1) make sure you eat a good meal on your way to the hospital. We stopped at Burger King for breakfast, and I had my ham, egg, and cheese croissant and some water, and it was my last meal for quite a while. Once we arrived at the hospital, and they decided I had to be induced, I wasn't allowed to eat anything other than clear liquids. When you've been eating every 2-3 hours for months, the thought of not eating using delivery seems pretty long. Once the induction is turned into a c-section, you aren't allowed to eat for 24 hours! I thought I would starve!
My only food of substance from the time I had breakfast at 6:30AM until the next morning (when I had to beg the nurses for real food) included: yellow jello - I say yellow because I couldn't figure out the flavor, but it definitely wasn't lemon; water and Sprite, and finally, instant chicken broth. After trying their awful chicken broth, and deciding I was better off starving than trying to choke it down, I got approval from the nursing staff to bring in my own food. Around dinner time, Sara was my saving grace! She brought me soup from the Fugiyama Japanese Steak House, and it was the most amazing thing I've ever eaten!
2) when your water breaks, it will feel like you can pee forever! I literally sat on the toilet with fluids coming out for a good 10 minutes before we left home. I soaked through an overnight pad by the time we made it to the hospital, and left a trail of fluid through the hospital on my way to registration. Once we made it to the triage room, I again peed for a good ten minutes, and continued I do so until they put in my catheter.
3) with a c-section, you can't leave hospital until you've pooped. Ugh. This is the worst! I'd been taking stool softeners for two weeks before Julie was born, and I wish I'd have been taking a higher dose.
4) gas pains will make you feel like you're dying. My chest would tighten, making it hard to breathe. At one point during our hospital stay, I was in so much pain I thought I was going to pass out, and I started hyperventilating because of it. I could not catch my breath. My chest was hurting, and they brought Julie in to nurse. She latched on, and I couldn't breathe. Shaun called the nurse twice in a panic because he'd never seen me in so much pain. I was crying, and he had to take Julie so I wouldn't drop her as my body tensed.
5) listen to your instincts once your baby has arrived. Julie came on her due date, as scheduled, and from the time she was born, she set her own schedule. She came out on a 4 hour schedule. Like clockwork, she would want to eat every 4 hours. One of the night nurses decided I was an inadequate mother because I wouldn't feed juke every two hours, so she brought her to me every two hours to nurse. Julie refused to eat - she wanted to sleep, and do what she pleased. She nursed for a few minutes, and fell right to sleep, and didn't get a full feeding. I told the nurse that she was only eating every four hours, and to bring her back from the nursery when she woke up. Instead, she brought her to me two hours later. After again struggling to nurse because she wasn't hungry, I complained to my nurse about how Julie's nurse was not listening to my wishes. Julie's nurse tried to tell me that she had lost too much weight, that she was jaundiced, that my breasts didn't have enough milk, and that I was an unfit mother. Once I complained to my nurse, Julie got a new nurse. Also, before we were discharged, the head of nursing for the hospital stopped by to see how we were treated during our stay. I explained what had happened, and told her that if I wasn't a parent who was educated and strong headed, that I would have given up on breastfeeding and would have left the hospital thinking I was a terrible mother. Julie's nurse would have caused postpartum depression in many women. So, again, I say - you're the mother, do what you feel is right.
6) if you have a migraine while in the hospital, tell the nurses, and make a big deal about it. Once Julie was born, I started to hae a mild headache within 24 hours. Two days later, it was a full blown migraine, and I was having problems standing, keeping my eyes open, and functioning. I passed it off as sleep deprivation, and even when I mentioned it to the nurses they didn't make a big deal about it. However, it turned out to be a spinal headache from the anesthesia during my c-section.
7) kick people out of your room. Everyone will want to see the baby, but you need to rest and recover. Don't feel bad asking people to leave.
8) on the night you were born, we watched Sister Act and Despicable Me. We sang the Sleepy Song, and talked about how long we waited for you, prayed for you, and how much you were loved. I prayed for you, and thanked God for giving us such a wonderful, beautiful, perfect gift.
9) everyone made it to the hospital in time for your arrival. When I was taken to the OR to prep for the c-section, I left Shaun in scrubs the triage room, and the only other people at the hospital were Shaun's parents. My parents were on their way, and Sara was coming to visit after Lilly's Thanksgiving performance at preschool. The decision to have a c-section was so quick, that I was afraid everyone would miss your arrival. However, once you were here, and Shaun got to push you down the hallway while I was being stitched up, everyone was in the hallway waiting for you! You had a crowd of loved ones that made it just in time to meet you! You are so loved, and God has perfect timing!
10) you got to come home on Thanksgiving Day! That morning, we watched the Today Show, and the Macy's Day Parade. I still had a migraine, and was having a hard time keeping food down.
11) don't make decisions while taking pain medication. The drugs I was taking after delivery put me to sleep, so at some point Shaun had left the room, and the pediatrician stopped by to check on you. I remember her being there, but I have no idea what she said. A few minutes later, the newborn photographer came in to schedule an appointment for photos. Apparently, I set up the appointment, because when Shaun arrived back to the room, the photographer said she'd see us the next day. Shaun tried to ask me who she was, and what I'd scheduled, and I had no idea! All I remember is trying to focus on each person that came in the room, and my eyes just kept rolling back in my head.
12) don't let people scare you about breastfeeding. I was so afraid it was going to hurt to nurse you, but I had no pain at all. A month later, I still had very little pain. The only pain I had with breastfeeding was when you'd first latch on, and it was over as soon as it started.
13) you have an amazing latch. This is a blessing and a curse! You're an expert breastfeeder, but you also suck the crap out of my nipples, and cover me in baby hickeys when you miss.
14) you passed your hearing test, but it took a few tries. You do not have hearing problems, but you did have such a strong latch that they couldn't get accurate results. They test hearing by having babies suck on a paci. Your suckle was so strong that they had to perform the test without a paci to get results.
15) you snore. It's adorable, and you've snored since the day you were born. This is how I know you're really asleep. Little baby snores. Aww!
16) your dad and I both cried the first time we saw you. You were perfect - our beautiful baby girl! I have never felt such emotion, so seen so much love in one place. The nurses had you on the warming table, doing your APGAR test, and your dad just couldn't hide his excitement. He got to cut your umbilical cord, and then the nurses put you in his arms. I was still being operated on, and I watched in slow motion, thanking God for a healthy baby, and asking to keep me safe during the rest of the c-section and recovery. Once you were in your daddy's arms, he brought you over so I could see you up close for the first time. It's a moment I'll never forget. I'd never been so happy!
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