I tried for three weeks to get baby Spud to turn head down. My efforts failed, and possibly for a good reason. Lucas and I headed to Mercy Medical Center downtown on the morning of Friday, April 10 for a scheduled C-section. We were holding out hope for one last attempt at an external version where the doctor manually turns him - if the ultrasound showed his umbilical cord had moved away from his neck. However, shortly after arriving and getting hooked up to heart rate monitors, his heart rate dropped. It stabilized, but the doctor said that was concern enough to not attempt the version - regardless of the position of the umbilical cord.
Exactly two hours after checking in, I was walking back to the operating room. I'm not going to lie - I was pretty nervous. I understand c-sections are very routine, but it's still an evasive surgery with risks. I decided it wouldn't do me any good to freak out. Much like natural labor and delivery, I went to my happy place. I thought about the amazingness of having a baby in just a few short minutes. It worked, and I calmed myself down.
The medical team prepped me and brought Lucas in just before beginning. Within five minutes I heard the frantic, desperate cry of my baby boy. I'm not one to cry, but at the sound of his voice, I started balling. I couldn't believe he was finally here. Regardless of how a baby arrives in this world, it's truly a miracle. Over his cries, the nurses and doctors kept saying what a big baby he was. I couldn't see anything - so I was imagining a 9 lb baby. Was I wrong... no one was expecting Spud to be 10 lbs and 22 inches! No wonder he wouldn't turn head down.
Lucas brought him over to me pretty quickly and put him on my chest. I was still balling when he asked me if I wanted to name him Owen. It was way too much to process; he would remain Spud for a little while longer. It was an amazing feeling to have my baby there with me. Nine months I had been waiting for that moment, and it's one I'll never forget.
After a few minutes on my chest, he had to go get cleaned up while I did to. I started having discomfort under my sternum - that part of me wasn't numb - which turned decently painful. The anesthesiologist said that's not unusual and gave me some extra juice to subdue it. All said and done, I was back in the recovery room in one hour. The next two hours were the longest ever...
Turns out Spud wasn't breathing perfectly; it was a little shallow and quick. He went to the nursery to receive oxygen while I was stuck in the recovery room. Lucas went with Spud to the nursery to keep an eye on him. It was so hard for me to not be with him. I just had the most amazing moment of my life holding my child just to be separated from him moments later. When his breathing finally stabilized three hours later, we were reunited. I started crying all over again - tears of joy. I can guarantee that won't be the last time this little guy causes me to cry...