ETA: **long post alert** actually this post is only half of what I wanted to write so thank me people for saving your time so that you can focus on something better 😉
It was all well planned. The time to leave home, surgery slot, Adi’s drop/pickup plans but what fun without last minute surprises huh?. My due date was 11th Feb and the actual day was scheduled as 4th Feb at 7:30 am. We were asked to come to the hospital at 5:30am. Bags were packed the previous day, M woke up at 2am, I woke up at 3am and we were all set to leave home around 4:30am. Surprising eh? the ever-late-to-all-places family was ready ahead of time. We couldn’t just wait to hold LHB in our hands. Adi and parents stayed back at home. The plan was that amma will help Adi to get ready to school,appa will drop her and in the evening once I move out of the post-op ward, M will bring them to hospital to see the baby. Perfect eh?
M and I left home at 4:30am, reached hospital quarter after 5, registered our arrival and we were asked to wait. A nurse came after a while and dropped a bombshell. She asked “why did you guys come so early? your surgery is scheduled for 10:30 am”. She checked, rechecked and confirmed that all records only say it as 10:30 am 😦 We didn’t know what to do. So, sat there in the corridor recollecting all that my doctor said during previous office visits. He said “I have 3 c-sections on 4th and you are the first. I will be fresh in the morning so nothing to worry”. What do I say now? I don’t know if I am the 2nd or 3rd and will my doctor be fresh enough? what if he is all exhausted when it is my slot. The prego fear that stuck to me like fevicol on day one of seeing those pink lines was manifolding every passing second in last few hours.
After a while, the nurse took us to a room where they started IV and started monitoring baby’s movement as I was asked not to eat or drink anything after 9pm the previous night. We were in the same room until 11 am. M called doctor’s office after 9am and they also said that we are scheduled for 10:30 am 😦 I have no clue as from where did my doctor pull it as 7:30 am. I couldn’t just take all the funda he gave about me being the first in his list.
The doctor stepped into the room around 10:45am, said he got another emergency case and our 10:30 is further postponed by another half an hour **rolls eyes**. He looked very tensed and I lost all my hope at the very sight of him. M said not to ask him anything about the 7:30 as he is already tensed and this will only make him more distracted. He also didn’t show any sign about the 7:30. Good part is M and I got to be in that small room alone for more than three hours, watched sunrise through the wide window and talked all random stuff which we hardly do (may be never?).
The wait continued and around 11:30 am the doctor came in with anaesthetist, handed over the IV bag in my hand and asked me to walk to the theater. Yes, I walked to the theater with my IV bag and two doctors on both sides. M was taken to a different room to change his dress. He was there with me all the time. When I asked the doctor if I can use the bath room before going into the theatre he said he didn’t want to miss this spot and will clear my bladder with a tube in few minutes. There was a lot of tension in the air that was contagious. I felt the whole setup like a mission execution with every second being calculated.
At OT, I was asked to sit with back straight on a narrow six feet bed and anaesthetist started his work. They gave me spinal and no one was around until the anaesthetist was done with his work. But, the moment he was done and I started to feel the numbness a group of people were around me and started with their work. My doctor was explaining every step that he was doing to a fellow doctor and in next few minutes LHB was out to be precise at 11:52am. All the while M was seated next to me holding my hand tight. There was a screen below my chest so we couldn’t see what was happening on the other side.
The moment LHB was taken out I felt some emptiness as if some big vital part was removed from my body. He was brought closer to us for the skin contact. I kissed him on his forehead and then he was taken away for his initial check up. He weighed 3.6kgs and had lots and lots of hair all over his body. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. They gave us his first footprints. Then followed the stitching back of my incision and I was moved to post op ward. M was with LHB as he was taken to nursery after initial checkup. I didn’t lose my conscious at all and got to see LHB again in the evening around 6:30pm.
Unfortunately, Adi was not allowed to come to the hospital due to high flu alert in the town. She was very upset with this and missed us terribly for the next four days. Amma and M took turns in staying at the hospital though it was not required at all. The security system and service at the hospital was exceptional. Nurse was available all the time at one press of the button and they were so friendly. I have to talk about the food. It was like a room service at a 5 star hotel. We had to call and order for every meal and the menu had so many varieties. I tried different items for every meal, to list a few pancakes, hash browns, french toast, flavored yogurts, baked chicken with lemon sauce, vegetable lasagna, Alfredo chicken pasta, baked tilapia over rice, sandwiches and juices.
On 6th Feb, LHB lost 8% of his birth weight and the pediatrician said we have to switch him to supplement if I am not producing milk as losing more weight will expose him to jaundice. As it takes at least 2 to 3 days for the mother to produce milk we gave him Enfamil for that night so that he can put on some weight and we will be cleared to go home the next day. By that time, the nurse helped me to pump the colostrum that stimulated milk production in me. I must thank the baby nurse who was on duty that night. She visited us every other hour, helped us with feeding him and ensured that he gained 300grams by next morning before the pediatrician’s checkup.
I walked the very next day of surgery, took my shower on third day and was all set to leave the hospital on the fourth day (7th Feb). I must also thank the nurse who was on duty the third day. She was so kind and helpful. We reached home in the evening on 7th Feb and the bedroom has been our nest for next one month. We hardly moved to other parts of the house and had everything served to the room. LHB kept me on the strict two hour feeding cycle for the first month. Now, I have started to pump occasionally as I am having thrush problem and pumping will also help me when I start work from this month end.
I had many many plans to execute on this leave but haven’t done anything yet. Not even one single thing. Mind is always in zombie state with sleepless nights so not able to think or focus on anything 😦 My reader will cry out loud if I don’t tend to it soon. With amma being around I am only getting lazier day by day. Hope to get back to routine soon. Appa had to travel back last month on emergency. M is busy with his work. LHB has proved to be a lucky charm to M. He got his long awaited promotion on the second day after LHB’s birth and things were in general working out well for M.
Adi – I will save the best about big sister for a later post. “Anything for LHB” is her mantra now. Even getting up at midnight to get his diaper. Hope that explains everything. She gets to sleep in the same room as LHB on Friday and Saturday nights.
I have been writing this post since yesterday and don’t feel like ending it at all. How I missed writing my heart out. Sorry for the long post but it feels great to have poured out most of the details 🙂 I still have a mountain to say 🙂 🙂
Leaving you all with LHB’s picture taken during first week. Many are saying that he resembles Adi and I 🙂 We are also called the “fours gang” as LHB shares his birth date with me and Adi is born on 13th (1+3). M is half of us as he is born on 20th 🙂
LHB doesn’t look anything like this now and guess his face will keep changing until he turns two.
Let me just publish this post before another point pops up in my mind. Thats what I have been doing since yesterday “oh I missed to write about that!!!”
How are you all doing? Hope all is well with you all. take care
P.S: This post is from my mac 🙂 🙂
Between my littles and me 