I was scheduled to be induced January 2. Due to the size of my babies, my doctor thought it best to induce even just a few days early to avoid a 10 pound nugget again. My parents flew in the afternoon of the 31st and it was nice having a few days before baby to spend time with them and have help with the boys.
Bright and early Wednesday morning, we dropped the boys off at daycare and we all went to the hospital. Excited and nervous all in one, together we geared up for my historically long labors. After getting hooked up to IV's and getting blood drawn, the nurse wanted to check one more time to be sure baby was still head down. He had been pretty active on the fetal monitor and she seemed unsure that he was where he should be. My doctor came in with a vintage sono machine and sure enough, he had flipped in the last few days and was now breeched. How could that be? There's no room left! She talked options -- I would be given the epidural and she and another doctor could try to manually flip him around. This could cause stress to the baby and my placenta was high and there was a possibility of complications. The other option was a c-section. Liam had to be manually flipped and it was an excruciating process and there was still no guarantee that it would work and I would still have to have an emergency c-section. She said we could talk about it but I already knew what I wanted to do. I could have the c-section in 3 hours and be done with it. Having labored for a minimum of 36 hours AFTER being induced with my other two children, I knew it would still be a long time if I were to have him vaginally. I just didn't think I had the energy for it. A c-section was decided.
Thankfully I hadn't eaten breakfast that morning. I NEVER skip meals because I get incredibly nauseous but I ran out of time that morning which turned out to be miraculous because that meant they could schedule the surgery sooner rather than later.
Time and hunger pains rumbled on and before I knew it, Thomas was getting his scrubs on and I was walked with the anesthesiologist to the OR. Though I've never had surgery or spent any time in a hospital, I was surprisingly calm for such a drastic turn of events. The room was cold and as I sat on the edge of the hard operating table, I felt my legs get warm and fuzzy. I was laid back, given oxygen, arms strapped down, and before I knew it Thomas and a half dozen doctors flooded the room. Suddenly I was thankful for the sheet between me and my uterus. I recognized my doctor's face and she peeked over the top of the sheet and said, "You ready?"
There were moments I thought I wouldn't be able to lay on my back that long. At times, it felt like I was suffocating but I was grateful for Thomas' face, right beside mine rubbing my head. He asked if he could stand and watch and the doctors all gave an enthusiastic YES. After one last check, there was this fun fact: baby had flipped and he was head down again! I didn't even know it was possible for all that flipping at 39 weeks.
There was a....smell....that entered the room and I looked at Thomas' face and I knew they had started. He was suddenly white as a sheet. 10 minutes in and there was a lot of pressure and then a big relief of weight and he was here! His tiny face popped up and I instantly fell in love. Thomas walked with him over to the table to get him checked out and I could hear the nurses ask Thomas if he was ok. That seemed strange. They walked him back over to where I was and I looked up at him and he was ghostly white and sweating. He'd seen too much. The emotions of seeing your wife open on the table and your new baby can be a bit overwhelming I guess. 😉 They gave him juice and oxygen and he was back to normal after several moments. It's fun to always have that on him. Pansy. Ha.
Davis Lee arrived January 2 at 12:32 PM our smallest yet, at 8 pounds 10 ounces. He was 20 3/4 inches long and seemed like a peanut compared to the boys. He took to nursing instantly, like within one minute, and only lost 4% of his body weight in the hospital. After his pediatrician appointment, he gained it all back and is 8 pounds 12 ounces. This kid is a champion.
If I think about it too much, three boys seems daunting and smelly and loud and testeroney. But it also sounds wonderful and sweet and I wouldn't trade it. I'm so glad they're mine.
