If you read Kylan's birth story you'll be caught up and understand why I'll be talking about the hospital stay, a truly amazing gift that flew in from KS to help take care of me, my family and the baby etc...
I'm excited, I really am!
I have missed writing SO much and still have a few pregnancy blogs to finish even.
It's incredible how things can get so crazy...
Anyway :)
I wanted to touch on what happened after the baby was born as it was unreal.
I seriously felt like I was living somebody else's life but feeling every moment of physical and emotional pain that they had. It's like that thing my best friend posted on my facebook that says,
"God only gives us what we can handle and apparently He thinks I'm a badass!"
"God only gives us what we can handle and apparently He thinks I'm a badass!"
So I counted 12 different drugs used on me during my stay...
12.
Bah!
I was so drugged seeing Kylan for the first time I can hardly remember certain details...
I asked my husband what he remembered because I was at a loss. He said I was holding so tightly to the baby I refused to hand him over to the nurses. That I was glowing and smiling, I was happy. However, fighting the sleepy feeling those drugs gave me is what I remember the most.
Kylan needed his iv placed in his head since he kept ripping it out of his arm :(
Going back to the room I believe I was given more right before bed and put back on oxygen as I wasn't "breathing very well." They kept harassing me on this and telling me to cough! There was NO WAY on God's green earth I was going to cough! Kyle and I both assured them I was a shallow breather in general when it comes to sleep. I understand the risk of lung issues after a surgery like that but I was in no hurry to cause myself more pain.
I was forced to get up and walk the next day and I seriously wanted to die! Give me labor without meds any day, please. The pain I felt even with drugs in my system was excruciating! God was good though and gave me some awesome nurses. I only had to have my nurse changed out once for myself and had only turned one in that resided in the NICU. Humdingers right there... But the one that wasn't so nice to me in the NICU apologized and so that really helped.
My family was incredible in caring for me during the week long stay. Between my mom and Kyle somebody was always there with me or the baby. It eased my mind because I hardly saw or held my son for the first week of his life.
Father and son a few days before we went home.
My mom kicked butt when needed and my husband brought me GORGEOUS red roses as well as made me eat when I didn't want to. Shockingly I enjoyed some of the food there. Breakfast was the only good meal of the day and I normally don't care for most breakfast foods. Weird, I know.
My midwife, Jessica stopped in a couple times as well, this brightened my day every time. :)
She even cleared up many a question (As always) I had when I wasn't fully satisfied by my answers given via the hospital staff. If you're curious about her and her practice you can check her website out here:
I realize lactation consultants are there to help you BUT I do believe there is a fundamental thing missing from the hospital staff where I had Kylan and that is the respecting of a mother's natural instincts. They also need to not be so dang rough! We had to undo some PTSD from what they did when we got home. (Another blog coming your way) If I had my wits about me I would've told them to butt out. I started pumping for Kylan when I realized he wasn't latching due to the meds I was given during labor and delivery etc... Poor guy was so lethargic!
My daddy feeding Kylan when I couldn't make it to the NICU
The lactation nurses also tried putting me on a very rigid day to day routine and that put me on mega overload. I tossed it out the window and let my body relax as they had other plans for me and rest wasn't one of them. The dr said I would be hurting more than a regular c section due to how quickly he had to work in getting the baby out. Boy was he right!
One of my yuck days my mom broke out a gift that was coming for me... My best friend Diana was on her way in to come see me!! I would've given anything to be there after she had her son but to have her come out right away for me, priceless and it truly touched me heart and soul. She's been my other girly half since we were in high school youth group and through thick and thin we will always be there for each other. She stayed for a week and helped in SO many ways. To see her face walk into my hospital room...
I was blessed :)
After an attempted nursing session
Kylan's progress was up and down for that week's stay and his Jaundice wasn't really high but they still took precautions. His blood sugar levels and body temp had some issues because he wouldn't nurse and they worried when he wouldn't eat much. But he was a new born and their tummies aren't that big so he was only off because I wasn't getting much pumping and he had to have formula. I wasn't pumping every 2 hours like I should've been and both Kyle and my Mother had to help me sit up when I pumped. Kylan's oxygen was touch and go but really he was on a wisp of air since he's a high altitude baby born under stressful circumstances. Poor little guy had his feet pricked so many times, they looked all banged up :( some nurses aren't gentle! The feeding tube broke my heart as well, this was needed when he decided eating wasn't too exciting but it only lasted a day and a half. I was able to stay so mellow because of God's grace and in that grace I found peace. I didn't dwell on my current circumstances and I tried to focus on getting myself stable enough to contemplate going home as I was informed we'd both be released after a week baring the baby was doing well and passed his car seat oxygen test. He did in flying colors!! He also got his weight to stabilize at 6lbs 12oz VS the 6lbs 15oz he was born at.
It looked like we were headed home after a VERY long week's stay in the hospital!
But not before they took my staples out and made me get a shower...
The shower was hell and the staples no where near the big deal I had myself worked up for.
We had the baby for a night in my room and it was a very long one as the poor thing didn't sleep at all! Kyle stayed up with him as I just couldn't.
Right before my parents left and we had our long night with little sleep.
One of my favorites!
The day we got the release to go home was long and emotional but we got to finally take our baby boy home. Where we all needed to be!
Shannon <3
