This month was a fun one. We started out with a few photoshoots and just getting ready for the baby. We had 3 weeks in a row where we went to Labor and Delivery and were sent home. First was for leaking fluid (guess I just peed my pants...awkward), 2nd was high blood pressure (but it went down and all other tests came back clear), and 3rd was for contractions (I was told to come in if they were 6-8 min apart, but they weren't doing any dilating). I finally accepted the fact I was going to go to 38 weeks to my c-section date.
I was scheduled to go in at 3:00. We dropped the girls off at a friends and went in. We sat around having the baby monitored and some fluid started. My surgery was supposed to be at 5 but the nurses said there was a large emergency in the ER and that it would be pushed back. We listened to 3 women in other rooms give birth. Later we found out that the anesthesiologist was held up in the ER and the women had to give birth with no epidural. It didn't sound too fun. 9:00 rolled around and I was wheeled down to the operating room. It goes pretty fast from there. Lots of nurses and doctors, spinal tap went well, my mom got to come in all dressed in scrubs and just hold my hand. Then my doctor came and and started the procedure. Lots of pulling, pushing, sucking, and burning smell. The baby was so big and low they had to cut my incision a little larger and even had to ask for some extra assistance pulling her out. Pretty soon I could hear a little crying and Olivia Mayln Jackson was brought to me all messy in a blanket. She was just beautiful and looked a lot like Kamille. The next few hours I was sewn up and moved to recovery. It went so smoothly and everything was just great.

The first night I didn't get much sleep. Every few hours the nurses come in and do a belly rub to help the uterus contract and move down. The computer system went down for 2 hours and my spinal was wearing off so I couldn't get any pain medication. It was pretty painful and there was a lot of crying involved. The nurses felt terrible and I knew it had to be done....but OUCH! I happened to be bleeding more then they wanted so they had to do over 4 belly rubs an hour. I even got out of bed and stood up on my own only 4 hours after surgery so they could redo my all my bloody bedding. After the system turned back on, I was approved for some medication and they let me sleep for a bit. At 6:00 that morning, they had me up and walking the hall for the first time. I got a sponge bath and felt much cleaner. That morning Kamille and Lillian got to come in and meet Olivia. They loved her and just wanted to hold her all by themselves. The first day was spent just healing, walking halls, eating yummy hospital food (seriously Trinity in Minot has the best cafeteria), and "trying" to breastfeed. Later that evening Devin's family came to meet her. We had to start her on some formula because she wasn't getting any nutrition and was starting to look like she was getting jaundice.

The next day went pretty fast. I was able to get my catheter out and take a real shower. Next my IV came out and I was ready for discharge. Now I'm home moving pretty slow and enjoying all the little things. Everyday I'm moving around better and trying to remember to take my pain meds on time. The girls love their sister and they "help" me as much as possible. Devin goes back to work on Tuesday and so the real test starts then. I'm excited to get into a routine and watch my girls grow. 6 weeks of recovery and I should be able to drive and vacuum and be back at normal life.

God be with you until we meet again,
Kaylynn Jackson