Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Welcome to the World...


I meant to post sooner, but I just got home from the hospital yesterday. Sorry about that...







Baby J arrived into the world, Saturday, April 19th at 9:52 p.m. EDT via emergency c-section.

There's actually nothing wrong with her, except, perhaps for a flawed sense of direction and a love of tap dancing.
I arrived at the hospital late Saturday afternoon, having fairly strong and regular contractions, but they were going to send me home. That is, until they did an internal examination.


Nurse: "Um, that doesn't feel like a head. No, that's definitely not a head. Maybe it's a hand. "

She then calls in another nurse and invites her to take a grab.

Nurse 2: "No, that's not a head, and it's not a hand, either. That's a foot. Ma'am, did you know your baby is breech?"

Aw, hell.

It was at that moment that Baby J decided to start setting off alarms by letting her heart rate plummet, disappear, and then reappear with gusto not thirty seconds later.

Nurse 1: "Um, you are most definitely NOT going home. "


Initially, they were just going to keep me for observation overnight, keep an eye on the baby, and make sure she didn't try to kick her way out. I sent Ray and TFYO home. Five minutes later, the Amazing Baby J did her disappearing heart beat trick again, and I was informed that I'd be having a c-section within the hour. Ray, TFYO and our very dear friend Debbie all made it back just in time for me to be wheeled into the OR.

I have to say a huge thank you to all the staff at St. Joseph/Candler-Mary Telfair Hospital. The doctor who performed my surgery was quick, the nurses were all warm, funny, caring and professional, and even though I was terrified, everyone worked hard to make me comfortable. I panicked about being cut open, but everyone was just wonderful, including the nurse who did a pratfall just for my benefit. Shame I didn't actually see her do it.




I was given a spinal block at 9:35, Ray walked into the OR in his scrubs (see picture), and Baby J was born at 9:52. By 10:05, I was cleaned up, stapled up, and sent off to my room.



They're cute, aren't they?


It turns out, Baby J's heart is just fine. However, she had the cord wrapped around her foot, and she was stomping on it. It was like her own personal hoedown. Just for good measure, she was kicking the placenta around, and kicked at everyone on her way out, too.


I look like hell in this picture, but I don't really care. After all, I'd just given birth. For the record, Baby J appears to have dark hair and dark eyes. Otherwise, she looks almost identical to her big sister when TFYO was that age.

I'm tired, and I'm sore, but we're home now, embarking on our latest adventure. Stay tuned for more exciting episodes!

22 comments:

Kim said...

Congratulations!

So glad she's fine. We had a heart scare with my first, but it turned out to be an oddball arrhythmia that never repeated outside the womb. She's a healthy 17 year old now.

TFYO already looks like she adores her little sister.

What a cute little family. Get some rest when you can and enjoy that adorable newborn.

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear you are home and happy to see some pictures! Can't wait to see her in person! Hope you are feeling well, don't worry about anything except taking care of that baby and yourself.
Love & Hugs
"Great" auntie barbie

Anonymous said...

I know we talked this weekend...but again...CONGRATULATIONS!!!
I'm sure with TFYO teaching here the ways of the world, there will be more exciting adventures.

Oh well...

the rotten correspondent said...

Congratulations to all of you! I am so happy that she is here and healthy and obviously with a will of her own.

The pictures are great and you look terrific. The just cut open look isn't something you see every day in Vogue, you know.

Get some rest and enjoy your fabulous kids.

Big hugs flying at you!

Bellevelma said...

Awesome and congratulations! Now get some sleep ;)

Stompin' on the cord... That's funny. Probably not so at the time, but it's a great story. Definitely enroll her in tap dancing lessons when she's older. And when she doesn't want to go anymore, make her keep going because hey, she made you get cut open ;)

Love the pictures. You all look great!

Unknown said...

Sorry I haven't called you yet, but every day I went by the office, I would ask, "Did she have it yet? "Did she have it yet?" I'm glad your home and the baby's healthy. Mazel Tov!

By the way, the place is a mess...

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! What a sweet, precious little angel! AND the baby is cute, too! You all make one marvelous-looking group. Both my kids were born C-section and everything turned out peachy. You know, THANK GOD there is such a thing as a C-section, huh? The alternative isn't so pretty.

Anonymous said...

Even though we yaked a bit this weekend, CONGRATULATIONS MUMMY!

TFYO will be the best big sister in the world I know - it will just take her a little time to get used to the role!

Baby J certainly does have a set of pipes on her, maybe she'll be a singer or something... :)

Talk to you soon - send me an update when you can!


BTW - Mr. GURNAL! Haven't seen(or heard from) you in ages! How are you?

Diana said...

Congratulations!

A wonderful ending to a scary story. Hope you have the easiest possible recovery and the four of you get to snuggle together for quite a while.

Beth said...

Congratulations on Baby J, who just may have dancing as a future career.

The family photos are great and I bet TFYO is going to be the best big sister ever.

Welcome to the world, Baby J!

Anonymous said...

How great is that!! Congratulations. Very glad to hear that everyone is a-ok and healthy. Terrific news!

Anonymous said...

Yahoo! Congratulations!

She was born on the twins' birthday....I'm not sure if that 's a good thing or a bad thing....Eli is now 6 going on 16. It's going to be a helluva year.

Jo Beaufoix said...

Hoooooraaaaayyyy.

Running around waving my arms in the air.

Now back to your post. xx

Jo Beaufoix said...

Phew, I've actually read it now. Congratulations Jen. Being a two kid family is great. Hope you're not too sore, though that's probably a mad thing to say seeing as you just had surgery. Our first blog baby, and she looks gorgeous.

Big hugs to TFYO from Miss E and Miss M too. I'm sure she'll be a fab big sister - most of the time. ;)

Big hugs to you all. x

willowtree said...

Woohoo!! Congratulations. xoxo

Susan said...

I am thrilled for all of you!!! TFYO is so darling in the pictures, and baby J, and Ray, too. And really, you don't look half bad yourself! Take care, rest up, and I'll be thinking of you.

By the way, there aren't any pictures of me while still in the hospital - it was that bad.

Mya said...

Oh Jen, what fantastic news! Well done to all of you. I'm sorry I'm so late to comment, things are a bit hectic. But I have been thinking...wondering how you're getting on. I had a C section and I very stupidly tried doing too much too soon afterwards - don't you make the same mistake. Let everybody else take the strain. She is a litle cutey, though. Lovely pics - and I think you look amazingly perky for someone who's just been through such an ordeal.
Well...you've put a huge smile on my face for the rest of the week.Thanks!!!
Big hugs.

Mya x

laurie said...

oh, she didn't do it easy, did she, jen! congratulations! she is just begun to make your life difficult--and wonderful--and exasperating--and confusing--and did i say wonderful??

congratulations! you all look beautiful and you all look happy.

DaddyWakamole said...

Wow, she's beautiful! After that stomping on the cord trick, I'm betting when they pulled her out she said, "Ta-dah!!!!!"
So they let Ray into the OR during the C-section? I wasn't allowed in, probably because they had to put M out completely. So neither of us got to see N born. No regrets though.

Dumdad said...

Wonderful news! Congratulations from all the Dumdad family from across the pond.

Maureen said...

Awwww. Hope you'll accept my delayed congrats as this is my first time at your blog...

Congratulations!!!! I had my daughter by emergency C section as well (under a general, it was so fast)... so I know what you've been going thru.

Glad to see everyone is well.

Jane said...

Congratulations!