Our First Boy Was Born…

Wow!  We can’t believe how much support we’ve gotten in such a short time!  Thank you all!  It’s very touching.

Today I learned how easy it is to be a part of something BIG.  A fellow blogger posted a story about a couple that’s trying desperately to adopt a precious baby girl with Down Syndrome, that will be born in the coming days.  I was so moved by the family’s story, I simply couldn’t ignore it.  I shared it on the Facebook page for Big Dreams, Little Feet.  I promise not to ask you daily for money for random people, but this little babe was tugging at my heart strings.  Adoption is tens of thousands of dollars, so being able to donate however much we can, is an amazing feeling.  I’m happy to report that they raised everything they needed to move forward with the adoption of this baby girl.

So, how did Todd & I come to the decision that we want to adopt a baby?  Today I’d like to give you some background information on how our family grew, blessing us with two perfect babies.  When Todd & I found out we were expecting our first baby, we were over the moon excited!  We’d both wanted babies right down to our core.  The day we found out it was a boy, it was all finally becoming so real.  Soon, we’d hold our little angel in our arms and feel a love only a parent can know.  Brayden was breech, despite my constant nagging for him to flip over, and every attempt I could find on www.spinningbabies.com and through personal contacts.  I’d put ice packs on my belly where his head was to try to get him to wiggle away, I’d play music where his bum was to try to get him to wiggle down to hear it, and I even turned myself upside down on an ironing board.  You haven’t lived until you’ve done that, by the way.  Finally, we made an appointment with the doctors to attempt an external cephalic version (ECV or, manual version) http://www.aafp.org/afp/1998/0901/p731.html .  Well, Brayden was impatient even in the womb, and decided to come three days prior to that appointment.  Since I knew that hospital food isn’t exactly a 5 star meal, I finished up my Chicken Parm and then we headed down the road a half mile to the hospital (crazy convenient, huh?).  I was prepped for surgery & off to the OR I went.  This is where some life-changing events took place, and not just in the obviously beautiful form of having a baby.

So, Todd was waiting to be called in.  I’m about to give some details that are not for those with weak stomachs.  😉   Don’t say I didn’t give you ample warning, this blog will be very raw at times.  When they called him in, the poor man entered the door near the foot of my OR table.  Well, it was great that I couldn’t see anything; it was all on the other side of the sheet.  My husband, however, unexpectedly witnessed his wife on an OR table with her insides cut open.  That has to be such a chilling, horrible, and scary thing to see.  He joined me and together we waited anxiously to hear those first cries.  It felt like an eternity, or so I thought.  I’d soon learn that wait was cake.  Once Brayden was finally “born”, my husband was under strict orders not to let him out of his sight, ever.  They both left the room & the doctors started stitching me back up.  HERE’S where the eternal wait came into play.  😉   I could feel what they were doing (I can’t lie, it was gross to think about), and they kept giving me the play-by-play (also gross).  I was weeping at this point, because Brayden had briefly been put in front of my face, for a few seconds, then whisked away with my husband, leaving me to feel completely alone, while everyone else was below the sheet.  There was an anesthesiologist, but he was too busy with his back turned.  He had no time (read:  desire) to try to calm me down.   Finally, after a long time of putting me back together, I was wheeled out to the recovery room, where Todd & my precious babe greeted me.  I was still very loopy, so Todd guarded Brayden while I held him, just to be safe.  Oh how perfect that moment was, having my husband and our little baby boy in my arms.  Bliss.  The flood of emotions isn’t something I can put into words.  What an amazing and beautiful feeling.

Eventually, we were taken to our hospital room, where they informed us that Brayden had an irregular heartbeat and needed to go to Special Care.  WHAT?  Okay, I know that there are clearly people in much harder situations than ours, but in that moment, the only people in the world were the three of us.  So, off he went.  When my nurse came in, I fought through the tears & asked her to take me to Special Care.  Do you know what she said???  “Once you can walk, you’re welcome to head down.”  Lady, I just had a cesarean section.  Did you really just tell me to walk?  Oh my.  It’s a good thing my husband chimed in.  One does not separate a mama from her baby & put up unnecessary road blocks between them.  Todd found another nurse who was more than happy to get me a wheelchair.  After 3 days, he was finally better & allowed to remain in the room with us until we were discharged.  Dressing your newborn in their “going home from the hospital” outfit is so much fun!

These details that I’ve shared with y’all (yeah, I said y’all) are important.  These details are the reason we ultimately decided to plan a home birth with our next baby.  Stay tuned…