Brooklynn's Arrival!

Brooklynn is three weeks old today...I think it's about time to start blogging! She has really been the perfect baby. We are loving every minute with her and Allie is loving kissing, hugging, and reading to her! Here's the arrival story for those who have been asking...

WARNING: VERY LONG POST

DISCLAIMER: I have always believed a woman's birthing story is like a soldier's battle story. It's a story that most people want to know all the details and a story the woman takes pride in telling. It's not that the woman is complaining, but telling what she had to go through to get her little baby into this world. Do you not agree? When you tell a birth story it isn't that you are complaining or trying to impress everyone with how brave and awesome you are, but in telling it don't you agree that you are amazed at what your body can endure to see your precious little baby? So here's my battle story...

I was really excited for a repeat c-section. You have to know my story with Allie to really see why I was so excited for a repeat. With Allie I started swelling really bad at 30 weeks and had to sleep with ice packs between my hands because the swelling created a carpel tunnel syndrome feeling. It wasn't the typical pregnancy swelling...I was HUGE! For those who have seen pictures they say it looks like I'm in a fat suit...I felt like a water balloon waiting to burst! I went into labor on my due date and after laboring for 43 hours it was discovered she was a brow presentation (coming out eyebrow first instead of the top of the head first), so I had to have a c-section. My temp was spiking, my blood pressure was going up, and I was puking. Needless to say, when they suggested a c-section there was no need to persuade me. Allie was stained with meconium, came out completely limp, and never really even cried (the one time you want your kid to really wail and she didn't!). She was REALLY beat up. She had a HUGE lump on her head from trying to come out the wrong way, her nose was completely flat, and there were red marks all over her face. Poor girl. My mom was in the OR with us and she remembers thinking, "This baby has some sort of syndrome. It's not down's syndrome but there is definitely something wrong. How am I going to tell my baby her baby has problems?!" And Nick remembers thinking, "Our little baby is deformed, but we are going to love her anyways because she is our baby." Poor daddy! Well after a few hours she looked like a normal baby (babies are amazing that way!). After I had her I kept swelling (I got stretch marks after I had the baby!!) and had to be sent home on a diuretic. I lost 40lbs in 10 days...I'm telling you, I was pretty darn swollen. My incision opened up a little and I got a nasty infection with smelly, green pus coming out (don't try and picture that) and battled mastitis 3 times. I had soooo much milk. In the mornings I would pump 9 ounces off one side, feed Allie on that same side until she was full, then pump another 5 ounces off that side...and then have to just pump on the other side. I'm telling you I could have feed quadruplets! So...now with that little bit of Allie history you can see why I was really excited for a repeat section. I could just walk in, hair and makeup done, no contractions to breathe through, and with everything that went wrong last time this time was going to be cake!

