Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Maclane's Debut :: A Birth Story




There isn't much to be said about Maclane's debut. After all, it went basically according to plan. I wrote about Carter's birth story here and for the sake of remembering, wanted to make sure I was able to get Maclane's written while the memories are still fresh.



After putting Carter down to bed for the last night as an only child (and crying only once) I climbed into bed for what I knew would be an extra early morning. After what seemed like only a few hours of sleep, The Husband and I woke at 5am, packed the car and headed off to the hospital. 


As we were told to, we checked into the Labor and Delivery unit a little after 6:15am. We were immediately taken to a pre-op room where we spent the next hour or so with two wonderful and hilarious nurses. Listening to our son's heartbeat on the monitor, we patiently counted down the minutes until "go-time." 


It turned out that the doctor performing the surgery had just returned from a vacation in Cuba only the night before and was running a little late that morning. Although it didn't really affect our schedule that much, I remember thinking "well, at least she's nice and rested!" 


After meeting with the anesthesiologist and signing a few last papers with our doctor, it was off to OR 1 for me. 


I have to say I was much, much more nervous this time around than I was with Carter. If I had to guess, I'm sure it's mostly because I knew what to expect this time around and all I could think about was the tugging and pressure I felt during surgery as well as the overwhelming nausea I felt in the hours following my recovery. 


The nurse and I talked shop while my epidural was placed and just like last time, the worst part was the initial numbing injections. Within minutes my legs were feeling fuzzy and it was time to lay down. 


Here's where the nurse in me and my nerves got the best of me. As I could feel the epidural/spinal creeping its way further up my body, I began to panic. I willed myself to take deep breaths but before I knew it, I was feeling faint and seeing spots. 


The anesthesiologist quickly asked if I was alright and I admitted that my nerves were getting the best of me. I also happened to glance at the monitor to see that my blood pressure was dangerously low at 70/55. It was then that the anesthesiologist began squeezing my IV fluids into me so that they'd flush into my system faster, bringing my blood pressure up. 


I closed my eyes and after what felt like forever, The Husband came in to sit at my side. He quickly grabbed my  hand and kept asking me if I was alright. All I could do was nod and keep my eyes closed. 


I was wheeled into the OR at 8:50am. Maclane was born at 9:17am with a hearty set of lungs. In fact, I believe he began crying even before he was pulled completely from my belly. 


The OR became a buzz of "congratulations!" "he's beautiful!" and "what a cute tushy he has!" 





After several minutes, the nurse walked over to let me know that he did, in fact, have dark hair. 


I cried. And cried. 


The tugging and pressure I felt with my first c-section? I didn't feel at all with this one. After the usual rigmarole of vital sign checks and then some, Maclane was handed off to The Husband who brought him to rest at the side of my head. 




I remember kissing him and peeking under his hat. I couldn't believe, just like that, we became a family of four. I couldn't believe, just like that, we were blessed with another perfect and beautiful little boy. 


Maclane proceeded to ride with me into recovery and stay with us for as long as he could before needing to head back to the nursery for his newborn exam. He wanted nothing to do with nursing and I wasn't in a rush. I figured he'd go for it when he was ready- I mean, after all, he was just yanked from his cozy little womb and thrust into the world. 




Just a few hours after his birth, Maclane was greeted by his first set of visitors, his big brother and my parents. 


Carter was interested in his new little brother for a whole 34 seconds before rushing off to explore the hospital room. 









It was a whirlwind of a day but it couldn't have gone any more smoothly. June 18th, 2012, the day we became a family of four. 


Happy Birthday, Maclane!





46 comments :

  1. Congratulations again!!! What a sweet story and a sweet little boy!!!

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  2. I love this. It is a great story! Who says c sections can't have a great birth story? ;)

    With Hudson, my BP dropped to 70/40 right after I got my epidural and I basically fought it all the 25 hrs until he was born. So scary! With Hayes, I stayed in pre-op for an hour longer to get more IV fluids because I was so scared of feeling faint again.

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  3. Great story! I'm glad everything went well aside from your nerves causing a blood pressure drop. Your family of 4 is just gorgeous!

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  4. Though not as dramatic as some - still a very beautiful story of welcoming Maclane into the world! I'm scared for future deliveries -- I kind of want to do a VBAC because of how I remember the tugging/pulling/pressure from my 1st section. Though everyone who had a vagina delivery promises it's much worse, I think the anticipation would make me nervous too! Glad it went smoothly this time around!

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  5. He is gorgeous and you looked amazing after just having a c section!!

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  6. Such great pics! Gah could C be any cuter with him?! OMG. and good call on getting the highlights right before b/c you hair looks amaze!

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  7. Congratulations! I am so glad this all turned out so text book. He's beautiful.

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  8. Oh gosh I just LOVE birth stories. This is so sweet!

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  9. Congratulations! What a beautiful story and photos. Thank you for sharing!!!

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  10. What a beautiful post AP! And the "cute tushy" had me cracking up! I love the pictures of Maclane and those of him with Carter. Tugging at this mama's heart strings for sure! So glad everything went according to plan and your darling little family of four is happy and healthy. Cheers to you! (long-distance "clink")

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  11. What a great story! I love these pictures...he really is a beautiful baby!

    I feel like I need to email you & get the nitty gritty on a scheduled C! With Grayson mine wasn't planned & I am getting SO nervous this time as it gets closer. The epidural while not being in pain from labor scares the crap out of me!

