Despite efforts to hold off til our originally scheduled repeat section date, my blood pressure had other ideas. And it turns out this was likely the biggest blessing in disguise.
I had my 37 week appt on Monday, November 27th. Blood pressure was 160/100. I started bawling right there in the middle of the doctor's office. My head had been hurting for 17 days at that point, not a horrible headache, just one that would.not.go.away. I felt like we were just waiting for disaster to strike, and the idea of an emergency section terrified me.
The doctor agreed that at 37 weeks, with my blood pressure obviously not cooperating at all, spilling protein, headache that wouldn't go away, 3+ pitting edema...well, moving the c-section up would likely be safer than waiting for things to get TOTALLY out of control.
So, we went to the hospital at 12:30pm on Tuesday, November 28th. I was 37w1d. Got registered, IV started (SO easy this time, didn't hurt a bit and this was the WORST part of both prior c-sections by far), blood work drawn, monitor set up, etc.
Anesthesia came in at about 3:30pm, asked a million questions, and I walked back to the OR pushing my IV pole at 3:45pm. They did a combined spinal/epidural (my first of these, turns out I really liked it over a plain spinal), and I was good to go at about 4:15pm.
Our little princess was born at 4:22pm, came out screaming her little head off. She weighed 7lbs 8oz and was 19 3/4 inches long. She is of course adorable.
The reason I say my increasing blood pressure was truly a blessing is because the cord was wrapped tightly around her neck and looped around her body twice. My heart almost stopped beating when I heard them say something about unwrapping the cord from her neck.
When I saw pictures (DH was snapping away the entire time we were in the OR and the pictures are fascinating), I got the most overwhelming feeling that if we hadn't taken her when we did, she could have easily been stillborn. That's the only time after surgery that I truly thought I was going to vomit.
Anyhow, they handed her to me in the OR as I was being wheeled to recovery at exactly 4:40pm. She was latched on nursing beautifully at 4:45pm. She hasn't really had any desire to UNlatch herself since then.
My milk came in full force, cantaloupe sized breasts included, right at 48 hours which pleased her immensely. That look newborn babies get on their faces after getting their first true belly full of breast milk is priceless.
I was up moving about 6 hours after having her, though I was ready to get up at 4 hours, anesthesia at this particular hospital likes you to wait 6 hours after c-section to walk the first time. Catheter and IV came out 18 hours post-op, and I felt a million times better after showering and putting on my own pj's.
We stayed 48 hours total so they could make sure my blood pressure was going to return to normal and the baby was doing well since she was a bit earlier than anticipated. Both of us have done fabulous.
I had my 37 week appt on Monday, November 27th. Blood pressure was 160/100. I started bawling right there in the middle of the doctor's office. My head had been hurting for 17 days at that point, not a horrible headache, just one that would.not.go.away. I felt like we were just waiting for disaster to strike, and the idea of an emergency section terrified me.
The doctor agreed that at 37 weeks, with my blood pressure obviously not cooperating at all, spilling protein, headache that wouldn't go away, 3+ pitting edema...well, moving the c-section up would likely be safer than waiting for things to get TOTALLY out of control.
So, we went to the hospital at 12:30pm on Tuesday, November 28th. I was 37w1d. Got registered, IV started (SO easy this time, didn't hurt a bit and this was the WORST part of both prior c-sections by far), blood work drawn, monitor set up, etc.
Anesthesia came in at about 3:30pm, asked a million questions, and I walked back to the OR pushing my IV pole at 3:45pm. They did a combined spinal/epidural (my first of these, turns out I really liked it over a plain spinal), and I was good to go at about 4:15pm.
Our little princess was born at 4:22pm, came out screaming her little head off. She weighed 7lbs 8oz and was 19 3/4 inches long. She is of course adorable.
The reason I say my increasing blood pressure was truly a blessing is because the cord was wrapped tightly around her neck and looped around her body twice. My heart almost stopped beating when I heard them say something about unwrapping the cord from her neck.
When I saw pictures (DH was snapping away the entire time we were in the OR and the pictures are fascinating), I got the most overwhelming feeling that if we hadn't taken her when we did, she could have easily been stillborn. That's the only time after surgery that I truly thought I was going to vomit.
Anyhow, they handed her to me in the OR as I was being wheeled to recovery at exactly 4:40pm. She was latched on nursing beautifully at 4:45pm. She hasn't really had any desire to UNlatch herself since then.
My milk came in full force, cantaloupe sized breasts included, right at 48 hours which pleased her immensely. That look newborn babies get on their faces after getting their first true belly full of breast milk is priceless.I was up moving about 6 hours after having her, though I was ready to get up at 4 hours, anesthesia at this particular hospital likes you to wait 6 hours after c-section to walk the first time. Catheter and IV came out 18 hours post-op, and I felt a million times better after showering and putting on my own pj's.
We stayed 48 hours total so they could make sure my blood pressure was going to return to normal and the baby was doing well since she was a bit earlier than anticipated. Both of us have done fabulous.
Congratulations!!! 
Good Job Mama, and yay for the milk so soon.
). Quick healing to you and enjoy your babymoon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