This pregnancy was awesome. I only swelled a little after 38 weeks and never once puked. I was able to get through nursing school, take boards, get the house ready and felt great! The day before we went to the hospital we ran last minute errands, spent time with Allie, did yard work, picked Allie out a princess wallet from the Disney store (I made the mistake of saying a couple of months back that maybe Brooklynn would give her one after she had asked for one...I didn't think she would remember, but she was telling everyone that Brooklynn was going to give her a princess wallet when she was born), and then went to dinner at In-N-Out together. I didn't go to bed until midnight because, being the amazing procrastinator that I am, I had not packed a single thing for me in the hospital or for Allie. I woke up at 3am to shower and get ready. We still were running a little late so we dropped Allie off at my mom's instead of my aunt's on the way to the hospital. We got there at 530am and got all checked in. I wasn't really nervous, but I think it's because I'm so used to working in the hospital that it didn't really set in that I was going in as a patient. They had to try 3 times to get an IV (I felt so bad for the nurse. She's been a nurse for years, but I have really valvey veins and very rarely can they get it in under 3 tries.), but the CRNA was able to get one in. They took be back to the OR like 20 minutes early (fine with me, let's get her here!) and did the section. Nick was great the whole time. He was taking pictures, talking with me and we were both watching them cut me open in the reflection of the OR lights. Pretty crazy! The doctor had to cut my incision a little bit wider because, like Allie, Brooklynn was wedged and he couldn't get her head out. The first assist had to really push on my chest hard to get her unwedged while the doctor pulled. I'm sure it only lasted for a few seconds but it felt like forever! They usually have to push on the patients to get baby out, but they really had to work to get Brooklynn out. It was the worst pain I have ever felt and I remember thinking, "I'm not breathing! Do they know I'm not breathing?! You're killing my chest lady! Does anyone realize I'm not breathing! I'm dying here on the table!" Like I said, I'm sure it wasn't long at all but it felt like forever!! I got an awful pain in my right shoulder and the anesthesiologist had to give me some more meds to get the pain to lessen. The section went well though and I just had a sore shoulder afterwards. Also, like Allie, Brooklynn came out not crying but finally gave a little squeak. Man that worries you! Nick got to give the first bath and was so sweet with Brooklynn. He's such a proud Daddy. My mom didn't get to go back to the OR with us this time (politics!!) but she was there in recovery with us and got to love on Brookie lynn too. Later that day I noticed I had a headache that got better when I laid down. Ugh, spinal headache. I kept trying to play it off because I didn't want to make a big deal about nothing. But sitting up and trying to feed a brand new baby while it feels like your eyes are going to pop out of your head was getting really hard. They tried to be conservative and give me a caffeine drip and really hydrate me throughout the night, but the headache was still there. So the next morning they had to do a blood patch. They think it was due to all the pushing they had to do on my chest. The hole that my spinal anesthesia went through reopened and the spinal fluid was leaking out. The anesthesiologist said that instead of your brain bobbing around in your skull it is just sitting there which is why the horrible headache is there. It was like a 15 on a pain scale of 0-10. (I told Nick it was Heavenly Father's way of saying, "The next time you give your husband a hard time while he's laying on the couch with a migraine and puking his guts out...remember this." Lesson learned. So the anesthesiologist started another epidural while an RN drew blood from my arm. He then put about 30cc of my own blood into the epidural space in my spine and I had to lay flat for like 15 minutes while it clotted. Instant relief!! The blood clotted which then closed the hole. Thankgoodness for that anesthesiologist!! The rest of the hospital stay was fine and Brooklynn nursed like a champ! (I had to use a breat sheild for a month with Allie before she finally latched on herself and was a good eater.) We went home two days after the section, the fourth of July!, and then had to go back the next day for another blood patch. I had another dang spinal headache! After a couple of days at home I realized I had mastitis again so I filled a prescription that made poor Brooklynn's tummy really rumble. Poor baby. But after that was all over we have been great! That's what I get for saying, "with everything that happened with Allie this one is going to be cake!" And really, even with the little setbacks with this one it wasn't all that bad. I am already telling Nick I want another one. He just says, "One at a time, Mindy!" Oh yeah! I'm so grateful my doctor didn't even let me try to have a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Ceserean). Some people really questioned why I didn't at least try, but Nick and I just didn't feel comfortable with all the risks involved. Good thing we didn't! My doctor doesn't let his patients even try them, but for me it was such a blessing. He said when he was doing the section the scar on my uterus was transparent and that it was starting to open on one side. Meaning? If I had tried to have a regular delivery, the contractions would have stressed out my uterus and for sure opened it up causing a uterine abruption. Really bad thing to happen. So he said he double stitched my uterus and that the next time should be fine. Fingers crossed?! It makes me a little nervous for how many more kids I will be able to have though. We are so grateful to have little Brookie lynn here happy and healthy!!

Dropping Allie off at my mom's.

2 more hours until she's here!

Hanging out in triage.

Poor Nick was so tired, but so

supportive!

A little cut here and a snip there,

A big push here and a big pull

there...

And she's here!

Daddy gave the first bath!

I thought it was so cute that the

nurse put a little rolled up blanket

between her legs.

Allie's first time holding

Brooklynn.

"Look Aunt Emily! She has two

ears like me!"

The Aunties! My girls are so

lucky to have these girls.

Proud Uncle Chris.

Cousin Kylee and Brooklynn.

Kylee is only 4 weeks older.

Apparently Uncle Mike and

Aunt Aarin approve!

I think this picture of Aunt Wendy

and Cousin Caitlin is so sweet.

Brooklynn's great-grandpa came

to see and love on her. Her great-

great-grandpa went to heaven to

meet her the day before she was

born.

Matching outfits for pictures!

I'm excited to dress them alike

now and then.

This is my favorite way to hold

newborns.

Headed home!

Allie has done so well with Brooklynn!

She is the best big sister!