Levi's delivery and my hospital stay....

I have been wanting to blog about Levi's birth and my hospital stay for awhile....

I want to remember and know if I don't document it, I won't.

Nothing out of the ordinary happened during the birth, but it was still special and we were so excited to meet our little man.

Levi's delivery was a scheduled C-section scheduled for Tuesday, August 7th.

Scott and I had to be at the hospital in Amory (about 40 minutes away from our house) by 8 am, so my mom (Gigi) spent that Monday night at our house to help us out. Mom took both boys to their first day of mother's day out for this year on Tuesday morning. 

Originally, the C-section was scheduled for 12pm, but since we were there by 8, ready and waiting,

our doctor was able to do the C-section a little early.

Prior to surgery, the pre-op went very well.

I was most nervous about getting another spinal, even though I had one with Walter and knew that one wasn't bad at all. I did get the spinal and aside from the nausea and sweating, it was successful.

The actual C-section seemed like it took a little longer than my first two, maybe it was the anticipation, but maybe it really did take longer....I'm not sure.

I just knew I could feel pushing on my left side (I thought they'd break my ribs before it was over & apparently so did Scott) and pulling in my abdomen area. Nothing really hurt, it just took my breath away each time the nurse would push on my left side and I knew it was hard pushes.

During the surgery (and prior to Levi making his appearance), Dr. Otey said he could see Levi and he thought he had so much hair we might could braid it:) 

Moments later, I heard someone say "He's out". I didn't hear any crying and so I began asking why he wasn't crying; I was a little concerned because I knew Walt needed oxygen soon after he was born...although I didn't know it until a few days later (thanks Scott for keeping me calm:) ). Scott and some of the nurses or staff started chuckling at me....and then Levi started crying....

And then my tears began to flow....

And Levi didn't stop crying:) 

(And he kept crying until after they took him out and got him cleaned up a bit according to Scott)

Scott and the nurse brought Levi over to me and we had the anesthesiologist take our picture. 

I remember thinking about how much I already loved him and how blessed we were to have 3 healthy boys!!!

I feel like my 3rd C-section was a little harder on me than I expected in some ways.

I began to hurt a lot sooner than I did my first 2 sections. I think that may have been due to the fact, I didn't get my medicine for about 2 hours after the surgery because Dr. Otey immediately went into another surgery after Levi was born. I didn't have orders for pain meds until he finished. 

The first time I tried standing and walking was very hard for me; I felt lightheaded and my abdomen area hurt so much worse than I remembered it hurting before. 

But on my second try, I stood and was able to walk to the restroom.

Tuesday afternoon, my mom came to the hospital to meet Levi and brought Blaine and Walt too:)

They loved Levi!! And wanted to hold him a lot.

We had a ton of visitors--I love visitors:)

Scott and I feel extremely blessed to have all the help with the boys and having my mom and Aunt Wanda stay at the hospital with me the nights Scott did not.
The few days after Levi was born were in some ways eventful, as Walter was sick and ended up being diagnosed with strep throat.  We are so grateful for Gigi and Jodi for helping get Walt to see Dr. Buckle. Scott also needed to go into work for a few meetings and close out some things since it was close to the first of the month. We thought aside from the first night, it would be best for Blaine and Walt if Scott was home at night with them to keep things close to normal for them.
So Monday night (night before we went in), my mom stayed the night with us and got up Tuesday morning to take the boys to "school" (Mother's Day Out) while Scott and I headed to Amory.
Tuesday afternoon my mom brought the boys to the hospital so she and the boys could meet Levi; then mom spent the night with the boys at our house and Scott stayed with me.
The following day, Jodi babysat Blaine and Walt while Scott went to work and my mom came to the hospital to be with me and Levi. And that night my mom stayed at the hospital with me while Scott stayed home with the boys. Thursday was the day Walt had his appointment because he had not been feeling well....and let me tell you trying to get that scheduled was stressful for me since I was in the hospital...but our pediatricians are amazing and came by my hospital room at 8 pm when they were making hospital rounds where I was able to tell Dr. Sheffield about Walt.  She told us to have Walt to their office the next morning by 9. So, Jodi drove both older boys over to dr office and my mom meet them there because Scott had a few work meetings he could not miss.
Thursday night my Aunt Wanda was able to stay at the hospital with me and I really enjoyed visiting with her. Then Friday morning Pops and Grammy (my dad and Charlotte) kept the older boys until Scott and I brought Levi home:)
We are so blessed to have so much help and so many others offer to help!!