Here It Is - Tristan's Birth Story!

I finally have the energy to sit down and type out Tristan's birth story. It's been a tiring, but amazing, six days since Tristan was brought into our lives. And I hope to use this post as a way to bundle all my memories and emotions from December 2, 2011 into one spot, so that I can read back on it from time to time and smile, cry and get goosebumps.

December 2, 2011:

Aaron and I dropped Ella off at school at 11:15, and I couldn't help but hold back tears when saying goodbye, knowing that was going to be the last time I hug her with Tristan inside of me. The last time I would hug her as only her mom. Being pregnant has made me so sensitive and aware of who Ella is. It made me realize just how beautiful and wonderful and significant that little girl is. It brought me closer to her.

Afterwards, Aaron and I then headed home to relax, as best as we could, while thinking about what was yet to come. We did some last minute tidying around the house so that we'd come home to a nice, clean home (or perhaps it was just to keep busy so time would pass quickly?). The house has since been trashed with blankets, bibs, Ella's toys, our pug's toys, Ella's school paperwork, hospital paperwork and lots and lots of laundry piles (both clean and dirty).

Once 1:15 rolled around, we made the half-hour drive over to the hospital and checked in. I was feeling anxious and nervous, which was clearly reflected through my high blood pressure. Yikes! We waited for a couple hours in the pre-op room, just going over stuff with my labor and delivery nurse, running tests, signing tons of paperwork...you know, normal stuff before a surgery.

But, get this! While laying there, I started noticing my contractions were getting fairly consistent and more severe. Not so severe that I couldn't hold a conversation during them, but definitely enough for me to think, "Hmmmm...something is definitely going on. These are starting to feel like when I first went into labor with Ella." Sure enough, the baby's heart beat and my contractions were being monitored by a machine and after the nurse took a glance at the machine's printout, she asked, "Have you been feeling those contractions? They are every 2 to 3 minutes!"

I was so happy to hear this! Knowing my body was going into labor just a couple hours before my scheduled c-section made me so happy. It made me realize that Tristan was ready! My body was naturally getting ready for my baby boy to arrive. Tristan was going to be born that day (or day after), regardless of the c-section. I never liked that I was going to have Tristan before he "told" me he was ready, but through those contractions and signs that labor was beginning, he let me know. :)

4:00 rolled around faster than we thought it would. Before we knew it, Aaron was in his cute daddy scrubs and I was being rolled into the operating room. Aaron had to stay behind while they prepped me in the OR. I didn't want to leave him. :(

And, hands down, this goes down as one of the worst/scariest moments of my life.

The spinal!

Every possible reaction a person can have to the spinal, I had. Once the numbing medicine was injected into my spine, I immediately began feeling absolutely awful. My heart rate raced up to 140 bpm. I was sweating in the frigid cold room. I was having a panic attack. My anxiety went through the roof. I was dry-heaving with nothing to throw up. I was crying. I felt the incredible need to move my body, but couldn't. I was scared. The anesthesiologist warned me these symptoms might occur, but I had every single one. I remember constantly crying out, asking if Aaron could come in, but he couldn't. They still had to prep my stomach area for the big incision. I couldn't be comforted, I couldn't calm down. I felt out-of-control and so so scared.

I don't know how long I felt so awful, but it did pass. My blood pressure, breathing and heart rate went back to normal and I felt calm. I was still emotional and crying quite a bit, but I all the other symptoms subsided. Thank God! I really thought Tristan was going to be brought into the world with me feeling like that.

Once Aaron came into the room and I saw his kind eyes, I felt better. He knew I was having a rough time. He just put his head down to mine and told me everything was going to be okay. He was all the comfort I needed to know I was fine.

A couple minutes after Aaron arrived, they began. I think it took about 10 minutes for them to get Tristan out of there. Maybe a little more. Maybe a little less. I felt a ton of pressure and tugging. They were moving me back and forth, up and down. I didn't feel a thing. I just knew they were doing some serious work behind that big, blue blanket. Aaron was able to stand up and look over the blanket to watch Tristan be born. He took pictures of him being taken out of me (pictures that I will not be sharing with any of you, don't worry!). I remember when they saw the top of Tristan's head and announced, "He's bald!" That made me smile. I was hoping the little guy would be bald. And, soon after that, I heard his first, gurgled little cry. Oh, that cry! I hope to remember that sound forever.

