Alizabeth Jayne - March 29th

On March 29th, 2011, we welcomed a new little person into our family. Although I tried - unsuccessfully - to encourage her arrival a little earlier, she made her entrance just as scheduled. (I was a little irritated that I didn't get the day that I wanted, but we survived)

The night before, we took our three other kids to spend the night at a friend's house, and then my husband and I went home to try to sleep. I was surprised that I actually managed to sleep at all. The alarm went off at 4:00am and we showered and headed off to the hospital.
We got checked in, and got ready. A nurse came in and asked a bazillion questions, and then put in an IV to get me hydrated, since I wasn't allowed to have anything to eat or drink. I'm not sure why she stuck it in the side of my arm. It hurt... a lot...
And then, we waited.
For me, the WORST part of the whole c-section process is the waiting... and knowing what is coming next... Somehow, Brandon was able to sleep while we waited. I just tried not to freak out too much.
This is me - ready to have a baby

Daddy - ready to watch

Then, they took us down the hall to the operating room. Brandon had to wait outside until they had everything ready. They had me sit on the table while the anesthesiologist put the spinal in. That was the part that I was really dreading, but it wasn't as bad as I remembered it being. But, before they could do much else, the anesthesiologist looked at my IV and said that it wasn't put in right, and I needed a new one in. Then he started yelling at the nurses because apparently there weren't any IV kits in the OR. He used a rubber glove as a tourniquet and ANGERLY put a new IV in my other hand. OUCH. He mumbled about the IV for the rest of the surgery. Nice.
Once everything was set, they called Brandon in and got started.
A c-section is a really strange thing to experience. I can't see what's going on - thankfully - and I can't really feel much more than tugging and moving on the lower half of my body. At one point, I asked Brandon if they had started. I thought they were still cleaning the area. He told me they were almost done cutting. Wow.
Then, when it's time for the baby to come out, they push REALLY hard on my belly. And pull her out. They held her up so I could see. She was crying and I couldn't help but cry too. (Brandon took VIDEO of her coming out. I'm not going to post it, because it's rather... icky...)
At 8:02am, Alizabeth Jayne had arrived! Brandon went with her while the doctors sewed me up.
She was a tiny little thing - only 6lbs, 3oz




One of the things that I really don't like about the giving birth process - and I don't know if this is just with a c-section or not - is the SHAKING that happens afterwards. As soon as she was out, my whole body started shaking uncontrollably. Like I was really cold. They covered me (at least the part of me that wasn't cut open) with warm blankets, but it didn't really make a difference. I didn't even want to hold the baby, because I was shaking so bad I thought I might drop her. Finally, in the recovery room, they gave me something to help with the shaking. And, since I'm allergic to the morphine that was in my spinal, they gave something for that too. But of course it all made me feel pretty dopey. I don't remember a whole lot of the next few hours. I know that I was able to feed the baby. And they took me upstairs to my room. And our friends Hillari and Keith stopped by to visit. (Thank you!) I must have been pretty drugged up because I really don't remember anything that was said. (Sorry if I said anything too crazy, guys!)

Ready for her first bath after getting her footprints taken


First bath





After the baby and I were situated, Brandon went home to get the kids. He took Ady to her dance class, picked Zander up from school, and then came back to the hospital so that they could meet their new baby sister.






We are so excited to have her in our family!