Ethan's Birth

Well I thought it about time I sat and collected my thoughts and recorded the events that made for Ethan's Birthday.

The night before my scheduled c-section was a sleepless one to say the least. For the longest time I have felt like me talking about the impending surgery was as if I was talking about someone else and even up until I was getting hooked up to the IV and having bloods taken it hadn't hit me. Cory's mom came to be with us at the hospital and arrived Sunday evening. I was awake from about 1:30am and Cade woke at 3am and did not go back to sleep. He too knew something was happening in his little world.

We arrived at the hospital just after 5am and got settled in a monitoring room and they took my vitals and listened and monitored bub, got me hooked up to the IV and bloods taken and then it was change of shift so we cat napped between people coming and going. At this stage, I had a freak out session. It hit me! I had a mild panic attack and Cory just reinterated all that I already knew and tried his hardest to change the subject of thought. I think I just realised that I was in for a full on day of poking and proding and the IV bleeding all over my hand was the least of my happenings...

Dr Keeler came in and gave me the run down of what was to happen and when and then the anesthesiologist came in and gave me his run down. After peeing for the 10,000th time since having the IV in I was taken back to surgery and sat on the side of the bed for the anesthesiologist to do his magic and magic it was. I had mentioned to others that I was slightly worried about the spinal as my epidural hurt when I had it administered, felt like someone was kicking my kidneys and putting complete pressure on my hips (but the epidural was heaven). Well, the same thing happened this time, that pressure but it was the local not the spinal and my Dr literally took 2 minutes to do my spinal. He was AWESOME!! I must say I think I like the spinal more, it seemed to take longer to wear off as I felt I was in recovery longer but it was well worth it. The anxiety I was experiencing pre surgery was totally gone when in surgery, I was smiling and talking the whole time. It was really special as I totally felt the spirit and taken care of. Dr Keeler removed my old scar so that took a little longer. He said, "Let's have a baby now Kathryn" and with that he states, "I see a hand and a foot AND a head of hair Kathryn!" Then I think it was Cory said "Kathryn he has a head of dark hair!" I was so pleased!! They were able to show me Ethan over the curtain when he was born which is something I didn't get with Cade and made for an extra special experience. Ethan was crying out the whole time, it was so cute.

Cory went with Ethan and it seemed to go much faster being stitched up this time. I think my anesthesiologist said it was about 45 minutes. My mother in law was able to come between Ethan and me in recovery and that was so nice. I just so appreciated her being there. Ethan fed right away and knew exactly what he was doing. What a blessing.

Cory was SO exhausted. Once I was in my room and settled he and my mother-in-law and Cade all left to have a much needed sleep. I was tired but just couldn't sleep. I took power naps here and there but by 10:30pm I was exhausted. Ethan really didn't feed during the night at the hospital, especially that first night which concerned me but they told me not to worry and I needn't have had any concern as he is putting on the weight perfectly.

Our stay at the hospital was good. My nurses were great, Dr Keeler was fantastic, Cade's Dr's were too. I didn't see much of Cory as he was so busy with assignments and presentations and juggling me and work was hard too but we got there. I missed him and Cade alot. Cade ended up going home with my mother-in-law for Wednesday and Thursday and he was TOTALLY Grammies boy I tell ya. It was a good stay for him.

What a blessing to have a baby in our home. Ethan is a fantastic baby. We love him to bits!