I promise that this post will not be gross. I am hypersensitive to anything involving blood or needles, and I promise that if you are too, this post will still be readable.

After the decision that I needed to have a c-section was final, we had our ~hour long wait for the increased epidural drugs to kick in, and then everything kicked into high gear. Suddenly there were throngs of people in surgical scrubs and face masks introducing themselves to me and explaining what they were going to do.

Of that, I remember no details except the anesthesiologist asking me to say when something felt cold and if I could feel something else. It didn’t, and I couldn’t. He pronounced me sufficiently anesthetized. I think I did my usual request not to be told what was going on.

Then Jill was there next to me, and they were erecting a blue curtain about 6 inches in front of my face. Jill was in scrubs and a mask and hair covering too.

I became aware of some fairly vigorous manipulating of my stomach, but it didn’t hurt, it just felt strange. I thought they were checking the baby’s location somehow, to make sure that he wasn’t in the way before they opened me up.

And then someone told Jill to stand up and look, because "this is really cool, and you probably do want to see it," and someone else announced, "You have a baby!"

Apparently they showed him to me — there are even pictures — but I don’t remember that at all.

Jill left with The King while the doctors did their repair work on me. I remember getting all moved and crying about him being healthy and real and born, but mostly I think I dozed during that part.

Eventually, I was taken out to the recovery area, where a very nice nurse monitored my vital signs. There were 2 other c-sections in rapid succession, so there was a lot going on in the recovery area.

Jill came to join me, and told me all about how big and healthy our baby was. And my mom called, so we finally told her the name. I suspect I was only marginally coherant. I think she was also shocked that I was taking a call in surgical recovery.

I knew it would be about an hour before I’d get to hold the baby after the c-section, so I tried to be patient and wait. Finally, after an hour & 20 minutes, I asked Jill what time it was and how long it had been. Jill went and found our nice nurse, who explained that the nursery was backlogged with newborns right now but that our baby could be with us soon.

Time.

Passed.

Extremely.

Slowly.

As we approached the 2 hour mark, I started freaking out. Normally a relentless advocate of being extremely nice and exceptionally patient, Jill saw that the only way to avoid my losing it on some innocent and overwhelmed nurse, was to find someone to bring us our baby now. Fortunately, she did.

About 5 minutes later, he was at our side. And not too long after that, we were all taken to our real recovery room.

Next Installment - The Birth Story, Part 3 (Conclusion): Recovery, or Advice Overwhelm in the Hospital