Miss Maggie Lynn

Maggie Lynn Christensen
January 31, 2012 9:55am
7lbs 11oz 20 inches


Initially I had hoped to do a VBAC delivery. I wanted to experience the excitement of labor and pushing. After Cooper was born I had been so drugged up last minute for the emergency C-section that I passed out before I even left the operating room and I didn't wake up enough to see and hold Cooper for almost four hours. It was hard, and every time I watched any kind of birth on TV I felt a little gypped that I had missed out on the experience of holding your brand new baby in those first couple of minutes. Although I felt pretty sure I wanted to try for a VBAC, when the doctor was explaining the risks and the pros and cons of both options I felt very nervous and my gut was telling me to just plan for a C-section. After talking it over with Kevin I really felt that for us it was better to do a planned C-section. Making plans for the baby's arrival was awesome, we knew when to have help come in and we were able to get the nursery and house all cleaned and ready. We woke up at 4:00 Tuesday morning and got all ready to go to the hospital. I was excited because knowing that my baby would be here within hours and I wouldn't have to go through all the pushing, exhaustion, tears and sweat I was thinking I could still look pretty good for pictures of me and my new baby. I made sure my hair and make up was looking nice!
Once we got to the hospital things were moving quickly, we arrived at 5:00am and at 6:30 they told us everything was ready for us to go into the OR at 7:00. Just as planned! At 7:00 they brought Kevin some scrubs and brought a hair cover for me and we were ready to go. Just after 7:00 Dr. Newton came and told us an emergency C-section had come up and we could either wait until 12:30 for him to do it after he finished clinic, or we could have another doctor deliver at 9:00. I was starving so I chose the 9:00! While we waited I napped for an hour while Kevin went and got some breakfast and then we watched The Office episodes where Jim and Pam have their baby. We went in to the OR right around 9:00. The spinal block was dreamy. I was alert and talking to Kevin and the anesthesiologists the whole procedure, I felt no pain or pressure and everyone was calm, it was quite pleasant! At 9:55 I heard my little girl crying and yelling, they quickly wrapped her up and gave her to Kevin, I wanted to rub her dark brown hair and touch her squishy little cheeks but my arms were tied down. She was so cute and so little! They took her to the nursery and a few minutes later I heard someone say she was eleven. Eleven pounds!! I was shocked, then they told me she was 7 pounds eleven and I felt happier. Nothing against eleven pound babies but I think it is fun to have a tiny little bundle for the first few weeks.
After they wheeled me into recovery I asked when I could see my baby. They told me they had her in the nursery and would bring her to me when I got out of recovery, but I couldn't leave recovery until I could bend my legs and lift my bum off the bed. I was so frustrated and so emotional. I worked really hard to move and around 12:00 I could move enough so I asked to see my baby, but they needed to get me ready to move into my new room and that took for ever. Once in my new room I thought they would bring the baby in but it wasn't until 1:30 that I got to hold her. For me that was the hardest part. I didn't understand why they had to keep her in the nursery so long and when I was crying because I hadn't been able to see her the nurse told me it was normal to be emotional, it was a side effect of the morphine, but it wasn't, it was a side effect from the hospital not letting me have my baby. Kevin had to get pretty stern with the nurse and after that they brought me my little girl.
So much for looking nice and fresh for my first picture with my baby, at this point I had been crying and had thrown up 5-6 times... oh well!

Looking back even though I still didn't get to see my baby for a few hours I am still so glad that I chose to do a planned C-section. Everything was smooth and safe and when I remember the stress of the emergency C-section with Cooper and how scary it was I feel so grateful for the pleasant and calm delivery of Maggie!
We had a few friends stop by and bring us some food and smoothies which was awesome and Kate and Cooper came and visited for 3 hours, it was so nice, I really missed being away from Cooper and he was so cute with her. At first when he saw me in the bed with her he was very hesitant and didn't want to sit with either of us but he warmed up and has been so sweet to her. He loves to give her kisses. In the hospital we snapped a picture of him kissing him and afterwards there was some chewed up chips left behind on her head!



The hospital stay is always tough for me. The first night people were in to check on Maggie and me every two hours. Then they were waxing the floors and being so loud in the hallway I felt like we got no sleep! The second night was much better though, and I was able to leave Thursday at 1:00.

It is so nice to be home, Maggie is a champion eater and I haven't had to supplement with formula at all. Nursing was such a challenge for me with Cooper so I am very grateful that it is going so well now. Maggie is a very, very mellow baby and she hardly ever cries, when she does it is in short bursts and she calms down quickly. She sleeps great and at night she usually sleeps in 3-4 hour stretches so we are all feeling very well rested. My mom was here to help with Cooper the first week and my mother in law is here now. I don't need help with Maggie but it is wonderful to have grandmas to give Cooper attention and to entertain him. He has been very hyper and loud this week, he has adjusted better than I expected but I feel a little bad that I can't give him all the attention that I used to, but i know he and Maggie will have so much fun together soon enough! I love my babies!!