Night Before...
Since I was scheduled to go in for delivery on the 29th, the night before we had one last dinner with just the 3 of us and our favorite neighborhood place..Mario's. And yes, I took adbantage of the Twofer Tuesdays (two for one glasses of wine) since I figured Charlie was done cooking anyway! Guess it worked because I woke up ready to go! ;-)
Introducing...Charles Anton Carlson!
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| First picture. Posing in the OR right after delivery! |
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| Grandpa/Papa in the recovery room with Charlie! |
The new Carlson family...of four!
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| Awwwe.... |
Visitors.....
Big Brother Jack!
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| Maggie :) |
Charlie waited for Mimi to arrive! We owe Mimi for life, she stayed with Jack while we were in the hospital. Not an easy task since Jack was going through a rough transition :-( We are so grateful!
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| Mimi! |
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| Grandpa Carlson! |
And of course, lots of pictures of Charlie....can't get enough of this guy!
Definitely love at first sight (or first snuggle I should say. Tough to feel anything other than exhaustion on the operating table!)
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| A nurse thought she heard a murmer so he had an EKG just in case |
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| Didn't cry or even flinch throughout the whole thing! |
Wow, what an interesting 39th week! I was convinced that he was going to be early. I had been torn for awhile about scheduling his c-section. I just wasn't comfortable deciding his arrival. I felt that was God's job. At the same time, I did not want to put either of us at risk. My compramise to myself was to schedule it for his actual due date. The Dr had said that if I was to go into labor naturally I could try to deliver his naturally. I was so anxious about it for the last week or two. I just wanted it to happen so badly. At the same time I was also worried about it happening before hand and that it would be difficult for someone to come get Jack in time. I didn't want him to have to sit in the waiting room with strangers. Mimi was arriving the 28th. With Jack, I predicted his arrival, so I thought I could do the same with Charlie, but it just wasn't happening. So the night before the c-section the 3 of us went out to dinner for the "last time" as a family of three. We went to Mario's and had a really great time. John was SO excited! And Jack was such a good boy. Then, when we got home, I became nervous again. Last time, I was so out of it, I didn't really care about the surgery. I was hardly even aware of what was going on. It was strange to know I was going in the next day. I was scared.
Now, the crazy part. I woke up the next day at 6 AM with a severe sharp pain. I literally jumped out of bed. I knew it was happening. Last time I remember the contractions being subtle and building up over a long period of time. This time, however, they hit all of a sudden. They were intense and 5-7 minutes apart as soon as I woke up! It was just so surreal that it happened as I was getting ready to get up for the c-section! I called the Dr, and then got everyone ready to go. Conviently, Kathi had arrived the previous night and was able to meet us at home and follow us to the hospital. Eventually my parents met us there as well. It was 7 AM when we left for the hospital. At first, I was escorted straight to the c-section room, since I was scheduled. I told the nurses that I was going to try naturally first. Mind you, I made the Dr.s aware that I was very willing to have a c-section as soon as they thought it wasn't going to happen naturally. I was ok with that, as long as I was at least able to try. I didn't want to be as tired and out of it as I was last time. I wanted to be more "present" this time. As soon as I got to the labor and delivery room, I begged for an epidural. Once that was in place, I was so happy! It was so exciting! The new rooms were beautiful and SO much better than the old rooms! I loved being alert. It helped that it was still early in the day. At one point John stepped out for a second, and so did the nurse. As I was laying there, I felt my water broke! Because of the epidural I wasn't 1005 sure it had happend, but I had "heard" a burst and felt what I assumed was water/liquid. Sure enough that was what had happend! That was sometihng I hadn't experienced with Jack. The Dr checked me and I was 100% dialated and ready to push! Funny enough, it was at the exact time I was scheduled for the c-section anyway! At 12:45 my Dr was there, since she was scheduled for me anyway. And by 1:00 I was pushing! Everything seemed perfect. However, just like with Jack, the baby wasn't progressing. I tried a few different positions, and he was just stuck. She could feel his head, and it was beginning to swell.
I didn't want to risk anything, so at 3:00 I stopped pushing and we decided to go to the OR for the c-section. I was alert and feeling fine about it all. Then I got to the OR and because anxious. The room was intimidating. Which, sterile, doctors and instruments everywhere. The meds/spinal make me really shakey. All of a sudden I was very scared. Everyone involved, including John were SO supportive. The opporation seemed to take forever. I have to admit I was pretty miserable. I just wanted it over. Then the Dr told me she wanted to make sure that she hadn't nicked my bladder, so she filled it with milk.formula and was sqeezing it so see if it would leak! What a freaky experience to feeling the tugging and know what they were doing! Obviously I wanted them to make sure, but that was when I was feeling very anxious for the whole thing to be over. Finally, they told Dad to take pictues, then they showed Charlie to me! My reaction this time, "that's so weird"! Ha! It just seemed to surreal to finally meet him. This time we had known it was a boy, and we had already named him Charlie, so it was a strange feeling to "meet" the boy that was inside me, the one we felt like we "knew" for months. He did the usual cry at first. Then he was silent the rest of the time in the OR! I didn't even know he was there! John said he was just posing and relaxing! Everyone was commenting on how calm he was! I was immediately relieved.
Next they wheeled me to the recovery room. With the old Rush, they took Jack to the nursary right away and I didn't see him, or nurse him until the next day. I feel now that perhaps that was why it took me awhile to get attached. I hadn't had that " I fell in love as soon as he was born" feeling that other people talk about. I had felt guilty. THIS time, however, they no longer have a nursary, and gave him to me right away! I also nursed right away! What I difference that made. As soon as he was in my arms, I was attached. It was magical. One by one everyone was able to visit. First was obviously John, then he got my mom, then dad, then Mimi and Jack.. Jack was very good with him. Calmer than I had expected.
Finally I was brought to my room. WOW! They call them the "Mother Suites"! They were so much bigger and nicer than the old ones. They even had 2 bathrooms! One for mom, the other for guests. And the "bed' for John was leaps and bounds better than the last time! I had another great experience with all of the nurses. The only complaint was how many students kept coming in the first night. But as soon as we mentioned it, it didn't happen again. They put out a Do Not Disturb sign on my door. They also have a scheduled "nap time" for the whole floor when the mothers are not to be disturbed unless a nurse needed to give meds. The second day I took full advantage and sent Mimi and John home. I had a great nap! Overall I was just so much more relaxed this time. I wasn't nervous around Charlie at all . It was natural for the start. Even nursing was easy! He latched right away and I was was comfortable with everything from the very first time that I held him! xoxox
I think the hardest part was the adjustment for Jack. We all had a hard adjustment. I think this time I had an easier time with the new baby than I didn't with having an older child to "deal with" as well. Over time John and I have taken turns having alone time with Jack which has helped a lot. As well as working on Patience, Positivity, and Picking our Battles. Those are the three Ps as I call them ( I am thinking about writing a How To pamplet for second time moms :)
