The Birth Story

Jacob Alan

January 25, 2007
8:14am
8 lbs 14 oz 22 inches

We arrived at the hospital on a COLD morning at 5:30 am. We were tired, but SO EXCITED! When we arrived on the 2nd floor, we were sent to a triage room where I was hooked up to monitors and slowly prepped for surgery. We were told that our recovery and post partum room would be room 222 – and that made us both smile! Our first trip together was to College Station Texas, and both of our hotel rooms (one in Dallas, one in College Station) were 22’s) Our lucky number! Anyway, it seemed like we were in the triage room FOREVER! There was a huge LED clock mounted on the wall at the foot of my bed, and so I felt like I was being tortured to watch the seconds tick by on this clock. By about 7:00, I had been IV’d and had almost a full bag of fluid, had blood drawn, was shaved and prepped for surgery. Our family started arriving about then. My parents came, bringing Emma and Lara with them. Britt’s sister and niece were there as well. I had seen the anesthesiologist, but no one had seen my OB. This was supposed to get underway at 7:30! We were READY!

He finally came in about 7:40, and things started rolling. He made sure I was all ready and greeted our families, then he was off to change! The anesthesiologist’s nurse (who was AWESOME) took me back on the bed to the OR – which is one COLD COLD room – and the anesthesiologist got to work. Unfortunately, the spinal was not a fun experience. He put it in the first time, and I could feel it. He moved it around, and that was PAINFUL – and I could still feel it. So, he took it out and tried one spot higher on my spine. After the initial sting, I couldn’t feel it. SUCCESS. After I started feeling numb, they got me laid out on the table and had me put my arms out to the side. I was dreading that part – where they strap my arms down. But, they never did! I don’t know if they forgot or just figured I was good enough to leave them out there, but it was nice.

Once I was numb, they brought the rest of the surgery team in. My OB made the first incision, and then they brought Britt in. I started crying right then! While I was getting the spinal, I was getting really nervous and shaky, and I wanted my husband there more than anything, so I was more than relived to see him in his scrubs when he walked in! He took his spot right by my head, and was so excited through the whole process! He was looking over the curtain watching every step of the way – between staring into my eyes and trying to keep me from crying, that is. I got a little nauseated a couple of times, but they gave me meds for that, too.

Once the Dr. got to the baby, everyone in the room made comments like “Look at all that hair” and “WOW! That’s a lot of hair.” Britt and I just looked at each other with wide eyes and smiled. About this time, the anesthesiologist leaned down and told me I would feel some pulling and tugging up around my ribs. AND HOW! They were pulling on the baby so hard the whole table was moving! Britt and I made faces at each other expressing our shock! Then, we heard the pump come on. They had to get the suction out to help the baby out! WOW! But once they got a hold of him, they he was out and into this big new world at 8:14am. The Dr. held him up over the curtain and we were instantly in love! A big baby boy with lots and lots and lots of jet black hair! Jacob Alan was here, and he was beautiful!

Our nurse for the day took over for Baby Jake at that time. I liked the lay out of the OR. I could look right over my left shoulder and watch the nurse take care of our baby. Britt hung out with me for a few more minutes to make sure I was going to be OK, and then he headed over to watch the nurse work on Jake. Not too long after she put him in the bassinette, he peed on her! The whole OR got a chuckle out of that one! She had to wash his hair 3 times – with a little baby scrubbing brush – to get all the gunk out of his thick hair! She weighed him (8 lbs 14 ounces), measured his head (15 inches!!! So glad this was a section!), and measured his length (22 inches – did we mention we like 22’s?). Once he was all clean, she was assessing him again, and decided he was not breathing as well as he should be. I was later explained (and remember reading somewhere) that white male “fat” babies are notorious for not breathing well on their own at first, and the C-section delivery was a strike against him as well since his lungs were not compressed in the birth canal during delivery. So, after some reassuring words to me and the new dad, the nurse was off to the nursery with my little man. Britt left to go tell our families, and the doctors continued to work on me and get me finished up.

I lost track of time at this point. I know after they got me all sewed up, I had to stay in the OR “recovering” for about half an hour. I also know that Britt was spending his time in the hall between the visitors’ waiting room, my recovery room, and the nursery. I *think* I got back to my 222 room about 9:15 or 9:30. I know my dad had gone on to work, and my mom was there with the girls. Britt’s sister and niece were still there as well. We wanted Emma and Lara to get to school by about 10:00am, so they waited around for awhile to hear an update on Jake, and then they left for school. Jake was in the nursery in an oxygen tent. Room air is 21% oxygen, and the goal was to get him to 100% saturation at room air before he could come meet his momma. They started him at 40% oxygen in the tent, and he was at 85% saturation. When our families had heard this news, they left us to go about their days. Since no one was going to be able to hold the baby and meet him, they all decided to get out of the way so I could start my recovery.

Jake was in the nursery until almost 12 noon. In the mean time, I was back in my recovery room, trying to sip water and eat ice chips – all resulting in puking my guts out! 2 different LPN’s knew I was having this problem, but no one bothered to tell my nurse – who was also Jake’s nurse, so I am sure she was busy with him. When she came in to tell me Jake was almost ready to come see me, I was puking – AGAIN. She asked how long I had been doing that, and when I said the whole time I had been in the room, she was pretty ticked that no one had told her. So, she was off to get me some nausea medicine, and my baby! I was so excited to hear he was coming to meet me soon! The meds got there first. I don’t know what it was, but I never want it again! It made the nausea WORSE and I felt like I was on FIRE! Every time Britt handed me the baby, I had to give him back so I could puke! We got the nurse in there, and she said she would get different meds, and that we could turn the a/c down in the room to get me comfortable. But to do that, we had to take the baby out as it would be to cold for him. She said, “I will just take him back to the nursery for 2 or 3 hours.” That’s when I lost it! That seemed like a LIFETIME to me! I just wanted to hold my baby!!!!! I was so sick, and so upset, and so not liking this experience! But, they took the baby out of the room, and Britt decided to go get some lunch and told me to sleep. So I did.

I woke up about 1:30 and felt a lot better. Britt came back in the room right about the time I woke up, and he asked me if there was anything he could get me. All I wanted was MY BABY! So, we called down and he was soon on his way to FINALLY meet his Mommy! They told me to try and breastfeed whenever I felt comfortable, but I was just so happy to hold him, I didn’t even try for about an hour. He was so tiny, and perfect! And ours! A real dream come true.

We were in the hospital until Sunday early afternoon. Sunday morning seemed to drag on forever! We were so ready to bring him home to see his home and to get all 5 members of our family under one roof! We can hardly believe we have been a family of 5 for a little over a week. It just doesn’t seem real!