Delivery

The nurse called Dr. Lowder and he arrived quickly.  We got everything set up, but had to wait for two NICU nurses to arrive (the extra people that the meconium earned me).

We reallized that Kate was still in the room.  I asked Savannah to take her out, but Kate said she wanted to stay.  So we let her stay.  I told her to sit in a chair, but she wanted to be up watching the action.

Finally the NICU nurses arrived and I was given permission to push (I'd been ready to push for about 15 minutes, but we had to wait for everyone to be there).

I really only had to do one full push.  My dr had me push a little, then had me stop, then a little more, then stop.  Because of the meconium, delivery had to be very slow so he could suction out Gabe's mouth so he wouldn't swallow any of the meconium.  Finally he gave me permission to really push, and out came Gabe at 5:32pm!

I reached down and grabbed my baby boy and pulled him up to my chest.

As soon as Gabe was born, my dr told the NICU nurses that my baby was fine and gave them permission to leave.  I was so glad it all went so well.

And there was Kate, watching it all!  My dr. thought it was hilarious.  She wasn't freaked out at all.  It just made perfect sense to her.  I'd told her all along that the baby was in my tummy and that my dr would take him out.  So when she saw him come out, she was just like, "Yep!  There's my baby!"

Scott got to cut the cord.

I'm always amazed by the instant love I feel for my babies after they are born.  And also the instant familiarity.  I spend 9 months with them growing inside of me, wondering what they will look like, but the second I see them I feel like I've known them forever.  Gabe was perfect and I loved him.

Kate couldn't wait to climb up next to her new baby brother.

 

 

 

Before delivering Gabe, I had two major fears. One was that there would be something wrong with Gabe.  I knew the risks of having a baby at my age, and I worried that he might have some things wrong with him.  But he was perfect.  My second fear was having complications in delivery.  My risk of bleeding was high because I'd had so many babies already (your risk goes up after 5).  But, delivery also went perfect.  Labor was short (3 1/2 hours) and bleeding was minimal.  (Here are the gross pictures that my dr always tells me to take--bag of water and placenta.)