4:56 p.m.

The doctor then proceeded to stitch and staple me back up while Tristan was cleaned up in the corner of the room. Aaron didn't want to leave me, but was so excited to meet his son. So, he went and watched Tristan. They announced his weight first, 7 pounds 13 ounces. Then his length, 19-3/4 inches. He really didn't cry much in the OR during this time. I'd hear a big cry every now and again, but for the most part, he was pretty quiet.

After maybe 10 minutes passed, Aaron got to bring Tristan over to me. The first thing I said was, "He looks exactly like you, Aaron!" I then gave him a quick kiss on his forehead and off the two of them went into the nursery for monitoring, bathing and vital checks.

Babies crying when they are first born is a GOOD thing. It helps them discard all the fluid in their lungs and adjust to breathing in air. Tristan was showing signs that his adjustment to this new world wasn't coming that naturally for him. I later learned that babies born via c-section sometimes have a harder time because they are not squeezed through the birth canal, which helps them expel any extra fluid in their lungs. And, with Tristan not being that big of a crier, it made the adjustment even more difficult.

So, his oxygen saturation level had to be tested. He was put on a machine. It showed that he was receiving 100% oxygen. He was consistently grunting, though, which was a sign that he was still having trouble breathing. The grunting lasted through the first night, but by the following morning, it was gone. Thank goodness!

And, because he had to have his oxygen intake tested, I didn't get to hold my little man for a couple hours after he was born. I tell ya, that was the longest wait ever!

After I was all closed up, I was wheeled into the recovery room, where I stayed for about an hour. My vital signs were good, but I was still feel really sick from the anesthesia. I can't even tell you how many times I threw up my ice chips and water. Probably a total of 20 times that night. I felt so dehydrated and yucky. It was miserable.

After my vitals proved to be okay and not require close nurse supervision, I was wheeled into my private room. At this time, the mom is allowed to press a button in the hallway that plays a birthday song throughout the entire hospital, to let everyone know a baby has been born. I was so adamant that Ella had to do that. In fact, soon after I got to the hospital, I asked about this button and told the nurse we absolutely could not forget. So, as I was wheeled right past the button, my dad and Ella pressed the button together. I got to hear the song play over the speakers, while throwing up all over myself. It was the happiest, most icky moment. :)

Once wheeled into my private room, Tristan was finally brought to me. The moment I had been dreaming about for so long had finally arrived! I got to hold my son! I was sooooo happy, but also still feeling pretty nasty. My parents and Ella then left, and I got to nurse Tristan, and then finally rest with my baby boy in my arms.

Tristan was difficult to nurse at first, but once he latched on and figured things out, he was great! I called him my little champ. He's been a little champ every since.

We stayed at the hospital for a little over 48 hours after Tristan was born. I was determined to go home! And, when this gal wants something, this gal does everything in her power to get it! Technically, I suppose I should've stayed one more day, but I wanted to get home to my other child. I wanted to sleep comfortably (well, as comfortably as I can with a huge incision in my lower stomach) in the privacy of my own bed, without tubes being attached to me through IV or without that darn catheter. My doctor at first told me I'd be staying until Monday, Tuesday at the latest. But, when he saw me on Saturday and I made the plea to go home the following day, he told me as long as I could pee on my own, I could. I was ecstatic! I was even more ecstatic when I finally peed on my own! My body was under a lot of constraint, so that was a happy moment when things were starting to work as they should. Ah, it's the little things in life...like being able to pee. LOL!

So, I guess that pretty much sums up Tristan's birth story. It doesn't all sound very glorious, and trust me, it wasn't. But, at the end of the day, I was holding a healthy, beautiful baby boy, so how could this day not go down as anything but one of the best days of my life. :)