You're here!
I started typing this on my phone on Dec. 16 @ 11:25PM (I don't know how far I will get before I fall sleep or you wake up, but it's a start!)
Our sweet Sadie Austin came into this world booty first today at 9:17 AM at 39 weeks and 2 days gestation. You were delivered at Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina by Dr. Anthony (Tony) Masciello. You was born by cesarean section because you were breech. Your birth weight was 7 pounds, 11 ounces and you were 20 inches long at birth! What a wonderful day!
Brad, Mom, and I got to the hospital at 7:30 for a scheduled OR time of 8:45. We only had to wait a few minutes before nurse Delores (Dee) took Brad and I back to the pre-op area! I got hooked up to my IV, a fetal monitor, and leg pumps for circulation. Brad out on his "bunny suit," etc for the OR. Your heart rate looked great on the monitor the whole time. Dr. Owen the anesthesiologist came in to do a quick meet and greet, along with an anesthesia resident, Zach. She anticipated that everything on her end would go smoothly based on the fact that I have basically no medical history. Dr. Masciello came in around 8:25 and did a quick ultrasound to make sure you hadn't made any drastic moves in the past week since my last u/s. And it was a surprise to no one that you hadn't!
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| in pre-op- can't wait to meet you! |
My OR nurse Staci H came and asked me a couple of questions (name spelling, allergies, and the like) before I had to drink a nasty gastric acid neutralizing medication called sodium citrate- yuck! Not so good on a stomach that has not had anything on it since 6:30 last night!
I was wheeled back to the OR for an arrival time of 8:48... right on schedule! Brad had to wait outside the OR for a few minutes while the anesthesiologist did my spinal. It went well and it was neat because unlike an epidural, she just put the needle in the space, injected the Duramorph medication and removed the needle! Nothing stayed in my back because it was just a one time dosing, no need for any potential continuous dosing like an epidural! My legs and bottom felt warm as soon as she injected the medication, which they said was to be expected. I laid down before my legs got too heavy to move! Staci placed my foley catheter that drained my urine all day- thankfully I couldn't feel it going in! The OR staff went about their business and prepped my belly with a cleaning solution. I can remember- Dr. Masciello, Dr. Burgess (OBGYN resident to assist), Dr. Owen, Zach (anes. resident), Maribell (or something like that, CRNA), Staci H (my nurse), another Stacy (who would be your nurse immediately after delivery), and Corie (NP from NICU). We had requested no pediatric residents from the NICU for obvious reasons (a NICU team- NP and or peds resident+ RT- is present at all c/s deliveries). The anesthesiology team continually checked my sensation on my belly to ensure that the spinal block was getting me numb where it was supposed to! They tested my temperature sensation by rubbing an alcohol swab on my arm and then again on my belly from the lower part up. I had to tell them when I could feel it as cold on my belly as it was on my arm. Then they used some sort of pin in the same fashion to see what my sensation for pain (I guess) was. I was feeling what I was supposed to feel and wasn't what I shouldn't have been! Praise the Lord!
Brad was able to come in at some point during all the preparations. They put the drape up between my head and my belly, and Dr. Masciello got to work! I could feel some pressure and pulling, but that was it! And then Dr. Owen (who was so sweet and stood at my left side during the entire delivery part, rubbing my arm), said, "he's about to pull her out!" And told Brad he could stand up and see! From what I was told, Dr. Masciello had a hold of your hips and Dr. Burgess kind of put some pressure on your head/my ribs to move you down in the uterus and out you came at 9:17AM!! I cried when they said you were out, but you wasn't crying. I could hear Dr. Masciello using the bulb syringe to suction and you finally let out a cry and he took her over to the NICU team in less than a minute (felt longer though). He did walk you behind the drape to let me see you for a quick second before he handed you off! I didn't think your coloring looked that great in the second I got to see you and Brad has said you definitely came out blue! You had thin meconium and a nuchal cord x1 (umbilical cord wrapped around your neck), so you were a little stressed. The NICU team didn't have to deep suction you, but you kept spitting up, so they used what we call a "little sucker" to move some of that amniotic fluid/mucous out of your lungs. Brad was able to go over to where they were checking you out to take some pictures! He even cut the umbilical cord! They weighed you while you were over there- 7 lbs, 11 oz!!
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| our sweet miracle! |
I was feeling very tired after the actual delivery part, so while Dr. Masciello was finishing up and Brad was with Sadie at the warmer, I just closed my eyes, rested, and focused on breathing. A couple of times the anesthesia resident had to ask me to take a few deep breathes- I was literally being reminded to breath! Apparently my uterus was slightly atonic/ boggy (it should be firm when massaged), so I know I got extra pitocin in my IV fluids, a shot of methergine, and I think even hemabate to help firm it up. Dr. Masciello said my bleeding was fine though, so that was good. And the medicine(s) helped my uterus contract.
Brad, Sadie, and I took our first family picture together!! I was still feeling kind of out of it, but once Dr. Masciello finished and they got me on the stretcher and sitting up, I felt much better!!
I finally got to hold Sadie on our ride from the OR to the PACU! Staci had called the waiting room and notified Mom, Shelia, Tommy, and Beth that we were on the move and where to go to see us in transport! So we were able to stop for a few minutes in the hallway for pictures and visiting!
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| leaving the OR and heading to PACU |
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| in the hallway meeting Rah Rah, Nana, Pappy, and Aunt Beth |
My arrival time to the PACU was 10:14AM. I was in the OR longer than I thought I would be. Delores started my recovery, but then passed me off to Rachel. Upon arrival, I could move the toes on my right foot, but that was it. I couldn't feel any of my fundal checks until the last one she did before we moved to our mother-baby room. About the time that I could bend my right knee a little, the movement started to come back on the left side starting with my toes!
Sadie and I were skin-to-skin the whole time in recovery! It was wonderful- I can't even describe! I even got her to latch onto the left breast for a little while! Of course, I didn't know if she was exactly on there correctly, but she had a hold of something and we have to start somewhere!
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| proud Daddy hanging out in recovery |
Like I said, I could feel my last fundal check, but I declined pain medicine because I think they would have had to keep me 30 more minutes if I received any narcotic medication and I was just ready to get to my room! I knew Kathy E. could give me some morphine almost as soon as I got here!
So we rolled out about 12:20PM, heading to our room on the mother-baby unit! I had picked out room 3112 about a week ago and they've kept it reserved for me! It's a big room with a couch and 2 chairs and a large bathroom! A few of my co-workers decorated our room!
Rah Rah was waiting for us; Nana, Pappy, and Aunt Beth were running errands and getting Daddy some lunch!
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| arriving to our room! |
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| You and I spent most of the afternoon skin-to-skin because 1) I love it and 2) you were a little chilly (97.9) to have your bath. It didn't even cross my mind that anyone else would want to hold you! |
I got myself moved from stretcher to bed with minimal discomfort and no assistance. Kathy Esposito and Jinny McNeill came in to get report, assess me, and check Sadie out too! Jinny did Sadie's admission assessment and said she looked great and was 20 inches long! Kathy was so sweet and got me some morphine, but it honestly didn't help very much (I took one more dose of morphine later and then switched to Percoset pills, which helped much more), but I was trying not to move anyway, so I wasn't in that much pain- just sore.
To be continued... time to try to feed you, sweet baby girl! I can't believe you're here! Your daddy and I love you so much already!
