Welcome baby H.

After dropping off Hunter Blayne and I went for dinner to celebrate our anniversary. To say I was distracted would be an understatement. In just over 12 hours I would have my baby in my arms. While I was more than excited, I must admit I was also terrified.  The more the night progressed the more that feeling took over. Not only was our lives about to change drastically, I was about to undergo major surgery. I sat on my bed, crying wondering if we were ready for this. Not that we had a choice of course.

The next morning, bright and early, we headed off to the hospital. My nerves were not any better and I felt very much like vomiting. I hadn’t had anything to eat or drink in over 7 hours so that also didn’t help. Off we went into the recovery room where they started the prep. Gown. IV. Medication. Potty Break. The closer we got the more nervous I was. This was an entirely different experience than last time. With Hunter I didn’t have time to think about what was happening, I went from labour and delivery to the operating table in practically no time. That was a different kind of fear. Honestly, I don’t know what is worse.

Once the spinal was done and it was confirmed that I was, in fact, numb from the chest down it was time to start. Or it must have been, Blayne was by my head holding my hand and talking to me, I didn’t even realize they had begun. It wasn’t until they warned me that I might feel some tugging that I clued in that we were well on our way. When it came time to get the baby out he was stuck. It took two kinds of suction, and two doctors pushing as hard as they could. – Keep in mind my doctor is well over 6 ft tall and very athletic, he was working hard to get this baby out. – The pushing caused me to vomit, my poor husband, sitting beside me ended up wearing a portion of it I’m sure. With a pop and release of pressure, Blayne was splashed in blood and the baby was out.

No crying. They did warn me that c-section babies don’t always cry right away, so I try not to worry.  So I wait, still no crying. That’s when I overhear that he is on oxygen and not breathing. Talk about terrifying. That was the longest 2 1/2 minutes of my life, finally, I hear a noise, not a cry but definitely a baby. Another 2 minutes and he is crying, and the breath I didn’t know I was holding gets released. He’s okay. Blayne goes over and cuts the umbilical cord, something he didn’t get to do with Hunter. I can hear him talking to our son about how I am not going to believe he has hair. Hunter and Levi both looked like bowling balls on their first birthdays, there is no way this baby has hair. When he brings him over to sit beside me I see that he does have hair, not a lot but hair just the same.

Blayne left with the baby, the doctors finished closing me up, and I was wheeled into recovery. My toes were already regaining feeling, and I wiggled them as much as possible. I asked how big he was, 50 cm and 3160 grams. That meant nothing to me, but when I asked what that was in pounds, they said just under 7. I couldn’t believe it. Hunter was over 10 lbs, they estimated this baby would be around 9. Surely this nurse was mistaken. When they took me to my room with my waiting husband and baby, and I finally got to hold my sweet baby boy, I realized that he was so very small.

I got to hold my baby for the first time, and I got to feed him for the first time. These were things I don’t take for granted because I don’t remember them with Hunter. I will cherish them forever with this baby.

Meet Herman-Daniel Joseph, H.D. for short. A name deeply rooted in our family on both sides. He really is a bundle of joy. I was wrong we are more than ready for this. He is the perfect addition to our family, and I would not change a thing.