Bree's Big Arrival

So I am finally going to blog about Bree's arrival! I was in the hospital for 3 nights, where we were only supposed to be there for 2. It was a weekend full of excitement and chaos, but we got through it and everything is great now!! Warning -this is long and I am going to post pics that Shane took and they me be similar to the ones Tara posted.

First, the night before we went to the hospital, Shane came home with these! I love him so much!!Shane and I went in at 7am Friday, the 21st. Mom and Jake took Claire to school. Shane's parents kept Owen overnight Thursday night. By 8am, all the family was at the hospital, waiting until 9am for the c section. I was pretty nervous, not really knowing what to expect. They walked me back just before 9 and we were off. The c section itself was really no big deal. I was really nervous, but I was lucky enough to actually know a couple of the nurses and they calmed me so much. Dr H is so great as well and he is always a calming factor. Shane was taken back to a room where he put on his "scrubs" and had to sit and wait for awhile for my spinal to set in and everything be set. When he came in, they immediately started and in no time, we heard Bree crying! It was such a great sound!! Shane immediately said "You were right Rachel, head full of DARK hair! She looks just like Owen!" (Shane thought she would have light hair). They checked her out, wrapped her up, gave her to Shane, let me see her for a minute and then shuffled him out to the nursery. It was so fast, I really did not feel as if I just gave birth. A few minutes later, the nursery called down to let us know that she was 7lbs 5oz, 18in long and doing great! I asked Dr. H as he was putting me back together if the placenta was still low and he said it was and that I had lost a lot of blood, but I will probably be okay. A few minutes later, he confirmed "Are you sure you want your tubal?" I gave him a quick "YES", he then said, "Okay, there goes your left...and now your right." I then asked the hilarious nurse that I knew to go get me a margarita =).

Pictures Shane took of Bree in the nursery getting all cleaned up...

They took me back to recovery. As we were about to enter the elevators, I got to see the family all looking in the nursery going nuts over Bree. Shane came down to give me a quick kiss and to let me know she was okay. I could hear my Mom, Nicole, and Tara all ooing and awing over her! I so badly wanted to be doing the same! In recovery, I felt great. It was really funny though as I was in the same area (blocked by curtains) as other patients. Every once in awhile I would hear a bunch of beeping and alarms, then a nurse would start getting on to her patient "You are going to have to breathe!!!" At one point, he told her in his very old, grumpy, drowsy voice "Just pull the plug!" It sounds sad, but it was actually funny and the nurse was giving a hard time and being really great with him. Recovery went by really fast and I was finally taken back to see my baby!! While I was in recovery, Dr. H came out and told Shane everything went well, but due to the placenta previa, I lost a lot of blood and they were going to monitor me.

I was really tired and in a fog. I was so excited to really see Bree and hold her. She was perfect and I was so proud!!! Everyone was so excited!! I swear their is nothing greater than to see your family so happy over a new baby!! The day went by pretty fast and we were all on cloud 9! We had many visitors, mainly our large family. Mom, Jake, and Tara checked Claire out of school about 1pm. I was so happy to have her there and see her face when she met Bree. She was so excited that Bree had hair like her =). I really did not do anything that day and was really tired. I did not sleep at all the night before at home and I guess the pain meds were making me tired. The hardest part for me was not being able to do much with the baby. Shane did all the bottles, diaper changes, etc. With the other 2, I was able to get up really quick and start taking care of the babies. I finally was allowed to get up that night and have everything removed from me. I got up okay, just a little dizzy and a headache. Shane and I walked a few laps around the Labor and Delivery floor before we took Bree to the nursery for the night. I was so out of it, there was no way I could take care of her and I was sending Shane home (the kids stayed the night with his parents) so he could get some good sleep and be well rested when we came home.

I slept pretty good that night, only being woken up for meds and real early that morning when they drew blood. I got up, plans to take a shower and start feeling better, but I was really tired. Also really sore! Shane got there pretty early and got Bree out of the nursery. I was still not feeling like I could do much with her. I had the best nurse the entire time I was there and when I got up that morning, I could tell she was a little concerned. Asking me if I was really tired, dizzy, etc. I was not sure why, but before I could even ask her, Dr. H was there. When they came in my room, I was up at the sink and he was really surprised to see me up. I was then told that I was really low in blood and that I lost a lot in surgery. I am not even sure what these numbers are, but I should be a 12 and I was a 6.7. I was so bad that I should not have been up and walking around. The other major symptom was that I was really pale.

