Ellise

Wow its been forever since I posted last!  So I guess I'll start with Elise.

On November 22, 2010, I woke up with contractions that were very painful around 3:00 am.  Around 7 or so we all headed to Labor and Delivery at St. Mary's Hospital.  Luckily being 2 blocks away makes for a quick trip.  :)  After monitoring me for an hour the nurse came in and said, "Well you are having contractions."  (I love how nurses never believe you and then come and tell you exactly what you have already told them...)  Since according to 1 of my ultrasounds I was due December 9, (although other ultrasounds all pointed to being due November 28, the doc had to go by the December due date just in case).  They decided to go ahead with a c-section even though she would be presumably 3 weeks early. 

For those of you who have never had a c-section I will tell you my story...  First they put an IV in each arm.  Yes that is two IV's.  They take you into a surgical room and have you straddle the bed and lean into as much of a ball as you can.  They have you arch your back like a mad cat.  This is when you get your spinal or epidural.  I got a spinal.  They first gave me a numbing shot prior to the spinal.  And thought the spinal doesn't sting like a shot. It hurts with an odd pressure.  But once its in your whole body goes lax.  In fact, this last time I couldn't talk.  It felt so weird.  My blood pressure dropped and I got sick to my stomach and felt out of body like.  The anesthesiologist told me this was normal.  Then after strapping down my arms and blocking my vision of my lower half they began the surgery and had Paul come in.

At 12:12 pm on November 22, 2010 Elise Christine Roberts was born weighing in at exactly 8 pounds and she was 19 inches.  She screamed and screamed and wouldn't stop till she was right by my face and I was talking to her.  And then she returned to screaming and continued for the entire time she was being cleaned, checked, and observed in the nursery. 

She had swallowed some amniotic fluid so she was monitored for a couple hours before I could have her in my room with me.  I had an emotional yelling spree at the nurses after one of them ignored my breastfeeding request and gave Elise a bottle without my permission.

My hospital stay was much like a vacation.  I love the quiet and naps whenever I felt like.  Room service with any kind of food I wanted.  It was fabulous.  Recovery from this c-section was the easiest yet.  Could have been because this pregnancy had been the most difficult for me.  We were released on Thanksgiving.  On this day Elise weighed in at 7 lbs and 2 ounces. 

At her 2 week check up she weighed 8 lbs and 11 1/2 ounces, and she was 20 inches tall.

Until next time.....