My Birth Story: Part 2 Blessings

This is Part 2 of my Birth Story: Blessings. In Part 1 here.  I shared my journey through pregnancy. Today I’m sharing the actual birth.

It’s 4am, November 29,2012. I’m up, showered and ready head to the hospital. Today is the day! I let the babe sleep some more which gives me time to pray and talk to baby girl. Since I can’t eat, I chew on a piece of gum. I’m hungry. Once the babe is ready, we head out, but not before he snaps a few last pics of my pregnant self. We head into the city with zero traffic. Super early c-sections means you get to beat the crazy NYC traffic. 

Once we arrive we go to labor and delivery go check in and of course there’s an issue. We are not on the list the clerk says. Excuse me I say? He repeats himself and since he’s not all that nice and he’s dealing with a full term and super emotional mom to be, he doesn’t get away with that tone! I go off! The babe jumps into action and next thing you know my doctors office call to reassure me I’m on the list.I’m taken into a room, changed and out on the monitors.

Issue 2: Two failed attempts, unnecessary pain and finally the damn IV is in. Ugh!!!And then a nice doctor comes in to do an ultrasound. Nice until she says “let’s see if this baby is still breached because if not you may be able to go home and wait for labor to start.” Remember I said I was emotional right. Not to mention over being pregnant and at this point I’m beyond hungry. I’m hangry!I said in the nicest way possible “I don’t care what position this baby is in. She is coming out today. Thank you.” I didn’t say it nice. That’s the truth.

After a few minutes my doctor arrives! Thank you Dr. Jaffe. He walks in with his leather jacket and jeans all cool and collected. He checks things out, makes me laugh and says he will see my in a few becaus “we have a baby to deliver.” That was just what I needed. I felt calm and relieved! My family comes in (We were 8-10 deep by now) and we pray. We snap a few more pics. I won’t share the one with the middle finger up. Ha.

I’m off to the delivery room which they had to reset due to my latex allergy being overlooked. Then it’s like a party. People are shooting orders at me and my calm is gone in a flash. But once again Dr. Jaffe saves the day. He has everyone stop. He proceeds to tell them to introduce e themselves and state why they are here. Did I mention he’s the man?
He then turns to me and says “I don’t know what all the commotion was about. How can anyone expect you to stay calm and not move for the epidural with all that ruckus.” Ha!
And then I hear “if you feel like you’re going to vomit just turn your head to the side.” And that’s it’s!

The next thing I know I’m in recovering and I have no idea what’s going on. I’m hot, my skin feels like bugs are attacking me and my body is moving involuntarily. I’m told my Baby girl was born at 10:01am and she is doing great. What? And here I am delirious and confused and by the time I head to my room it’s starting to get dark outside. Where is my baby???? I’m crying and I am mad. Why did I miss her birth? What happened? The nurse brings her to me and I calm down. Everyone is there taking pictures and enjoying this beautiful little blessings. I’m happy but I am so confused as to what happened. Once everyone is gone, Dr. Jaffe comes to check on me. He tells me I was unconscious probably due to a reaction to the anesthesia. I’ve been under anesthesia before so honestly I think the anesthesiologist did something wrong. I didn’t like his smugness anyway but all is well and I’m a mom.
I can’t believe it. I’m a mom. I am someone’s mother. Not someone, I’m Zoë’s mom.

The next few days are filled with love, pain and joy. Jeez a c-section is some serious pain! I ask for Motrin over the strong stuff but within hours I whimper my request for the serious meds. OMG! Once they kick in I can move about and I’m determined to do so.

Zoë stays with us all day and night. Nope I didn’t let her sleep in the nursery. She went for vitals and came right back. 

And before you know it we are heading home.

I learned the football hold was the best option for her to latch due to the angle of her her palette. Breastfeeding is another beast but I stick to it. All is well until the crazy hormones kick in. I literally kick the babe out one night! Yeah I still can’t believe I did that.

Within a few weeks we are settled into a nice routine and then my mom comes to help out for a few weeks.

And then the bottom fell out…