Durham's Birth Story

the day before: November 30, 2011

the hubs and I went to the holspital to have all our paperwork and blood work out of the way. we had our last OB appointment and got all our questions asked and answered about the c-section that was scheduled for the next day. As we were waiting on some tests, we realized that in less than 18 hours we would be holding our baby boy. I posted this picture on facebook...

that night we could hardly sleep... we had to be up at 4:30am to be at the hospital by 5:45am, but it didn't matter. we were so excited about meeting our son that we just snuggled down and cherished that last sleepless night that it would only be the two of us.

Birth-day: December 1, 2011

we got to the hospital at 5:45am and were taken back to a private room on the labor and delivery floor. I was given a very figure-flattering gown to wear and the hubs had some stylish blue scrubs. the nurse hooked my baby belly up to a monitor so we could hear Durham's heartbeat. it was all I could hear for the next two hours... such a beautiful beat. we waited together in that room until they came to get me...

they took me into the operating room alone. I remember being more nervous about getting the catheter than I was the spinal block. All the dr's in the room were so nice, they kept making sure I was comfortable and reassuring me that everything was going to be ok. I was so relieved when they finally brought Chris in to sit beside me, he could hold my hand even though it was strapped down and was so comforting even though I know he was just as scared as I was.

Durham was born at 8:33am. Came out screaming... it was the most amazing moment of our lives. My heart nearly doubled in size. This is the video of the first time they brought him around the curtain for me to see... I can't watch it without crying and I am so thankful to have it because I have almost no memory from this point on the rest of the day.

Our family and friends were out in the waiting room... 
thinking positive thoughts for us and sending up lots and lots of prayers. 

After Durham was an ouitside baby, Chris escorted him and the nurse upstairs to the NICU, they just wanted to monitor him and get his temperature regulated. I think he was in there for about an hour... it kills me to see him in this little box, but I am so thankful that he is healthy.

 
Lucky for our fan club out in the waiting room... once they finished in the NICU they could all watch thru the nursery windows as Chris gave his baby boy a bath. These pictures of my two boys are the most precious things I have ever seen... I was still in the OR getting all stitched up, so I missed out on this, and I am so thankful that aunt ra was able to capture everything so I could live it with them. It is so beautiful to watch Chris take care of our baby boy... I can't even explain the ache in my heart when I look at these pictures.

While all of the above is going on, I am taken down to a recovery room where I have to stay for at least an hour. (or until I was able to wiggle my legs). They had untied my arms from the bed and I laid there throwing up and scratching my itching face and arms for an hour straight. It was the longest hour of my life. From the recovery room, they wheeled my bed into our regular room and people started pouring in! I remember being so relieved that it was 'over' and that everyone who had been supporting us so amazingly from the beginning was now filing into our room to tell me how beautiful our baby was and how proud they were of us.

and then I threw up.

and again, and again. I had a terrible reaction to the spinal and was absolutely sick the rest of the day. boo. absolutley not how I anticipated our first day with Durham to be. They gave me medicine for the nausea, but it made me so sleepy I would just sleep through people coming to see us. Chris changed every diaper that first day, and totally took care of Durham. I really don't even remember holding him, but I know I did, because I have these pictures.

I can't wish for our first day to be different. I can't wish that I didn't have to have a c-section, or wish that I didn't get sick, or wish for anything different than what it was. It is OUR STORY. It gave us our perfect baby and I would do it all again, exactly the same, a million times just to have him.
It was perfect for us at this time.

 our very first family photo