The second day...look at how pale I am, but look how pretty she is =)I was also having headaches still. They told us that I needed blood and that I would feel like a new woman once I got it. So, we said, go for it. As the day progressed, and visitors came, I was fading =). I was so tired and then on top of all that, they gave me Benadryl and Vicodin to pretty much knock me out while I got the blood. I felt so bad as the visitors we had while I was in this "out of it" state, I can barely remember. I hated it too as we really did not see much of Claire and O as they did not be up there with me feeling bad. Shane's parents kept them busy and happy, but I really missed them.

Keith and Becky brought the kids over for a minute that day - look at how Bree is looking at Claire. Everytime she hears Claire talking, she starts looking for her =)I did sleep through most of the transfusion and when I woke up, I did feel more awake and I was getting my color back. The only thing still lingering, the stupid headache. Shane was still taking care of Bree as I was still a little uneasy. That night, we walked around some more before we took Bree to the nursery again, and the headaches were getting worse. Shane went home again and I got some sleep.

The next morning, I WAS READY TO GO HOME!! I got up, felt much more awake (the blood really helped!), but the headache was still lingering. I took a shower, got dressed, did my hair, and put make up on. I actually went and got Bree from the nursery myself and my favorite nurse was blown away that I was feeling so great. As I was coming back, I told her that I was still having those headaches, but I was really ready to go home. She came in and checked my blood pressure (it was fine the whole time) and it was high. She thought I was maybe having a headache from the spinal and had me drink Coke and Dr Pepper all morning for the caffeine. I was taking care of Bree and was so excited to take her home. When Shane got there, my headaches were getting worse. I finally asked him to go get the nurse and see if I am due for any meds. I was not and she was now concerned. Pretty soon, Dr. H got there. By that time, my head and neck hurt so bad, I could not move them! I think I know what it feels like to have meningitis. They told me that I am having issues from the spinal and that I need to see the anesthesiologist...and I am not going home until they get this resolved. I think I was not even fully being honest with just how much pain I was in and Dr. H knew that. He told me that he knows I have a high tolerance for pain and that I am much worse than I am letting on. So I was pissed. I wanted to go home to my family and take my baby! The anesthesiologist came in and gave me my options. The problem - when they gave me my spinal, it left a small hole in the derma in my spine. Therefore I was leaking spinal fluid. The headaches were the worst when I would sit up and especially when I would stand up. The reason - when I would be straight up, my brain was resting on my skull and spine, very painful! So the remedies - first they would pump me full of caffeine via IV and that would hopefully speed up my production of spinal fluid. So we did that, it did not work. So the final remedy, they had to go back in my spine, thread an epidural and give me a blood patch. While I was hunched over with the epidural in my back and not being able to move, the nurse had to draw 30cc of blood from my arm that they they then put in my back so that it would clot the hole and stop the leak. I don't really mind needles and such, as long as I don't watch, but I was all on top of it while she was drawing it and I could not move, STRESSFUL!! And I was still a little low on blood anyway, so she had a hard time getting enough, I just kept thinking, could this get any worse!! Finally, they were done and my headaches were better. My blood pressure was way up so they decided that I needed to stay one more night. I wanted to go home so bad, but the headaches were still lingering and I knew it was the right thing. Mom and Jake had the kids and they were so tired and confused and wanted their Mama and Daddy. Shane went home that night, stayed with the kids and got Claire to school.

The next morning, I felt sooooooo much better!! I did not sleep that well that night as I was ready to go home and wanted my baby, but even tired, I was so excited! Dr. H actually was at the hospital early to check on me and he released me!! My blood pressure was still high, but I am on meds for it. Bree had been released the day before so we were ready. As soon as Shane got there, he was loading the car and I was dressing Miss Priss as fast as I could. That was so funny!! You see, I am one of the Mamas that bring clothes, blankets, burp cloths, bibs, etc for the hospital. Well, since I was not up for it the whole time, Bree just stayed in the hospital attire and had never been changed or dressed up. It was hilarious to see her reaction to being changed, she kept her hands up all stressed out =).

Bree did not wear her original planned outfit since Claire was not going to be there to go home with us. I will put them on the girls soon and take pictures - I can hardly wait!!

When we got home, I felt so much better and I was so happy!! Owen was excited to see us and Claire was so excited when she got home from school! It is crazy to look back on that experience as we are in a groove now and it seems soooooo long ago!!! God is good and He took care of me and Bree!!! We took her for her first check up last Thursday and she looked great, just 4oz under her birth weight!! Here are a few pics of us before going to the Dr last week...

My buddies last week!

Sorry for such a long post and probably TMI - but I wanted to document before I forget it due to raising 3 little crazies =)!! Have a great day!!!