The Hospital Stay

It's Ashley again! I'm back to blogging! Thank you SO much for all the well wishes and comments we've gotten. I feel so loved! Our new baby Natalie is so beautiful and we are so thankful that she came into the world safely. Here she is, sleeping so peacefully at the hospital after 24 hours of life:

Stephen did an awesome job on the hospital posts, but of course there are plenty of other details I'd like to share:

*The induction really did seem to take a long time! When they started the Pitocin, I expected labor to start really quickly and thought I'd be feeling those contractions soon. But we waited and waited! Natalie must have really liked being inside me, because she sure didn't want to come out in a hurry!

*My experience with the IV was a million times better than last time. When I got induced with Kirsten, my IV kicked out while I was pushing. They didn't know why, but it just stopped working. So they had to take it out and figure out a new place to put it while I was in the middle of labor! They stuck me so many times, and ended up putting it inside my elbow, so I couldn't bend my arm. I should have taken a picture of what my arm looked like when they finally took everything out. It was covered in dark purple bruises and painful for quite awhile! This time, the IV went in the back of my left hand, kept working the whole time, and I don't even have a bruise from it now. Thank goodness!

*I couldn't believe how fast she came out, once they figured out how close her head was. The nurse had to get everyone in the room fast, and I seriously pushed once and out she came. Wow, it was amazing! And I had my beautiful new baby girl in my arms so quickly. It was wonderful!

*Also wonderful. . . the epidural. I love epidurals.

*My recovery so far has been also a million times better than it was with Kirsten. When I had Kirsten, I lost a lot of blood and was very weak and anemic for quite a long time. I had to stay an extra day in the hospital, and had to stay hooked up to the IV for a really long time. This time, the IV and all my tubes and wires came unhooked so fast! It made a world of difference!

*I had a couple of great friends who came and visited me in the hospital and brought me flowers and gifts. Thank you so much! It was great to feel so loved!

*Hospital food is pretty disgusting. A step up from airplane food, but a small step. I got really hungry while we were waiting for the Pitocin to start working, so the pizza we ordered after the labor was over and done with tasted really great!

*Natalie is so strong and healthy. She got 9's for her Apgar scores and really has a strong head and neck. She didn't cry much at all after she was born, and she also didn't seem to mind most of the poking, prodding, and tests she had to endure. She was so cooperative and mellow about it all! She didn't even cry during her first bath the nurse gave her in the hospital.
*Dr. Nicolov delivered her and of course did a great job!
*In the hospital, she slept and slept and slept. I wish I could say the same for me. I just can't ever get any good sleep in a hospital bed. But Natalie got all wrapped up and snoozed away in that funny little clear bucket bed.
*My mom brought Kirsten to the room to see me and her new sister on Sunday. They didn't stay very long because Kirsten seemed a little nervous about everything, but she was pretty interested in all the pills and stuff next to my bed. I loved getting a hug from her! She didn't really want to touch the baby or anything, and since she was asleep the whole time I don't think she really knew what it was all about.
*Stephen is a great Daddy! He seriously is a natural with babies.
*Grandma loved being able to meet her second granddaughter!
*I was so happy when we got to check out of the hospital and head home, in the early afternoon on Monday the 20'th. I was looking forward to being at home and being able to sleep in my own bed. Natalie looks so cute and tiny in her infant carseat.

Goodbye, hospital!

*Overall, it was a really good labor and delivery experience and of course it's so very worth it!