Well, we made it home on Wednesday afternoon. What a surreal feeling driving home with your new baby! Ben did awesome driving home - if he was nervous, he didn't show it at all. We truly lucked out so far and have the world's most mellow baby. I know that babies sleep tons their first few weeks of life, but she's so mellow, we actually have to strip her down naked, piss her off a little bit and beg and plead with her to wake up so we can get her to nurse most of the time. Daddy does an excellent job of burping and I am making my living as a 24 hour buffet. So far nursing has gone well. There have been a few times that she hasn't been able to latch on well and we've skipped a few feedings because of that, but she'll get right back on the next time and feed well. She lost 10 oz. before we left the hospital, but within 24 hours she gained back 3 oz. while at home, so it's reassuring to know I'm doing something right in the nursing department. We are getting really good sleep between feedings, so we can't complain too much in that department. Ben really struggled at first with the middle of the night feedings, but he's rebounded the last two nights like a champ! I can't get enough of watching him with her. She lights up when she sees him - really!! He nuzzles and kisses her and just makes me melt. I tell you what, you instantly fall in love with this new baby girl from the moment you see her, but I am completely falling head over heels in love with my husband all over again.
Here's a quick recap of my labor/delivery. My water broke at home around 8:30 am Sunday. We were at the hospital by 9:45 or so, in bed, IV going by about 10:30. I didn't have contractions at home, but by the time we got to the hospital they started. Not bad to begin with, but by 11:30 or so, I was begging for the epidural. I was having contractions about every 90 seconds, lasting for about 45 seconds, so I was getting less than a minute of rest between each one. I was stuck at 1 cm dilation for about 2-3 hours, but once I got the epidural, I went from 1 cm to 4 cm in about 90 minutes - fast. I saw hope on the horizon this would be a fast labor! I went about an additional 1 cm per hour until I got to 7 cm. At that point, after two hours, I was still at 7 cm so they started
pitocin to get my contractions longer and stronger. They did get a bit longer/stronger, but apparently not enough, because I was checked 2 hours later around 9:30 pm and was still at 7 cm. The doctor said that it was his recommendation to have a c-section - oh, those dreaded words! I asked if there was anything else we could try and he said no, it really wasn't a recommendation per
se, and that I really needed to do the c-section. I was strong until he left the room, then just kinda lost it. Ben comforted me and told me it was the best thing for me and the baby; continuing would just cause way too many complications for both of us. My family was still at the hospital (we almost told them to go home since I was convinced I would labor for a while longer and have a traditional delivery in the early morning hours), and my mom came in and said the doctor mentioned they would have me back in the OR in 20 minutes - holy cow, that's fast, I was thinking. And sure enough, they got me ready to go quickly and wheeled me away. Ben came in soon after, the surgery started, and before I knew it, Avery was out - amazing to hear her cry!! My eyes filled with tears and I could see Ben was tearing up too! But his
permagrin (that I could see
thru the mask) was enough to make me feel better about everything.
After all, I'd just heard my DAUGHTER cry! And then I could hear Ben and the nurse talking saying things like look at her hair, she's got so much. And then I hear: "She's a strawberry blond!" WHAT?!?! My kid is blond - I love it!!! Ben and I both had lighter hair as kids, so it's definitely fitting she does too.
Recovery went well. Not in pain, just epidural bliss. I couldn't feel a thing! I did have uncontrollable shakes, but I wasn't cold. Just kind of a weird feeling. I was moved to postpartum after an hour in recovery, but I was able to nurse Avery for the first time less than an hour after I delivered, which was pure heaven. She needed it, but I think I needed her close to me more. In postpartum we got set up to get some rest, but I couldn't sleep because she was being checked out in the nursery and I kept thinking about her. I also developed a bit of an infection during labor, so I was fighting a fever and had the chills/sweats for the first 3 hours after delivery. Ben did sleep, which was good, since I knew once she was with us, I'd need his help! We got her in our room and the world felt whole again. The next couple of days are blurs of visitors, nursing, sleeping, nursing, changing diapers, nursing, and more visitors. By the time we left on Wednesday, Ben and I were so ready to go home! And surprisingly, not nervous at all to be on our own.
Since then it's been the same cycle of nursing, sleeping, diapers, etc., but because we are more comfortable, it's much more fun for both of us. We actually got 8 hours sleep last night. Honestly, we have to set the alarm to wake her up, or else she wouldn't wake us up to get her fed! Her first doctor's
appt. went great. She's 60
th percentile for weight (not sure about height), had her first
Hep B shot (she cried at first, then fell back to sleep within about 8 seconds...), and as I mentioned she's gaining back her lost ounces. She's beautiful and perfect and we couldn't be more happy to have her here with us!
#4 - not sure if I'm done yet...
#5 - almost done...
#6 - ahhh, relief!!
.JPG)
.JPG)
