What a time. The actual slice-you-open-take-out-baby is only like 15 or 20 minutes, but everything before and after can take a couple of hours. For a 10:30 C-Section appointment we had to be there at 8:30. Which we were a bit late coming in. Then we went into the wrong part of the hospital (Main Lobby) instead of Outpatient, where we would have NOT been told to go to Same Day Surgery instead of Labor and Delivery. Luckily they were on the same floor, and Al went downstairs to register me properly as I started prep.
There was blood work, the same question asked by threefourfive different people, and of course hospital gowns and socks in dull colors. Our first nurse had fleur-de-lis earrings, necklace charm, and tattoos. no, she wasn't a Saints fan, but she was a huge Francophile. As we chatted, she told me that she was finally taking her dream vacation in two years, on her 25th anniversary. How awesome is that? Although she looks really young to be having a 25th anniversary.
Okay, so C-section. You have to be shaved-not fully-but let's say, low-cut bikini bottom. You get a spinal injection, which numbs you from your boobs down, so you feel absolutely no pain. You get morphine, pitocin, and to start, what they call "IV Gatorade" to hydrate you, because you haven't eaten or drank anything since midnight. You are cold cold cold. You get to pick what music plays during delivery. I had joked about Rick Ross, but in the end I couldn't make up my mind, so we just did Today's Hits. Honestly, I didn't care or I probably would have made my own playlist. As it was, my operation started with Nelly's "Just a Dream," had a bunch of Lady Gaga, one Katy Perry, some other band I can't remember, and Anna Bella was born during a Lady Gaga song (there was seriously like 4 songs by her).
Al was kept out of the room right up until they were almost ready to pull her out. The whole time, I felt tugging, but nothing else. The drugs and injections work niiiiiice. Al was all geared out in O.R. scrubs and covered from his head to his feet. He had his mask on inside out. I had tubes coming out of my nose.
You are put in a Jesus Christ pose, which means I had Soundgarden in my head for a few minutes. I didn't request them, because I really didn't want to take the chance on Black Hole Sun playing when she emerged. No weirdzo faces, thank you.
Al sat with me and held my hand, up until the doctor said, "Okay Dad, get ready!" When he stood up I saw him blanch a bit. Which, you would expect, since my insides were out. Then there was nothing, nothing, and-a baby crying!
I don't think I've ever had a reaction like this, so fast, but as soon as I heard her cry, I lost it. I started crying and laughing, and all I could say was, "We did it."
Anna Bella Rosa came out 18 inches long, 5 lbs, 14 oz, and vocal for about an hour. She was also constantly kicking, so we're definitely thinking soccer player or maybe modern dance. She is pretty much the most perfect baby ever, and even the doctors were surprised on how healthy she is for an IUGR baby.
We both spent about an hour in recovery, where she was put under a warming lamp and had all her signs checked, and I was just resting. We had one funny moment when the nurse put her in my arms and tried to raise the bed to a sitting position. Instead we both went backwards. Her eyes got huge, but I think she liked it, since it was one of the few times she wasn't crying. I also got to breast feed her for the first time. That and the additional one on the way up to Mother and Baby were my only successful times. The whole while, I couldn't stop looking. She has so much hair!
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