Brooklyn's Birth Story

I promise one day soon this blog will return to normalcy and will stop being about pregnancy and child birth but for now one last post on the subject at least for the next few years.

If the only thing that you really care about is seeing the pictures just know I couldn't be more satisfied with her birth and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. It was all perfect! Now I am giving you permission to scan down the page to the pictures.

Here are the details for anyone else that cares....
Decision Time
After the ultra sound (Friday, 6th) were they estimated her size at 9 lbs. 3 oz. we made the decision between the ultrasound and when the doctor walked in that we would be proceeding with the C-Section. When Doctor Lovell walked in, he said, "So how should we proceed?" I said, "Let's do an ultra sound." (It was nice to have the time to ponder, pray and make a well thought out decision (something Brock and I had been doing for the last month and a half) and not feel forced into it by a nurse practitioner.)
He said, "Okay, let me get the orders ready."
He then proceeded out of the room and then came back in and said, "Does Wednesday work for you?"
I said, "Sure but could we do it on Thursday (I like even numbers best)?"
He replied, "The hospital only reserves C-Sections for Wednesday and Friday. So would you rather do Wednesday or Friday."
I replied, "Then lets do Wednesday, because I am not having a baby on Friday the 13th."
He then had a smile on his face and went out of the room to complete the orders.
It was interesting to have calm and relaxation this time compared to the stress and rushing of the last time.

Brooklyn's Day of Birth
Rhett had a sleep over at Allison and Curtis's house. Brock and I woke up early so we could be at the hospital by 5. I was finishing up the last few tasks before taking off to the hospital. The roads were slick but Brock drove slow (nice thing about a scheduled C-Section not much is rushed).
5:20 am We checked in and they gave me my gown to get into and then I got into the bed.
5:54 am Then time for the IV. The nurse said wow you have good veins as she started to poke the needle into my skin. Then she fished around for a while and said, "Shoot, it won't go in. It just keeps moving around. I am going to have to try another." I told her it was fine and she started again on the next spot. She tried again, then same thing. The third time I said, "Third time is the charm" hoping that it really would be. She tried and failed at this point she let out a not so nice word starting with a S. She went out and got the head nurse the head nurse. The head nurse inspected my veins and set her target. She tried twice and failed. At that point they brought in the rookie nurse to try her hand at sticking me she went for a big deep one. She tried and succeed. So by the 6th attempt they got it in.
6:30 Because it took so long to get the IV in they had to force the liquids in quick, which made me incredibly cold (2 room temperature liters of saline put in my body in an hour or less). I warned the surgery staff that last time I was really cold and they might want to have extra blankets on hand. They did that in addition to putting a warm towel on my IV arm to try and warm up the fluid.
7:38 When they were satisfied with the amount of fluids and my temperature they rolled me into the surgical room. I was greeted by a smile and hello from Doctor Meredith (I had a similar greeting from Doctor Lovell a few minutes previous outside of the room). Both were so calm and relaxed it was easy to be calm and relaxed and know that everything was going fine.
The spinal tap went in perfectly and then once they were sure it was working they had Brock come in and stand by my head. As they wiped down my belly with rubbing alcohol, I suddenly felt sick. The anesthesiologist ask me if I was okay. I tried to be tough and say, "I think it was just the smell of the alcohol." Thea anesthesiologist said, "I am give you something for the nausea. Do you need something to throw up in." All the sudden I just started to loose control of my stomach.And I was grateful for the little container she had put by my head.
All the sudden after that I began to get really itchy, so then the anesthesiologist gave me something for that. At that point Doctor Meredith and Doctor Lovell began cutting into me. This time there was not a big gush of water but Doctor Meredith talked about how there was a lot of water. Then Doctor Lovell and Doctor Meredith talked to the anesthesiologist about what advantages and disadvantages of  the growing trend of mostly women going into Obstetrics. It was a very informative discussion, Brock and I even added into the conversation. You could tell everyone in the room was very relaxed and confident in the procedure.
Then it came time for Doctor Meredith to pull her out. He had a hard time finding her at first. He said something like, "I know your in there now where are you hiding." After a little fishing around he found her....well at least her foot. He then said, "She is breach. I got to find the rest of her." He then went looking around and found her hips he then had to rotate her hips to find the other leg and her head was up at the top of my body near my ribs. As Doctor Meredith and Doctor Lovell were trying to get her out I felt pushing this way and that but I never felt any pain. Doctor Meredith said, "We are really lucky you chose the C-Section because you would have been here anyway, but under much scarier conditions." At that moment I had the confirmation that our prayers had been answered and Brooklyn was able to enter this world in the safest way possible for both of us.
In comparison to Rhett's delivery it took a long time to get her out, probably about a minute to a minute and a half of them pushing and pulling.But then when they got her out finally they pulled down the sheet. And I got to see my beautiful baby. They then cleaned her off, measured her (8 lbs. 3 oz.) and let Brock bring her back to me. This time the anesthesiologist gave me one arm to move around so I got to touch her and I kissed her little forehead. After several minutes Brock and some of the staff took her to the nursery for her first nap and to get examined. While they were in the nursery they gave me more medicine for the itching and took me off the extra machines.
When she came in, I put on her on my chest (skin to skin) so to encourage breastfeeding and hoped for the best. I was grateful when she was able to latch on quickly and I was able to nurse her for 40 minutes. After that I was able to nap (I was really tired because of the early morning and sleepy from the meds that they gave to help with the itchiness).
For the remainder of the day it was a pleasant mix of naps, feeding and visits from hospital staff. It was super relaxing. Later that evening Rhett came to visit Momma and met his new baby sister. It was such a sweet moment followed by several frustrating ones for Brock as he tried to keep Rhett off all the equipment.
After that the nurse came by and took out my catheter and IV.
After a short stay (Wednesday-Friday)in the hospital we were able to come home and now we are  And now we are trying to find a new sense of normalcy, we have successfully survived our first week.

The headband I made for her.

Brooklyn and I and our matching headbands

Rhett holding Brooklyn for the first time.

Brooklyn in her crib at the hospital.

Holding Dad's hand

How he loves his little girl.

Me and my best gal pal. (I love the hair accessories that the nurses in the nursery accessorized her with)

Rhett and Brooklyn in there sibling shirts. Hers says, "little sister" and his says "I'm The Big Brother"

I guess she wasn't as excited for the picture as me. The two all important arm bands one to match with Brooklyn's and the other one to get pain medicine.

Our first family picture. I couldn't feel more blessed.

Brooklyn with Grandma Lela.

Love my little dears long fingers. The shape of her nails reminds me of my sister, Erika's fingers.

Long Hands

Her going home from the hospital blanket, the headband I made was way toooo big. Lucky for us the nurses provided her with this adorable hat the day of our departure.

I Love my little girl and I can't image my life without her.

Even when she makes that face. I still love her.

Brock, "Are you ready to go home honey." She opened her eyes and gave him a look like, "I guess so Dad."

Ready to go home.