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  12. Congratulations, glad everything went well!

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  13. He's gorgeous!! Congrats! My little girl was born on June 18th too...well 8 years ago. =) Congrats! XOXO

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  14. I'm so glad it went so well!

    E came out screaming. In fact, she was still in (TMI?) from the shoulders down and was screaming. And she hasn't stopped since ;) So you may have you a little talker right there. Just sayin' ;) Love y'all!!

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  15. What a wonderful birth story. These photos are wonderful!

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  16. This story brought tears to my eyes! I absolutely loved it, it was so sweet! Carter has gorgeous hair that I envy!!

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  17. Welcome Maclane!!!! You are PERFECT!!!! Can't wait to see what funny stories momma tells about you and that sweet big brother!!!! xoxoxo

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  18. So beautiful! My pregnant self needs to stop reading stuff like this. It sends me searching for tissues.

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  19. Aw, I got all teary reading the birth story, remembering mine (also a c-section)! I remember the tugging as well - not painful, just weird. I remember the anesthesiologist asking if I was in pain because I was making faces...apparently I thought if I could brace myself somehow I'd be "helping." Ha! I'm so glad you did not feel that this time - perhaps Maclane was in a different position than Carter. Tommy had himself in a really wacky transverse position and they thought they'd have to do a T-cut, but thankfully they didn't, and after the fact I was happy to have just had to deal with some tugging! Maclane's pics are ADORABLE...and admittedly gives me a little baby fever, but I'll just enjoy looking at your bundle of joy!

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  20. Beautiful story momma! And congrats again!! :)

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  21. Beautiful story and great pics!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE baby stories!!!!

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  22. Great story, great pictures. Happy for your family of four!

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  23. Congrats again! It is amazing to me how quickly c-sections go ... one minute they aren't here, the next they are! What a blessing!

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  24. ok, my ovaries are declaring a stand off until I fill them with a baby.

    He is so adorable! There are no words. So happy for you guys!!!!

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  25. He's SO cute! Congratulations on your family of four! :)

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  26. congrats again. sounds like everything went perfectly. I think I would have freaked out too with the feeling of getting numb, I hate that feeling when my foot or something falls asleep, so if I need a c-section not sure how I'd do! Great pictures and the pics with carter and the baby are adorable

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  27. Still so so so happy for you! Sweet little Mac is so precious and Carter's curls are just to die for! Happy Becoming a Mommy again!!

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  28. I teared up reading this - so beautiful. You got some amazing pictures! And your hair and makeup look awesome too! ;)

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  29. Beautiful!! Birth is such an amazing, beautiful thing. I just love it. Great story, AP!

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  30. I just love reading these stories. Congratulations again on a beautiful baby boy!

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  31. I'm so glad it went smoothly and you're settling in nicely. Congrats to you again!

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  32. I'm glad everything went smoothly! Congrats again!

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  33. So thrilled for you all and glad that despite some bumps in the road (holy low blood pressure mama!), all went great!! Wishing you all the joys and happiness that come with expanding your beautiful family love :) xoxo

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  34. Oh my gosh, I've had 3 c-sections. The 1st one was an emergency and the other 2 were planned. I completely feel your pain! With my oldest, I was in labor and it was an emergency c-section. With my next, since it was planned, I was terrified!! Same with my 3rd. Nerves do get the best of you! The worst part is just how calm everything is. My brain wouldn't shut up. Everything was too calm, and just KNOWING that I was going in to have a child cut out of me was the weirdest feeling imaginable.
    I'm glad everything went well, congrats!!
    He is so so sweet!

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  35. I love birth stories! Love getting to see him with his eyes open too! Great pictures! Who took the ones of the three of you in the OR a nurse with your expensive camera?

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  36. He.Is.PERFECT! Just love it! I hear ya mama...even thought I "kind of" know what to expect from having gone through labor once, I think that I'm more nervous this time because I HAVE done it before! You did great though!

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  37. so sweet! congratulations to your family!

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  38. Birth stories are just such miracles...I love reading about them! And seriously Maclane looks like a little Carter in this pic!

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  39. Such a sweet story :) So excited for your family of 4!

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  40. Aww, I love the pictures! That big brother shirt of Carter's is so cute. Congrats and welcome to the world, baby Maclane!

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  41. Aw, I'm so happy for yall! I read this story and cried!
    Congratulations!

    We are in the same boat! I'm having another boy as well---and when he is due Kie will be nearly 2.

    I'm also having a c-section--and I'm way more worried and sick about it then I was worried about delivering the first time.

    I'm glad to hear that you didn't have any issues or pulling and tugging.
    Isn't that the worse? I keep thinking that this pregnancy I may bring in an iPod so I don't have to hear the noises of the surgery as well. Haha...

    Congrats again Mama! It seems adjusting to the family of 4 has been easy for you. I cry just thinking of it!

    Cant wait to read future stories!!

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  42. I am so far behind and just getting caught up...CONGRATULATIONS!!! He is absolutely beautiful. I can't wait to see more of him around the blog :)

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  43. First- Congratulations!!! He is gorgeous.

    Second- I loved reading this, because I'll probably have another C-Section next time.

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  44. I'm late to the party on this comment (hey - I've either been on vacation or preparing for vacation for practically 3 weeks... plus the week we're in now for recovery...) but seriously - great story - but more importanly - how the eff do you look that good after MAJOR SURGERY?! I looked like a bloated manatee after my c-section. Shudder.

    Congratulations again :)

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