Another child is born

Outside hospital @ 6 am,
last ever picture of me pregnant.

Jamie is now 5 weeks old, so it's a good time to post his birth story. You might be thinking, "5 weeks? Why so soon?" As other parents know, life with 2 kids is not so easy! Free time is a rare commodity, as the stacks of dirty dishes and collection of dust bunnies attest. (Fortunately, the kids' faces are pretty clean.) So without further ado, here's the tale of Jamie's entrance into the world. In comparison to the story of his brother's off-the-rails delivery -- and in contrast with my own weird stay at the hospital the week before -- Jamie's birth was textbook and undramatic. Finally, one thing went as planned.

In the recovery room

We checked into Fairview-Riverside as scheduled at 6 am on Monday, June 24, and went to Labor & Delivery on 4th floor. "Oh good, you're the morning section," said the nurse in L&D. She barely glanced at my insurance info, which had not changed in the 60 hours since I left the hospital. We were led into a small room where I changed into a hospital gown (poof!), and a nurse came in and got very basic vital stats from me. She then put on a pair of velcro-closing leg cuffs that looked like big tube socks (without the foot part) and were attached to a big battery pack. These gently squeezed and unsqueezed my legs; she explained that they helped to prevent blood clots. She also started an IV, ugh. In addition, I had to swallow a dose of anti-nausea medicine called Bicitra that nearly caused me to puke; it was really vile (but ultimately effective). My belly also got scrubbed with antibacterial wash, and I got shaved. 'Nuff said. 

Recovery room,
fresh out of the oven

In the meantime, various doctors poked their heads in to say hello (if they were friendly, like my excellent OB Dr. Samantha Hoffman or Anesthesiologist #2), or just gawk  (if they weren't, like Anesthesiologist #1). I was still coughing from the previous week's bout with pneumonia, and the OB said I could take 1 codeine tablet so I didn't cough during the procedure and end up with a zig-zag incision. Finally, I removed all jewelry, Bryan got into scrubs, and we were ready.

Teeny fingernails!

After about an hour in the "prep room," I was wheeled into the OR on a different floor. The OR was antiseptic and brightly lit  -- not the soothing atmosphere I wanted for parturition, but sterile and safe. The OB and Anesthesiologists were there, plus  lots of other people I didn't know gathered around 2 stations -- one for Mom (operating table & such), one for Baby (bassinet, warmer & such). Bryan wisely stayed outside while the spinal block was administered. For this, I sat up on the operating table while Anesthesiologists #1 & #2 first gave a shot of Lidocaine to numb my mid-back, then delivered the block itself. The Lidocaine did its job but I still felt what seemed like a pencil-sized needle going into my spine for the spinal block-- but pressure, not pain, as the doctors say.   (Still, it was much better than getting a (*$)(*$ epidural.) 

After administering the spinal block, Anesthesiologist #1 needed to determine that it was working. This was done with cotton balls soaked in some sort of liquid. He pressed the cotton ball first right under my armpit, then lower down on my side and said "tell me when these feel the same." I had no )(*# idea what he was asking until I realized he wanted to know at what point on my body could I not feel the cotton ball. It took maybe 10 minutes for the spinal block to work, but eventually I could feel the cotton ball under my armpit but not farther down on my abdomen. As this was going on, I tried to concentrate on taking deep, even breaths, since a spinal block can sometimes block the lower lungs (i.e., give the sensation that they are not working, even though they are, because you can't feel them), but blessedly I had no breathing problems. When the team was satisfied the block was working, the catheter was inserted (ugh), drapes were put up, Bryan came in and sat by my head, and showtime began for real. 

He's a serious boy.

As I was lying down I listened in on the doctors' conversation. Anesthesiologist #1, who was sitting in back of my head, went on and on to Anesthesiologist #2 about his grant and how he hoped he could do more research. (Seems like a good idea to me.)  The OB was more personable and asked us where we lived as she prepped the incision area. Turns out we're neighbors, but I wasn't polite enough to invite her over! What was I thinking? 

In the hospital room, quiet-alert stage.

Then the OB said "incision" and made the cut into my belly and uterus, while another doctor suctioned up the blood/fluid/gunk that was probably all over. I felt someone putting pressure on my upper belly and pressing down; it felt like they were playing the catch-the-greased-pig game, which is pretty apt. The table rocked around as the doctor tried to catch the squirming baby (I think), and then at 8:47 am James Rutledge was dragged out into the world. "Good sized baby!" was the first thing the doc said (he weighed 7 lb 14 oz) --  then, "it's a boy." She briefly showed the wailing, bloody baby to me, much like a waiter presenting a bottle of wine to a diner (my arms were strapped down with IVs and blood-oxygen monitors so I couldn't touch him) and then he was whisked back to be cared for by the Baby team.  My first thought on seeing him was "That's a surprise!" since he looked not at all like his brother or anyone in my family. My other thought was that he was just beautiful, and I cried. 

Jamie, 4 days old, at home

After Jamie was cleaned up but not bathed (hospitals no longer routinely bathe newborns) he was brought over to the table. His dad held him while I corkscrewed my head to look at him as the rest of the surgery was completed, and then I heard the surgeons taking inventory of instruments to make sure no scalpels had been left in me. Meanwhile, the Anesthesiologists continued talking about their research. Finally the drapes came down and I was back in 1 piece. 

After I was stitched & stapled, I was moved onto a different bed via an air cushion -- the entire mattress inflated and the team of doctors whooshed me  to the other bed like they were playing human air hockey. Jamie was put in a glass bassinet, and we were wheeled into the adjacent recovery room. 

Big yawn.

In the recovery room Jamie was finally placed in my arms where he started nursing right away (and hasn't stopped since). The nurse kept a close eye on me because my heartbeat was irregular at first, but it evened out eventually. I was concerned because I got feeling and movement back in my good leg pretty quickly, but it took much longer to come back in the "bad" leg (the club foot). After all systems were running smoothly -- about 90 minutes, I think -- my different heart/vital stats monitors were removed and we were brought to our hospital room, again moved onto the bed via air mattress. We spent the rest of the day getting to know each other and being very happy and thankful, and went home 3 days later.