One of my favorite little boys in the world (other than my own!) asked his momma the other day "When's Amy gonna kick that baby out?" Haahaa! He summed it up perfectly...the date is set & Mason, you don't have to wait much longer. (He also wanted the baby to be named David, after him...even though David isn't anywhere in Mason's name. He's a hoot!)
I have one more OB appointment...which seems impossible. And even though my body is stretched & poked and filled in every spot, it seems unreal that I'll be going to the hospital in a week to get a baby.
Next Thursday will be my fifth c-section. Macy, the first, was breech and even though we discussed the techniques for turning her, it still seemed safer to deliver her c-section. I was going to have to do it in the OR with an epidural & it just made sense to me to go ahead & deliver instead of taking chances. Next came Jack, & we weighed our options of repeat c-section or VBAC. I honestly didn't research it much nor did I trust myself to be able to do it and so we went repeat. I do not blame my doctor one bit-he would have supported any decision we made. But, that set the stage-by Lily I had so much scar tissue that the threat of rupture was too much & I have since had to have a c-section with all of them. There are benefits to a c-section, like knowing the HOUR I'm going to have my baby (helps with planning for the rest for the rest of the kids) and something else I'm sure. The recovery process each time has been easier and easier (if you are looking at a repeat, I promise each one is better). But, as I think about this next delivery, I can't help but feel a little cheated. I've never got to hold my baby, all slimy & new, fresh out of the womb. I've never nursed him or her right away & gotten to experience that skin-to-skin contact. I've not felt or watched the baby being born. Our hospital does what it can to bridge the gap between a vaginal birth and c-section-I know I'm fortunate that they bring the baby to me in recovery-but it's still lacking.
I am so excited for this baby and as a friend has sweetly coached me-"this is how God meant for your babies to get here" so it's perfect for us. I can't wait to listen for that first cry, to call to my husband in the OR "Is he perfect?!? Who does he look like??" and for him to bring that beautiful little bundle to me to kiss. I know that as soon as I get him in recovery I'm going to strip him down to nothing & put that tiny little body close to mine & bond.
I just want to encourage anyone out there to try a VBAC if at all possible-trust your body & go for it! Don't miss out on the little things of the most important day(s) of your life! There's also more risks after 3 c-sections in subsequent pregnancies to deal with that you need to really look into-we didn't know that we would have 5 kids when we were on baby #2, so I totally glossed that part over. Don't assume that you're "done" because you never know how you'll feel in a couple years!!
Happy baby day...it's coming!!!
