The Arrival of Baby Beautiful

This is the morning of the scheduled C-Section

a close up of her cute face

And the naked, screaming baby pic

12/6/11-Add this day to my favorite days ever

Lillian Gabriela Baird was born into our family at 9:36am on 12/6/11. She weighed in at 8lb 4 oz, 20.5 inches long, and beautiful as can be. We love her, she is perfect and the most beautiful child that I have ever laid eyes on.

At 32 weeks, I asked the OBGYN doctor to see if he could tell me her position-she was in a perfect position for delivery, but she fooled us! I was going into the Doctor's Office 2x/week because I was having swelling and my blood pressure was being monitored. At about 36 weeks, my stomach was measuring big (at 40cm) and the Nurse Practitioner wanted me to get an ultrasound. Within 2 miliseconds, the tech told us that Lillian was breeched, with her head around my right rib cage (which is why it was also difficult to breath walking anywhere). She was still measuring where she should be, but we were able to schedule a C-Section at 39 weeks. I was offered the opportunity to have version, but I quickly turned that down and thought the C-Section would be the best option. After speaking with the nurse, the date was set for 12/6/11 @ 9:15, arrival at 7:15 to Martha Jefferson Hospital, Dr Matthew Montgomery would be the delivering doctor.

Everything continued to go smoothly and we were able to get everything prepared at home (to the best of our ability). 12/6/11 is one of the happiest days of our lives. She was delivered butt first and started crying as soon as they were suctioning her off. Ryan was able to watch Lillian come out and was with her the entire morning, even helping with her first bath. The first bath took awhile because her body temperature was too low and she had to sit under the lamp.

During the procedure, my blood pressure was dropping and I was throwing up...I felt extremely nauseous. I had been pumped with fluids for such an occasion, I felt like I was floating. The spinal block was painful and at one point, I thought I was going to shoot off the table with pain as the medication was put in. Ryan was dressed as a smurf and he couldn't come in until after they had started cutting me. He held my right hand behind the drape and I was situated leaning slightly to the left. Ryan asked when he could take pictures and the doctor responded as soon as she was pulled out...within minutes (it felt like seconds because I was going in and out of it), Lillian was pulled out and Ryan was leaving my side to be with her:). The anesthesiologist told me to look to my right and I could see my baby-and low and behold, there she was, looking at me...with a look of question "that's my mom?" and I was thinking "that's my baby?" She was so wide eyed and looking around and then started screaming. I was sewed up and went into the recovery room. The anesthesiologist (Dr Stadler) asked if I wanted medication to help me sleep and all I could think of was "no, I want to hold my baby and breastfeed." So, I wasn't given much of the medication and waited for Ryan to come back. He came to my side with Lillian and I tried holding her, but hadn't regained my strength. Ryan talked to me and the nurse was trying to monitor my blood pressure and body temperature which was going crazy. I again asked to hold my baby and she was placed in my arms and mouthed her way to my breast and started sucking away-knowing exactly what to do. Ryan then took Lillian to the nursery to be bathed and I went to our room and rested.

I could not stand being stuck in the bed-at 5am the next morning, I asked to my have urine catheter removed and the leg pumps that help blood circulation, so that I could stand up and take a shower. It was difficult, but with Ryan's help (and help from the nurse), it was accomplished and I felt so much better. I got up every day and walked around the floor to gain my strength back. I was not allowed to pick the baby out of her basinet by myself, so I asked Ryan to hand her to me often. She liked sleeping on my chest and sleeping in my arms. She was such a cute bundle of baby. I feel like such a happy mommy to have such a wonderful, healthy baby. She has an awesome daddy that loves to sing to her and hold her. It is nice to be home and have so much help from both our families...She has 2 sets of grandparents, a couple of uncles, and LOTS of aunts that love her and enjoy taking care of her.