After Labour and Delivery

Shortly after Grayson was born, he was checked out and the doctors noticed he was breathing funny and had a temperature. So he had to be checked by the NICU team (some of the scariest moments of my life). Turns out, the temperature was just from him being skin to skin with me (he's just like his mama...overheats easily). And the funny breathing was nothing to be concerned about, but they did do blood tests to be on the safe side.

I had a second degree tear which had to be stitched up and left me extremely uncomfortable. Once I was stitched up and my mom, aunt, and uncle all had a chance to snuggle with Grayson, my aunt and uncle went on a mission to get me McDonald's breakfast (the night before I said I hoped the baby would come in time for me to have McD's breakfast...so they took this mission very seriously).

The hospital wastes no time in moving you from the labour and delivery unit to the mom and baby unit. Getting up after delivery and being stitched was terrible. Not to mention I felt funny from the epidural (but my nurses were all great and helped me tremendously).

I spent one night in hospital and was able to go home the next day. I tried to take in and enjoy every moment of this experience, even just being in the hospital because it's an experience I've wanted my entire life. Growing up I watched shows like Baby Story on TLC and couldn't wait to have the experience. As I got older, I stopped watching the show because it would make me so upset...the jealousy and envy and sometimes even hate I felt wasn't worth it. Unless you are infertile, you will never understand how painful a show like that is to watch.

I believe the second night I was home was when I realized I had a fever. I wasn't feeling well at all. I was tired, my body was not only sore from the delivery but now from the fever as well, my breasts were very tender and I had sweats and chills. The next day my fever wasn't getting any better and I went to the doctor and was given antibiotics. It took a few days for the antibiotics to kick in but when they did, I felt so much better.

I look back on my labour and delivery experience and I can't believe I did it on my own (yes, I had an amazing support team, but I mean on my own in the sense of being a single mom). I wouldn't trade any of it and I wouldn't change any of it. God has shown me through this just how strong I am. Don't get me wrong, I hit rock bottom for about a month. I felt like an empty shell of myself. I didn't know what to do and I was losing so much weight (my OB was so good at reassuring me that the baby would be fine and he would take what he needed from me...it was me they were worried about). But through it all, God was by my side and God made sure I had the support I needed from my friends and family. They picked up the pieces and they built me back up.

And here I am today...happy! I haven't felt this happy in a very long time. I'm the proud mama of two amazing little boys and I can't wait to see where this life takes us.