally bring Hannah over to me. She was pouting and grimacing. I didn't blame her. She was probably so cozy in there! The anesthesiologist offered and took our first family picture ever!
The rest was a blurr! One of the nurses took Hannah and I was wheeled into another room before they could take me to the room where we would be staying for a few days. Brian went to notify everyone that Hannah had arrived. After a few minutes the nurse brought Hannah in and we began to get acquainted. Everyone slowly trickled in to meet the newest addition to our family. I really don't' remember the order but my best friend Laurie was there, my sister-in-law Yvonne was as well as my father and mother-in-law. I really wanted to try nursing her but it was difficult with the flow visitors. At this point we still didn't know how much she weighted. A nurse came by and finally weighed our little girl.
They rounded up and she was officially 6lbs. 7oz.
We were finally moved to our room and I was able to hold Hannah as I was wheeled to our final destination. I couldn't keep my eyes off of her!
She was finally here! After that, she was taken to get her first bath and get properly checked by a pediatrician. I am not sure how long she was gone but it felt like a lifetime. I kept calling the nursery to check but they had to wait until her body temperature got back up. After her bath she must have gotten a little chilly.
We stayed in the hospital for 3 nights, and in reality I had no complaints. I could have stayed longer if they let me! I am not sure if it was because I was afraid of being on my own after we got home (no nurse, no doctors), or if it was because Brian was able to spend the night with us in the other bed so I wasn't homesick, but I could have stayed another 3 nights!
After we got home the real adventures began!
I never would have guessed that the biggest challenge we would face with Hannah was getting her to breastfeed. It was so difficult! I was so emotional and felt like I was failing. I was ready to give up, but Brian didn't let me. He supported me the whole way through until Hannah became a pro at it!
I feel so blessed to have Brian by side! At night after Hannah is sound asleep I turn to Brian in our bed and thank him for being such a great daddy and husband! I couldn't imagine going through this with anyone other than him!
This was taken this past weekend at our Goddaughter's 3rd birthday party. Hannah had her first ever moonbounce experience and she loved it!! Michaela's daddy, Laurie's husband, was able to make it in just in time! Kenneth was been away for almost 4 months. He is in the Navy but Laure and Michaela are still in San Antonio until he gets stationed somewhere, then they will go with him (and I will be there every chance I get, whereever that may be).
