Mr. Sal Man is HOME AT LAST!
So… ironically I thought I would never have time to update
you on our status after our sweet Sal was born, but I have been a little bored
lately! Sal is a WONDERFUL baby. He has only been crying (and by crying I mean
a wimpy whine) when he has a dirty diaper.
He sleeps so much! So I usually
go between staring at him and watching awful daytime TV. I am pretty immobile still right now and I
hang out on the couch, but I have the itch to get out and do something!! It is getting better day by day!
So from the start I wanted to just tell you a little bit
about the AMAZING C-Section experience I had.
It was 120% better than I could have ever imagined. From the second we were shown our room to the
second I got in the car to go home, I was impressed beyond means with the
staff, experience, and care that my family was getting. When you think about labor and delivery – you
think panic, fast pace, and HIGH anxiety.
Despite the fact that I had NORMAL anxiety for someone going through
their first C-section, there was NO panic, fast movements, and very little anxiety
about the unknown… Before heading into the OR my doctor came in to lay out what
was in store for Sal’s birthday. Not
only did she lay out the schedule so I knew what to expect minute by minute, in
the OR she talked me though everything that was happening. I felt so calm and it was so unbelievably
easy to put all my trust in her. We went
into the OR at 10am, I don’t think Tyler was even aloud in the room for another
ten minutes while they prepped me, which in that time I had two great nurses
holding my hands and talking me through everything. Everyone was taking guesses at his weight and
no one really expected anything over 7lbs.
All the friendly voices and conversations going on kept my mind off what
was going on in the operating room until that damn spinal block! Let me tell you – that shot in the back to
numb the area was a BITCH and because I never had a contraction I will say that
was the worst pain in my life, but it was for like TWO seconds and when it was
done I thought – if that is the worst pain I feel, so be it… let’s get this
babe out! Soon enough Tyler was right
there by my side as well and they were starting the surgery. Tyler got a little white as a ghost after he
saw me uncontrollably shaking on the table from hormones, meds, and the
FREEZING temperature in the OR so I offered him my puke bucket but he pulled
himself together real quick.
We were told that C-section babies might not cry right away
due to the fluid in their lungs that was not squeezed out during a natural
delivery, so when she pulled him out and I heard crying right away I just
starting balling! I did not expect that
reaction, but it was seriously one of the most amazing moments in my life. They put him on the scale and crazy enough he
was 7lbs and 8ounces! No one in the room
could believe that thing was inside of me!
He was weighed and measured in the same room so when I turned my head to
the right I could see everything that going on.
I also had Tyler taking pictures and coming back to show me. Once he was out, I have no clue what happen
after. I was on cloud nine just watching
him and admiring the life that Tyler and I made. On the way back to my room to recover, they
placed Sal in my arms and we had our first cuddle. It was amazing. Right when I got into my room we started breast-feeding. He was a champ from the very first
latch. I needed help for the first day,
but by day number two, Sal and I were on the same page when it came to feeding
time. When the lactation consultant came
in to see us and answer any questions, she said “wow, he is like a poster child
for breastfeeding!” and I about melted off any stress I might have had left
when it came to feeding! We did have
some night time feeding issues which caused a 9% weight loss by the time we left
the hospital, but after two nights of supplementing while breast feeding, we
got the hang of it. The only concern I have
about breast feeding at this time is upping my supply. I have only been pumping maybe 2 times a day,
but I would like to start pumping after every feeding now to bring in more
milk. I think this is what I am suppose
to do. I also think I need to up the
calorie intake to make more milk… but these are all things I should have
answers to soon with a call to the lactation specialist.… any advice is also
welcome from those moms out there who have been through this!
On top of the lovely delivery, we were lucky enough to have
the best night nurse in the building: Lindsay (Tyler’s sister) was working
every night we were there… this was NOT planned, just happened to be awesome
though! Sal was only in our room at
night for feeding, other than that his auntie was cuddling with him at the
nurse’s station. What a lucky little
dude… he got special treatment, too!
Salvatore loves to sleep!
As of right now he is not back to his birth weight so we are waking him
up every four hours at night to feed.
During the day we are feeding every 2.5 hours. I can honestly tell you he is not a crier. When the pediatrician asked if we had any
questions and concerns, I said, ya… is it okay that he does not cry and he
sleeps a lot? She laughed at me and said
– yes, consider yourself lucky; you got a good one! So ya, Tyler and I are waiting for hell to
break loose and Sal to wear us out, but for now… this house has been very peaceful
for just bringing home a NEWBORN! This
brings me to the next order of business… I think I am ready for baby #2, now. HAHAHA. (kinda not joking…)
Exercising?
