Baby Bean: A Birth Story

On June 17, 2012, Miss Bean decided she wanted to come into the world 20 days early. I think she knew I didn't get anything for Hubs for Father's Day and knew the time was right. My parents were in town for a surprise visit and we had a busy weekend planting flowers and grooming the yard. I'd been drinking red raspberry leaf tea for two days and decided to mow the side yard and blow the back and front porches. Perhaps I was trying to help... or induce labor. At 37 weeks, I was super ready for Bean to make her debut. But I knew she wouldn't come until she was ready.

Sunday morning was uneventful. I got up and made french toast and eggs for my family. Around 10:30, I started having some really bad pain around my previous c-section scar. It felt like pulling, stinging and burning. My mom had me sit down with an ice pack and my dad sat next to me and talked me through the pain. It was constant, not coming and going. After about an hour of resting while Hubs and my brother had Little S out on a bike/trailer ride, I felt fine again. I got up and started working around the kitchen when the pain started, again. I collapsed on the floor by my linen closet while trying to reach a dish rag and couldn't get up because the pain was so brutal. This time, it was coming and going, but nothing like the Braxton Hicks I'd been having. I didn't have any cramping or tightening... just that burning, stinging feeling around my scar. Eventually, I got up and went to the bathroom to get sick because the pain was so bad. By that time, Hubs was home and called my OB's office. They wanted to meet me in triage at the hospital to check things out and make sure the baby and I were doing okay.

Once hooked up to the monitors, we found that Bean was doing great, but I was having contractions 2-4 minutes apart. The midwife gave me IV fluids to try and slow things down, but they didn't work. I got a shot in the back of my upper arm of something that's supposed to stop or slow contractions, and that didn't work, either. When she checked my cervix, I was still only 1 cm dilated, so I was moved to another room where I was given another IV medication to try and stop the contractions. The next thing I knew, my OB popped in and told me that because she couldn't see my uterine scar without opening me up to make sure it was okay, she was going to go ahead and take Bean that day.

What I didn't know was that she meant... right now. There was a mere 15 minutes between her telling me I was going to have a c-section and my being on the OR table. It happened so fast and I felt so blessed that my parents were already in town to watch S. The spinal block went much more smoothly than last time and I was ready to go within 3 minutes of getting the medication. Bean made her arrival at 7:08 p.m. on Sunday night and weighed 7lbs, 0.9oz at 19.5 inches long. 37 weeks and 1 day - this child was going to be huge at full term! She started crying and we knew her lungs were strong. There were 6 NICU nurses surrounding her to make sure she was healthy for being so early. Her APGAR scores were 9 and 9, so we knew she was doing great! I was so much more alert than I was with S' birth and so much more emotional. I think it's because I wasn't in labor for 30+ hours before the surgery. 

Bean nursed right away, which is something that I prayed and prayed for. She hasn't stopped since! God provides... let me tell you that. She was only 6lbs, 7 oz when we left the hospital on Wednesday morning, but was back up to 6lbs, 10oz by her first doctor's appointment on Friday. I get my staples taken out on Monday and Bean has another weight check on Tuesday.

As I expected, S was so, so excited to meet her baby sister. She's been nothing but sweet and helpful since meeting Bean and she loves to hold her and sing to her. It's the sweetest thing. I've been a bit overwhelmed with two kids, even though I've had help the entire time I've been home. I just hope I can manage them both. Yesterday, S stubbed her toe while I was feeding Bean and I couldn't comfort her. She just wanted to be held and as much as I wanted to soothe her, I wasn't able and it broke my heart. She just wanted her mommy.

S and Bean meet for the first time.

Gigi (my mom) with both of her granddaughters

My sweet little girls together

Bean was supposed to get her hospital pictures taken, but we had a mishap and I kicked the photographer out of the room! She said she'd come back on Tuesday, but was a no-show. This (onesie from Aunt Whitney and headband from Mellisa) is what we intended for her to wear.

 This is how S entertained herself for much of the time she visited us in the hospital.

Hubs snuck into my bed with Bean while I grabbed a quick shower.

Me and my girls!

S and I had a little dance party right before I was discharged from the hospital.

 S and Bean had matching dresses for going home - This is the only picture I got of the dresses together!

 Going home!

 Bean wore elephants from Aunt Jackie. They were meant for her littlest to come home from the hospital in, but her Baby S was too big! In a yellow receiving blanket from Mommy Moxie, Bean shows off her Rod Stewart-esque locks, post-bath.

 My brother has been staying with us for a few weeks and after S saw him holding Bean, she wanted to be held like a baby, too. 

 Bean has the same gassy "ooo" face that her sister did! And she commandeered my snuggle blanket for her own.

 Squishy.

My sweet, sweet angels... How blessed am I?