The first thing to know about my boys is that they like to be early. Yup, V-Dub came into this world about ten (10) days early, and Chicken Little decided he wanted to come fourteen (14) days early.
This time I thought to myself I had learned from before and made sure I was completely ready. I had booked the C-Section 10 days early from the due date, my hospital bag was packed, made some freezer meals, washed the baby's clothes and thought I would take care of the last little things over the weekend before the baby came. Yeah, wishful thinking because the Thursday before, around midnight, after I told my mother to go home, moving her from around the corner to about twenty (20) miles away, my water broke around midnight.
Did you know that only 10% to 15% of labors begin with the breaking of the waters? Yeah go figure, but my luck it happened to me not once but twice. This time I knew what was happening and yet I still thought no problem I can make it stop. Crazy right. A frantic call was placed to my sister and she came over to watch V-dub and mi esposo and I headed to the hospital.
As I mentioned earlier, this baby would be brought into the world by C-Section for several medical reasons. I searched the net for information, bothered every doctor and nurse in the practice (all questions no matter how silly were welcomed) and even watched birth videos to prepare, but reality is always different than what you expect.
I was scheduled for an 8 am procedure and let me tell you when they say 8 am, they mean it. Everyone was racing to meet the start time. The nurse assigned was unbelievably nice, the anesthesiologist and his assistant were completely understanding and when he said here comes the bee sting, he was done! Nothing, I felt no pain whatsoever. He asked if I was scared and said yes, but mostly because I was scared I would be cold and shake on the table so what did he do, that wonderful man went and got me a heated blanket so I had nothing to worry about. And my doctor and her assistant physician, I love that woman, she must have been about 90 lbs soaking wet but she tugged until she got that baby out and sewed me up like a champ, all the while making sure I was okay. Love that entire team!!!!!
The procedure lasted about an hour and I didn't feel a thing other than the tugging when she took out little mister and then put all my insides back in. What I did find strange was I heard the clamps, I heard the clicking as the Dr. put them in place and my arms were strapped down but after the procedure started they took off the straps so I could hold my baby. While I couldn't see Chicken Little right after he was born in all his gooeyness, I was able to hold my perfectly clean baby and press him to my check just as I held my first born. After Chicken Little was born we had the choice of having mi esposo stay with me or follow the baby and I sent him to check out our newborn. Honestly, he can't sew so he might as well head over and watch over our precious gift from God. I hung around on the table and waited until everything was done which was about twenty minutes later.
The recovery was different, but then again due to complications it took long to recover from my first born's birth so I was familiar with a long recovery. One thing though, I felt a burning in one hip, turns out he was born in the oblique position, which occurs in less than 5% of pregnancies and means head in the hip, yup another rarity for me. The burning was from having my muscles stretched on one side so the doctor could get the little bugger out, but it went away by the second week of recovery.
One of the helpful hints I found online was to order the healthiest items on the menu especially soups and hot tea. Apparently drinking warm liquids helps you pass gas and digest solid foods which is what all the nurses are hoping for, this means that your stomach and intestines are back on track and everything was put back together the right way. wink, wink. This completely worked and I advise you to DO IT! I hated being stuck in the hospital for four days, I missed my V-Dub so much I couldn't wait to get back to him and this little tip made sure I was well on my way.
Walking as soon as you can was another helpful hint and I believe which helped speed up my delivery. The day after my son was born, the nurse came in, removed the catheter, yup had it and then had it removed easily and painlessly, and started to walk, slowly, very slowly but it worked. I jumped (yeah right more like hobbled) into the shower and instantly felt soo much better. Oh and one thing when you are taking a shower, they tell you to take off any tape the doctors may have used, just don't do the steri-strips. I took one of them off and boy was that a mistake. I kept having dreams my insides were going to fall out. Anyway I recommend walking; take your newborn baby for a stroll along the corridors. Chicken Little and I met all the nursers and some of the new moms and babies on our strolls.
Oh and another thing, don't be surprised if a nurse sees you the first day while you are on IV and then on the third or fourth day and doesn't recognize you. Apparently I was so swollen from you know the pregnancy not to mention all the fluids that they pumped in me and when said nurse came back to check on me on day three she literally jumped back in surprise thinking she had the wrong room.
And the last tip, wear flip flops if you can, your feet will be twice their size because all the fluid will pool to your feet, this is a good thing so don't be alarmed. It means you are walking, things are going well and if the excess fluid hasn't all been released from your system it will head to your feet but should be gone within a couple of days.
After that I had smooth sailing but had to remember to take it easy, not something I'm good at, but this time I had a good reason to be stationary as I was holding this little cutie.....
So now that I've had both a regular delivery and a C-Section, I can definitely say both have their positives and negatives but ultimately I was able to receive two wonderful gifts from God and would do it again in a heartbeat.
