Even though I barely slept the night before, I woke up feeling really good about the C-section. The nerves I had been experiencing all week long were gone and instead I was just full of excitement and anticipation to meet our little girl. We had to be at the hospital for 8am and so we left the boys with Mom Mom and Pop Berry, sleeping away. It was crazy to think we were leaving them as a family of four and the next time I would see them there would be five of us!
We chose to deliver at Paoli hospital again, which is where we had Asher. It's a hike from our house (sorry James) but our experience with them was just so great that we didn't want to go anywhere else. Once we arrived I was hooked up to an IV (after painfully being poked 4 times) and then we waited for the OR to open up. Apparently it was a busy day on the 12th, 11 babies were born total! The worst part of the whole csection for me is waiting for the spinal. According to the anesthesiologist though I'm a tough cookie and handled it all great, personally I don't see you really have any choice. Once James was bought into the OR it was all a blur; I remember a ton of pressure, the curtain being dropped and then there was she was! Our beautiful daughter! This time around we opted for a 'gentle birth' and a clear curtain is used so you can see the baby being pulled it. It was amazing! With the boys we didn't have that option. I highly recommend the option to anyone having a csection. We didn't see any blood or insides of myself. Getting to see her fresh from the womb was something I'll never forget and the sight of her had me in tears immediately.
Once she was out the nurse cleaned her off a little bit, bought her right over to me and placed her on my chest for skin to skin, right in the OR. Again this was never an option with either of the boys and there was something so special about those 10 minutes that we shared. As soon as she was placed on me, she started sucking her thumb and calmed down. I talked to her and she opened her little eyes and looked right at me. Unfortunately that moment was bought to an abrupt halt as I got super nauseous and her hand started to turn blue so off to the warmer she went and I repeatedly threw up....the not so pretty side of child birth!
I found this C-section far more painful than the previous two. It felt like a lifetime that I was on the table being sewn back together and I felt like I had been hit by a semi-truck. I was never so happy to get back to my room and to have Hayley placed back on my chest and just cuddle. James had gotten his cuddles in while I was finishing up in the OR. The nurse had gotten all of her stats; 7lbs 7oz and 20 inches long. 10 fingers and 10 toes were accounted for and she was deemed perfect in every single way. We were surprised to see she had a decent amount of hair, something neither boy were born with. Even though she was only 1oz lighter than Chase at birth, she seemed so much more delicate, her facial features especially. She also has really long fingers and toes (those come from Daddy). For now I think everyone says she looks like me, but as we all know babies change so much. Hayley also received her first bath, she wasn't too fond of it but did love getting her hair washed and head massaged, clearly there are spa days ahead for her and I!
The boys of course, were the first to meet Hayley. Both of them had been so excited for her arrival and their faces were priceless when they got to see her. Mom Mom and Pop Berry had bought the boys to the hospital but we spent a little while being just the 5 of us, something I really appreciated.
As well as meeting Mom Mom and Pop Berry, Hayley also met Grandma and Grandad Smith and Aunt Naomi.
Hayley handled her first day like a champ. She slept the day away in arms of those that already love her so much and filled up on milk. She is such a sweet little being, has the most amazing newborn smell and loves to have her head rubbed.
We are so thankful for this gift from God, that he gave us a daughter, and that she is healthy. We can't wait to get to know this girl of ours!
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