NOT YET! Walking has been a
challenge… The incision is the most
painful part, and weird enough there is no pain on the right side but the left
side burns like no other! Ice has been
my best friend. Really looking forward
to my SIX week appointment already to be removed from exercising
restrictions! I am dying to start
working out. Most of all, I am so ready
to be able to go walk with Ty, Baya and Sal tucked safe in the Bjorn! My goal is a walk around the block by Monday! We’ll see…
Maternity clothes?
More like Tyler’s sweatshirts and sweat pants and any large ones that I might
have! The weight is dropping a little faster
than I expected, but I have not tempted to put and regular clothes on. I do not want to until I feel 100% happy with
where I am at, and I do not foresee that anytime too soon. Also the scar is a burning pain, so I need a
lot of room in my pants to stuff bags of ice on my scar. Haha… I shuffle around the house holding bags
of ice in my pants. Pretty funny.
Sleeping?
Sooo… I know this
might not last and I am enjoying it while I can, but I am sleeping more now
than I was in my last month of pregnancy.
Despite getting up every four hours to feed, I got EIGHT hours of sleep
the other night… ya, not uninterrupted, BUT EIGHT HOURS and my kid is a week
old. Like I said, I am enjoying it while
I can… plus the healing calls for lots of rest.
Sal must really want me to heal quickly… wonder what he has in store for
me. Is this the calm before the storm!?
Missing Anything?
NADA. Loving life!
I even said if I knew Sal was going to be as great as he is, I would
have done this two years ago when Tyler asked if we could have a baby!
Food cravings?
… just trying to eat a lot to get a good milk supply!
Heartburn? Nothing.
Even enjoying 2 to 3 cups of coffee a day!
Anything making you
queasy or sick? Nope.
This Weeks Symptoms?
SYMPTOMS
of post C-section/new mom… Well, here are some brutal honest answers that might
be a little TMI (just warning you)…. scar pain (burning feeling at the incision
site), CRAMPS (like a very bad period!), oh and the actual period (how much I
did not miss that – but it is VERY light so nothing too bad), also… very very
very sore/hard boobs and nipples from breast feeding. They are getting better but I know the first
week I was thinking “you have got to be kidding me if my boobs are in the much
pain- how do women do this for years!?” But
it is getting better fast, so no worries!
and tired (EVEN THOUGH I AM GETTING GOOD SLEEP)… but I think no matter
what breast feeding/pumping SUCKS energy out of you like no other!
Belly Button: in or out?
Just kinda there… nothing too exciting to report. And, NOT as scary looking as I would have
thought.
Wedding rings on or
off? Still do not fit yet! Is that
normal!? Please tell me that my fingers
are not going to stay like sausages! I
know they have slimed down quite a bit, but please tell me they go back to the
size they were before pregnancy!
Overall Mood this
week? Super blessed, extremely happy, uncontrollably excited… I feel
like I am dreaming… I mean it is like a freaking fairytale over here. How can I not be the happiest person on the
planet right now. Tyler and I gaze into
Sal’s face as he sleeps and talk about how freaking lucky we are… and we do
this EVERYDAY. The kid doesn’t put up a
fuss for anything – well maybe when you change his dirty diaper on the cold changing
station on the pack n play, but really… we can put him down anywhere and if he
is awake he will just stare around and watch whatever is going on (TOTALLY
CONTENT) and if he is sleeping, he will sleep ANYWHERE like a rock. We have so much commotion going on in and out
of the house and he will be in his nap nanny on the kitchen table sleeping
through it all. He is perfect.
Looking forward to? Getting out of the hOUSE! I am going crazy being bound to the couch, no
driving, no lifting besides the baby… I am ready to get out, explore with Sal,
go show him off… you know… just NOT BE STUCK HERE! Haha.
Pit of the week?
So this recovery is NOT AS BAD as I thought it would be… yes, it is
painful, but it is getting better every day and therefore this NOT a pit even
though I would have thought it would be the biggest pit! But it is NOT the pit. I would do it all three times over if it
meant that I got to come home with Salvatore.
Guess that’s what moms mean when they say you forget about the pain and
the pain does not matter… because literally, when you hold them and look at
them the pain kind of clears away!
Peak of the week? This
is clearly obvious…
Make it a great week everyone!
Much Love,
Jax
