Baby Fish's Birth Story Part 2

It's time to share Part 2 of Baby Fish's birth story!  Make sure to read Part 1 first, or else you won't really know what all led up to this.

When we left off, I had just tried pushing three separate times and Baby Fish's heart rate was dropping each time.  It was around 2:00 pm on April 7th, and the nurse went to go talk to the doctor about what to do next.

When she walked out, I turned to Joe and said that I was so miserable and couldn't take it anymore.  I told him that if they didn't suggest it, I was going to ask for a C-section to get this baby out.

The doctor came back in around 2pm and explained that it was time for a C-section.  She said that the baby wasn't descending like they'd hoped, and she didn't want to risk any damage to the baby by continuing to push with the heart rate dropping like it was.  I quickly said "let's do it," and the nurse began prepping me for surgery.

Side note: I am very thankful that I had the epidural already, because that was one less thing they had to do to prepare me for the C-section.  I think I would have been a horrible person to deal with if I had to get an epidural while I was dealing with that much pressure!

They began rolling me back to the operating room around 2:30, and Joe was holding my hand and walking with me.  When I got there, they made him wait in the hallway until I was all ready for the surgery.  At this point, I started mentally freaking out.  The fact that I was about to be cut open while being awake hit me, and I was really wishing I had Joe there to distract me from that.

I was moved on to the operating table, and there was so much going on around me.  I was getting more and more scared, and I'm pretty sure I shed a few tears at this point.  Luckily, the anesthesiologist could tell I was freaking out a little and began explaining what was happening to me to calm me down.  That was exactly what I needed at that point, and I am so thankful for him!!!  They also turned on the radio to the pop station, so I had some music to help keep my mind off things.

They finally let Joe back in, and the C-section began.  The OB/GYN made a comment about how rock-hard my abs are, which made it hard for her to cut in to me!  I told them about running 4 half marathons while pregnant, and everyone in the operating room was impressed.  It was great to have a conversation while they were cutting in to me, but it was also in the back of my mind that they had their hands in me!

I couldn't feel anything until all of a sudden, I felt pressure on my chest.  I thought someone was kneeling on me with the pressure I felt, which I later found out was not the case ;) Finally, at 3:01 pm, they pulled out Baby Fish!  Funny story: Joe was standing and looking over the screen at this point, and at first, he thought the baby was a boy.  What he thought was a penis was actually the umbilical cord, so when they turned the baby, he thought to himself "Where'd the penis go?"

Side note: Joe later told me that when Baby Fish was born, the song "Sugar" by Maroon 5 was playing on the radio.  I love that he heard and remembered that!!

They brought her over to the warmer to clean her off and get her measurements, and Joe was able to go over to her.  I could see them just past the screen, and I saw Joe put a finger on her hand, which she grabbed.  I definitely cried a little because it was such a special moment.  I so wanted to be holding her, but I was still on the table.

A few minutes later, Joe brought Baby Fish over to me so I could see her before they took her to the nursery.  I took a moment to just soak her in and gave her a kiss before they took her away.  All I wanted was to hold her and to be with Joe, but I still had to be stitched up.  Joe went with Baby Fish, and I was happy she had someone with her when she went in to the nursery.

Back in our room after visiting the nursery

They finished up with me around 3:45 and moved me in to the recovery room.  My nurse stayed with me, monitoring various things, and said Joe and Baby Fish would be in soon.  They came in around 4:15, and I was finally able to hold my baby girl!

As you can see in the picture, I was swollen and exhausted, but everything was ok once I was finally able to be with my husband and daughter (I'm tearing up thinking about the joy I felt as I write this).  We stayed there for about an hour before we were able to go back to the room that we'd stay in for the rest of our hospital stay.

Back in our room, around 7pm

And that's Baby Fish's birth story!  Obviously NOT how I envisioned the birth going AT ALL, since I was induced, I got an epidural, and I had a C-section.  BUT the important thing is that both Baby Fish and I are healthy after all of this, so that's what matters!!

I plan to do another post about my thoughts on having a C-section since that seems to be a "hot topic" to many moms and moms-to-be, so stay tuned for that!