So, it's Saturday the 25th of March, about 2.5 weeks from my due date, and the contractions were intense per usual, but stopping every once in awhile. My mom and Maddie and I made a run to Babies'r'us in the afternoon to get a few things for my hospital bag. My contractions continued through the shopping and were still going strong when I got home, so I started timing them. After continuing every 3-5 minutes for hours, Bub the hub and I decided to go into the hospital to get checked out. It was hard to know if it was the real deal, but the contractions were not stopping, which made me anxious.
They took me into the labor and delivery emergency room and I got hooked up to monitor the baby right away. After a couple more hours, the contractions were still going strong, although I had not dilated at all. At this point, I was extremely uncomfortable. It's hard to explain because it wasn't really pain per say, but rather just a super intensity of constant belly contracting. My head was red and pounding and I could barely talk. The doctors came in and said, well, you are still a little early (but farther along than with Maddie!), but we can tell how uncomfortable you are and the contractions have not stopped after fluids, so we are going to deliver...!!! Many emotions swept over me but mainly I was excited/terrified/and so ready to finally meet this sweet baby.
Just like with Maddie, they had me prepped and ready to go so fast it made my head spin. The anesthesiologist came in and gave me all the scary info and had me sign away. The nurses came in and started prepping and asking lots of question. Hubs called everyone to let them know. I walked into the operating room and before I knew it they had the epidural in my back and it was go time. Bub the hub sat next to me and the doctors started the C-section at about 10 minutes to midnight. I was trying not to shake too much and waiting so anxiously to hear the baby cry.
Lee Michael McClung was born with a healthy loud cry just after midnight. They lifted him over the drape for me and I couldn't believe he was finally here. Hubs took a quick pic! Just seconds old.
Little Lee was perfect and hubs got to bring him over to visit me while the doctors finished up the surgery. He was still crying a little so we talked to him and I gave him lots and lots of kisses.
One of the things that I was most excited for this delivery was the baby being able to stay with me in recovery, which was not something they did after either of my C-sections with the girls. Both were taken off to the nursery (Avery, of course, taken away away), but times have changed! and I was so looking forward to him being with us the whole time.
They finished up my surgery and wheeled me to recovery and hubs carried the baby with us, who was still fussing a little. Once we got in the room, there was a neonatologist that wanted to examine him for a minute. They brought him back over for me to cuddle and said he looked good but the fact that he had not stopped fussing signified that he might have fluid in his lungs. She said that it's a normal thing that can happen with C-section babies. They told us to keep cuddling him and see if we could calm him down. So we both tried our best, but he continued to make the cutest little cry.
The doctor said, I know you don't want to hear this, but we want to take him up to the n.i.c.u. and make sure his lungs are ok....So, ok. My baby plans were going out the window when they'd barely begun. It's still quite a blur to me, but I remember feeling a little worried, but the doctor was so assuring that it was not a big deal. And it was nothing anywhere near as scary as when Avery was born. I was definitely disappointed that he couldn't stay with me through post-op, but also super tired and trying hard to keep my eyes open.
Hubs went to the n.i.c.u. with Lee while my mom stayed with me. He snapped a cute pic once they got there.
I woke up later in the morning feeling like it was Christmas. I mean, the pain meds were still working well and I couldn't wait to snuggle by baby boy again! It was still surreal that he was here. I called the n.i.c.u. immediately and the nurse told me the x-rays showed fluids in his lungs so we would have to wait until it all cleared and he was breathing at 100%. They were hoping it would only take a day or so. I was disappointed to hear again that I would have to wait for him to be in my room, but ready to heal so I could go to him instead.
Later that first day, I held him for the first time in the n.i.c.u. and he had the works: head i.v, oxygen tube and feeding tube. I remembered it all well from Avery's stay, but this time was solidly different. I knew he was going to be ok, he just needed a little time.
TO BE CONTINUED, AGAIN...
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