Brief Recap of Yesterday From My Perspective

I can't believe we have a baby!

They gave me a drink yesterday that was pure citric acid for indigestion, right before the c-section and my throat and tongue are painfully swollen. I think my citrus allergy is back.

Also, I'm laying in the hospital bed with my arm on a pillow, but keep thinking that it's Grace and that I'm squishing her.

I took some drug called Molly Polly Something-or-Other in my IV last night and I still feel the smushy=brain affects .

Here's a cleaned up version what happened yesterday leading up to Cortland's birth. I woke up at 2AM to quite a lot of bleeding. I wanted to wait to see if it would be enough to warrant a hospital visit before waking Alan. That poor man doesn't get enough sleep lately what with me up and down in bed constantly.

At 2:38 AM I went downstairs to watch some TV. I was down there for maybe 5 minutes when I felt this big swoosh of fluid. At first I thought I was bleeding to death, but then saw that the fluid was clear. Oops. A person can go to the hospital to stop bleeding and hopefully redirect pre-term labor, but I knew a person can't divert labor if your water breaks.

I woke Alan up, we checked the bags to see if we forgot anything and we were off to the hospital by 3:15AM. Contractions started about the time we got in the car.

I learned just how low my thresh-hold for pain is. From now until eternity I will know that any woman who gives birth without any pharmaceutical intervention is clearly a descendant of She-Ra, Princess of Power and/or that other chick who has the long black hair who fights evil in a leotard that looks like it could give a tremendously painful wedgy if left in the wrong hands.

I'm not sure how long I laid in the bed, clinging to the guard rail, contipating where we were going find a suragate mother to put this baby in so I didn't have to continue with the pain. I dialated quickly to a 3 and the nice nurse lady had the epidural person in the room within 45 minutes so when I hit dialation to a 4 I could have immediate relief.

An epidural is the way to go. I have never felt any drug that was so wonderful. It was instant relief. Alan and I took a short nap until Dr. Ruffin came to measure my cervix at 8 :30AM. She said I was completely effaced and my cervix was a 10. She asked if we were ready to have a baby.

I pushed for two hours before we threw in the towel and faced the fact that the baby wasn't coming out the usual way. He was completely stuck. I requested the C-Section and the doctor agreed that that was probably the best option, even though she doesn't like doing sections on such young babies.

And here is a good place to pause in the story and tell you how wonderful a coach my husband was. He was calm and steady. He was my advocate. It was obvious that his main goal was to keep me from getting too tired too quickly. I was the one pushing, but he was the one in charge. It felt wonderful knowing I was being so taken care of and protected.

They prepped me for surgery and (here's the part that's gving me such trouble now) gave me a shot of pure citrus in case I have indigestion during the procedure. I knew there was going to be trouble when going down the liquid burned my throat and tonsils and left my tongue tingling like a sparkler fire-bits were landing in my mouth.

During the C-Section I could hear the doctor's comments as she was trying to pull the baby from the top and someone else was directed to put the baby's head from the bottom. I heard something about there being a horribly strong suction on the baby due to my phenominal pushing. If I know anything it's that I am quiter good at pushing as if I need to poo!

Cortland was finally freed at 11:21AM. I have never felt such terror as I did in those few moments from the time they said he was out until the first angry cries coming from our baby. And in an instant that terror turned into joy and relief like I have never felt , and will probably never feel again, when I heard Cortland's 1st cry.

He is amazing.

The new pain meds they gave me about 4 are starting to kick in as is the Aleve that is reducing the swelling in my throat. I'm off to take a short nap before requesting our little angel be brought to the room.

Good night!