Here is Winston’s birth story. I start my new job tomorrow. I will miss this beautiful time with my family.
We had a planned C-section this time. I was not sure if we would actually make it to the planned date of Monday May the 4th as I had been having irregular contractions since the prior Tuesday, but we did. Logan and I got up at 5:30 am to try to make it to the hospital on time at 6:30. Elliot slept in with Gingy and Grandpa at our house.
We parked in the garage and hiked to the hospital with our overnight bags. We took the elevator in the garage, which was actually the first time I had taken the elevator in the garage this pregnancy (I think that helped some with the weight gain). A police officer stopped his cruiser along the way and asked if I needed a ride the rest of the way to the hospital. I guess he thought I was in labor. I was pretty huge. We politely declined and hiked on.
I saw a coworker at the coffee shop on the way in and proudly waved. It was great to not be in labor. We took the elevator up to labor and delivery. I picked up the phone to the ward secretary and announced that I was here for my planned C-section. She let us in and we were escorted to pre-op. A sweet and funny nurse said they were expecting us and she went through the initial forms with me and got me my hospital garments.
She told me that they had been looking over my history prior to my arrival and someone had commented that they wondered if I would attempt a VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarian). She laughed and said she thought that I would not as I had been through enough last time.
Logan and I watched Good Morning America while various nurses helped me get ready. The 501st Storm Trooper Unit was on the program to celebrate Star Wars Day. Logan and I had debated about middle names most of the pregnancy and finally settled on Luke. Also, Princess Kate had just had a daughter (and looked impossibly beautiful a mere 10 hours after delivering). They were discussing what they would name the new princess and Logan and I laughed when both Charlotte and Olivia were on the list of potential princess names.
An anesthesia resident came to talk to me about the spinal anesthesia that I would be receiving for the operation. It turned out that I had graduated medical school with her and after 3 and a half years of surgery residency she had switched to anesthesia. I felt like she was far over qualified to perform my procedure and was pleased to see her (and glad again to have a familiar face in the OR).
Once I was all hooked up with IV and monitors, the nurses had me walk to the OR. I saw my doctor in the hall on the way to the OR and, to be funny, I complained that they were making me walk. She commented that I had better enjoy it while I could.
In the OR, I sat on the operating table with my back arched so that the resident could perform my spinal. As I was in a teaching hospital, the attending explained the procedure to a nurse anesthetist in training. At one point he said something about the fluid not being clear, to which I responded, “What do you mean it’s not clear?!” Turned out it was and the resident just had not quite accessed my spinal canal.
I was amazed at how quickly the spinal took effect. My feet immediately began to tingle. I was helped into position and was draped and prepped. I played a game to see how long I could lift my feet and wiggle my toes. It was not long.
Logan joined us shortly before the procedure got underway. He warned the team that we would probably need some size 1 diapers on hand. I mostly felt tired during the procedure, that despite of all the excitement, I could really just go and take a nap. My hands started feeling a little numb at one point, which I reported to my anesthesia friend. She checked my grip strength and said I would be fine. I still did not feel like I could make it across the monkey bars, but I probably could not have done that anyway. I supposed everything would be alright as long as I did not suddenly stop breathing. The OB told me not to say things like that!
At that point, Winston was out! His initial cry was different from Elliot’s, with a little more gurgle. The doctor brought him over briefly so I could see him and then it was off to the warmer. Logan followed to meet the new baby and take some pictures for me. He was 9 lbs 1 oz, somewhat smaller than Elliot but still BIG.
I was glad that we had chosen the planned C-section! After the pediatricians were finished with him, Logan brought him over for us to meet. It was so wonderful to meet my new little buddy! My anesthesia friend took a few pictures for us.
I don’t know if it was my experience or this baby, but in recovery Winston latched on without issue. We sat there skin to skin while he tried to feed. Logan got to hold him some too in recovery while the nurses monitored me. We headed over to mother baby, our home away from home for the next few days.
Gingy, Grandpa, and Elliot came over to visit. My mom was excited to hold the new baby and my dad took some early footage. Elliot liked playing on a chair.
Gam Gam, Linzy, and Charlotte came by to meet Winston and pick up Elliot from my parents. Gam Gam was great about keeping us posted on the adventures of our first buddy.
Charlotte and Elliot played exuberantly so Linzy took them downstairs. Aunt Lisa also came by later that day to visit as well as my sweet coworker who threw Winston’s shower.
Our nurses and CNAs were fantastic! They took great care of Winston and me during our visit. That first night, Winston and I were awake from midnight to 2 am feeding. At that point, I called the nurses for a supplemental feeding system (the tube breast feeding/ formula device that I used last time). That got him settled down.
Linzy, Ian, and Charlotte came to visit the next day. Charlotte was very excited to see the baby again but a little afraid. She did give Winston a little kiss. Logan’s cousin Bart stopped by as well to visit.
Gam Gam brought Elliot over later, conveniently right before the photographer arrived. We managed to get nice pictures of Winston with the whole family!
Logan went home for a bit that evening to set up the bassinet and Winston’s present for Elliot, a tent that looks like an ice cream truck!
Another coworker came by to visit and brought Winston a sweet bunny rabbit. Winston and I stayed by ourselves that night. We were doing well and Logan was having a hard time sleeping in the recliner in the room. Plus, one of us needed to be well rested to take care of Elliot.
When I had trouble settling Winston, I just put him in my hospital bed with me. I was sort of surprised that we were not admonished by the nurses for our co-sleeping, but they never discouraged us.
We left the hospital the next day. Again the car seat was a problem, so I took him out while we waited on the CNA. Winston did tolerate the wheel chair ride to the car in the car seat. He was less happy about the car ride.
Winston and I took a nap at home while Logan went to get my prescriptions filled.
Later, Gam Gam brought us Elliot and my mom came up to help us out.
We went to the pediatrician the next day and the nurse commented that it was “de ja vue all over again!” We had another big baby and Logan was full of UT banter for the Alabama fan nurse. Winston’s weight was 8 lbs 4 oz so we were asked to come back the next day to see if he had any weight gain. Although my milk was starting to come in, I was still having trouble keeping up with him, so we had continued to supplement with the tube system. However, that night the tube broke! Instead, we gave him some formula in a bottle, a practice that I would have been adamantly against last time since it might give him the dreaded “nipple confusion.” He took to the bottle just fine though and had no problem with returning to me afterward. The next day Winston was 8 lbs 7 oz, so we signed off with the pediatrician. It was sad to leave their clinic. They had been quite a part of our lives with Elliot, especially those first few months!
Anyways, things have been great this time around! Winston is a great baby and Elliot is a great toddler! Maybe the people who act like having an infant is a pleasant experience are not completely full of crap. We are able to go out and do things that we would have never dreamed of being able to do the first time. Everything is AWESOME!
