Reed and I welcomed Micah Anthony into our family on February 16, as scheduled. Due to my
complicated medical history, we planned a repeat Cesarean section for the day I turned 39 weeks pregnant. There were a few times that my regular contractions tried to convince me we might not make it to the 16th, but I was monitored so closely during my third trimester at my four appointments a week that I knew my doctor wouldn't let things progress too much.
My mom came to town the night before the surgery to keep Abel for us and to help out for a few days after I came home. I am so thankful she did! Abel and I had never been apart for more then a few hours (and usually I left him with his Daddy) so I was pretty anxious about leaving him. Thankfully, he knows and adores my mom, and has slowly been growing a little less clingy to Mama. I'm happy to say he did great with her!
Right before we left for the hospital
My surgery was scheduled to 2:45, so Reed and I had to be at the hospital at 12:45. After we were checked in, we were told that it was a very busy day on the Labor and Delivery floor, and that my surgery would be bumped back. My doctor had begun the c/s scheduled before me later than planned, and when he finished with that mom, he had to deliver three babies whose moms were ready to push and were waiting on the doc! By the time those three were born, a fourth was ready and waiting. A nurse told us that they actually had to call a few women who had elective inductions that day to tell them not to bother coming in - that's how few beds there were!
The hours passed by while we waited for the doc to become available. I was so hungry because I wasn't allowed to eat or drink after midnight. Sometime before the surgery, the anesthesiologist came in and explained that some lab work I'd had done that week suggested I might need to have general anesthesia again, instead of the planned for spinal block. He apologized for delaying the surgery further by calling for repeat lab work.
This was a very emotional last second complication for me. While I have come to accept that God was glorified by both Reed and I missing Abel's birth, I still struggle with wishing
his delivery hadn't been so dangerous. This threat of general anesthesia was a very loud reminder of my pregnancy-long desire to submit my will to God's in the outcome of this pregnancy and delivery. I tried to assure Reed that I truly was okay with that option if need be, and that I knew that God was in complete control. Reed obviously was aware of my spiritual struggles, and I wanted to assure him that as long as we came home with baby I was willing to do whatever I needed to get him there.
The anesthesiologist came back a while later to tell us that while my labs weren't where he would ideally like, he felt like it would be safe to undergo a spinal block. But he did also tell us that if he had any trouble at all getting it into place, he would not try again or move the needle around (like he would with someone whose labs were totally normal), but he would just put me to sleep.
They came in shortly after to wheel me back; Reed would join me later. I had to say goodbye to him then, with him not knowing if I would be awake or not when he came into the OR. I was very relieved that the spinal went in smoothly, nearly painlessly, and I didn't have to be put under without him there.
The surgery itself was strange. I was totally awake and aware of everything going on, but obviously couldn't see the surgery because of the sheet they put up, or feel what was going on. Reed was brought in after the incision was made. He told me later that after 30 mins of waiting, he thought they forgot to get him again, like with Abel. Instead of sitting by my head like a normal husband, Reed stood so he could watch the entire surgery. :) If you're interested, I have a picture he snapped after Micah was born, my uterus outside of my body, being stitched back up. It's pretty graphic, but a neat picture.
Micah Anthony was born at 6:07 PM, weighing 7 lbs, 10 oz.
I got a glimpse of the baby very briefly after they pulled him out, then the nurses took him to the other side of the room to clean him up. Reed was able to bring Micah back to me for a minute before they brought him to the nursery while they sewed me back up. Reed was required to go with Micah, and couldn't stay for the remainder of the surgery.
In the nursery, waiting for his Mama!
Being examined in the nursery
While it's typical at our hospital for c-section moms to recover for 2 hours without their baby before being moved to a normal room, Reed and I weren't okay with that. So as soon as I was in the recovery room, we asked them to please bring us our precious bundle.
I already have trouble believing that this picture was taken two weeks ago today. Reed and I both feel like Micah has always been a part of our family!
Thank you so much to all of our family and friends who prayed for this baby and my pregnancy from the beginning. God is faithful!