Harriet: 09/05/06-09/09/09
Monday night I could not get comfortable. My sciatica had gotten to the point where moving was nearly impossible and I couldn't find any good position to sleep. At two in the morning I gave up, took a hot shower, got dressed and curled up in the chair next to our bed where I eventually did get to sleep.
The alarm went off at a quarter past six and we scurried to get Sean up and dressed. Mom came to take Sean to school and Ian and I were off to the hospital for the C-section. Mom arrived at the hospital before Harriet was born.
This time I was awake for the whole event. While I loved hearing Harriet's first cry, the spinal was the freakiest and most horrible thing I've ever experienced. Fortunately Dan, the person who administered the spinal was there by my side and talked me down from a complete panic attack. Ian was brought in for the actual birth bit and he got to see her lifted out of the incision (after the surgeon temporarily removed my bladder to get access to her head). I wasn't brave enough after all to ask for a mirror. He says the view behind the curtain was remarkable.
We spent most of our time recovering in a too dark and too warm room with no where comfortable to sit. My last night I was in tears from homesickness and exhaustion.
On Thursday we were released but we had to take Harriet in on Friday to check her bilirubin levels. Jaundice had started to show up on Wednesday night. Friday's labs showed an elevated bilirubin count so she had to be admitted to the hospital for some phototheraphy. I had to spend Friday night and Saturday morning with her, sleeping and reading in a reclining chair. At least the chair was comfortable! When I was scolded for nursing her too long I burst into tears for my second time at the hospital.
Fortunately after thirteen hours of treatment, Harriet's numbers had dropped and she was released by 11 in the morning. We're now home again. My milk has come in and Harriet is much happier for a good supply of warm milk and with her jaundice under control. She is a happier and calmer baby. Hopefully she can stay home with us. We have another appointment on Monday to check on her jaundice and on her weight.
So, that's been our busy week and the reason why this site hasn't been updated.
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