What To Expect Right After You've Delivered

That first moment you see and hold your new baby is beautiful: that face, those eyes, the tiny hands.  

However, there is so much more that goes on, and not too many people will tell a soon-to-be mom, so the whole ordeal is a shocking experience, and she can't focus on the important moments.

So, I'll tell it straight.

There are a bunch of strange people in the room, modesty is thrown out the window.  Sorry, get use to if for the time you're in the hospital.  

As adorable as the baby is, it’s kinda slimy.  Unlike when my other kids were born, they don’t take the baby and wash it right away.  I was able to hold Liam for a while after delivery, and then they did measurements, but did not clean him.  He didn’t get a bath until he was almost 4 hours old... some new procedure to encourage bonding and breast feeding.  Which I appreciated, but really, they couldn’t wipe him down a little bit more?  

After delivery, there is pain.  I found the post delivery cramps worse than contractions.  I mean, a lot worse. When I had my other kids, self medicating was how pain was managed after delivery.  They gave you tiny bottles of Tylenol and Motrin and told you to take one every 2 hours, alternating.  This time around, you had to ask the nurse for your meds, then they’d have to call down to pharmacy and then give them.  I almost asked my husband to just bring me some from home!  And those diaper ice-packs are stupid.  Ask the nurse to put the maxi's in the freezer for you.  Trust me - just do it.  

Then there are the nurses.  The first day they came in and checked on me every hour.  Which is fine, but at 2 in the morning when the baby is finally asleep… can't a new mom get some rest?

Now it seems procedure to get the moms discharged and home after 24 hours.  My insurance gives me 2 nights, I'm taking it!  The nurses were trying to convince me to go the next morning, but I was waiting for my son's 'procedure' to be done, and that didn't happen until late afternoon the next day, and I wasn't going without him.  So moms, if they try to kick you out before you're ready to go, don't be afraid to say no.  

Visitors… I didn't get many so it wasn't a big deal.  But I remember hearing neighbors with visitors at all hours of the day.  Gifts and flowers are nice, but remember the parents have to bring all that stuff home.  And it's best to call ahead - mom may be nursing or sleeping, and you don't want to interrupt either.  

Sleep when you can, because you won't get that kind of help when you're home.  It's ok to ask the baby to go to the nursery for a couple of hours between feedings (especially if you're nursing) so you can get rest.  You need your strength and are no good to anyone without some rest.   You're not a bad mom if you ask for help!  That's a good thing!

And Baby Makes 6

The first thing I did when I arrived in the Labor and Delivery room was ask for Nubian and my epidural.  I'd been in pain long enough, and I don't tolerate pain well.  I was nervous for the epidural, because my third caused me pain for well over a year.  I mean, you've got to warn a girl right before you stab her in the back, right?  But the gentleman who did my epidural was kind, and quick.  The Nubian helped.

With as intense as my contractions had been the last few weeks, I'd really hoped things would move quickly.  They did not.

After two hours the nurse checked me; only at 6.  But she expressed concern to the doctor about how the baby was sitting, suggesting that if my water broke the placenta might drop and or the baby would get wrapped around the cord.  I really wish the doctor had expressed that concern to me privately, instead of the nurse telling her right in front of me, because it freaked me out.  Still I was only at 6cm at 4am.  And of course, after my water broke, the concerns started to become reality.  Baby's heart rate began to drop.  So they gave me Pitocin and extra fluids and we prayed that things would move quickly.  By 6am I was at 8cm

Around 6:50am, as shift change was beginning, I was being introduced to my new nurses.  They asked how I felt and I told her there was a lot of pressure.  She checked me around 7:15, then went into almost panic mode - the baby was not only ready to come out, but was on it's way out.

Two teams of nurses were prepping the room for delivery.  I woke up my husband, who had slept the whole night; I told him to grab a coffee because it was go time.  It took him a few minutes to fully comprehend what was happening.

Going into delivery, he still did not know what we were having, he was getting excited to finally meet our little trouble maker.  Just after 7:30, I was pushing.  It was at that first "push" from the nurse that I started freaking out.  Should I be pushing?  Shouldn't we be having a c-section?  Is the baby going to be ok?  It was too late now, time to push.

I don't remember having that many people there with me when I was delivering the other 3, but having 2 pairs of nurses, the doctor, the resident, and my husband there all encouraging me made this delivery seem so much easier.  After 10 minutes and 3 rounds of pushes, I heard that cry.   They put the baby on my chest, and showed me the knot in the cord while my husband cut it.

It was so surreal… Did this really just happen?  Do I really have a new baby in my arms?  What were we thinking?  Can we do this again?  And then I looked at that face.  My little miracle.

Back in January, when the doctors told me I had a 40% chance of delivering, our Pastor and his family came to pray with us.  He said pick a date, so I chose April 2nd.  And on April 2nd at 7:44am, 6 lbs, 9oz, 19 1/2 inches, our healthy baby boy was born.

I looked up at Steve, and there was a mist in his eye.  Our family was complete.