Liam's birth story

I haven't really blogged since starting a family. But since I told George's birth story, let's go for Liam's, as well.

It was another very uneventful pregnancy. We did adjust the "due date" early on after two early ultrasounds that showed him as measuring 6-7 days ahead of our guess on dates. There's so little size variation that early that it just made sense. So instead of guessing March 20, we were guessing March 14. (It was probably about January that we scheduled the date of the C-section for March 5.)

We didn't settle on a name for Liam until the day he was born, though we did discuss a few. Throughout the pregnancy, he was just "baby brother," though Josh was regularly referring to him as "Erik." (I don't object to the name; I just wasn't sure yet.) We got George a doll for Christmas to help him prepare a little. While it's never been his favorite toy, he does love his doll.

Liam's movements during the pregnancy were very different from George's. He was a squirmer rather than a kicker, and sometimes that resulted in nausea for me. He was also far more likely to waken me during the night. But even though I definitely dealt with more nausea and stronger gag reflex as a whole than I did with George, I still didn't really have "morning sickness." Also, he was in a transverse lie position throughout the pregnancy (I could always tell that his head was toward my right side), which made it far more comfortable for me to continue functioning, including walking and interacting with George. On the other hand, it means that delivery probably would have been by C-section regardless of who the woman was.

I didn't make it in for blood work the day before this time. The doctor suggested that there would be plenty of time the morning of, so that's what we planned on. Unfortunately, they did not call a phlebotomist to draw blood or let anesthesia place the IV. The nurse struggled, and I definitely ended up with a bruised arm this time. Ugh!!! Also, I think I did have an occasional contraction in the weeks before he was born, but I was definitely having contractions that morning as they were prepping me for surgery. He probably wouldn't have stayed put any longer.

The discussions with anesthesia were more interesting this time--or at least we were more informed. They had their notes from last time, and they could see the tiny scar where the needle had gone in. What we learned, though, is that they actually went in from the side, at an angle. (Because my spine is fused and there's a lot of calcification, they had to find just the right spot for a spinal block.) This time, I feel like they got in much more quickly, even though I'm pretty sure it took just as long for me to get numb afterward.

Overall, I felt like the surgery itself was more uncomfortable than with George. I got through, though. I was once again pleased (as was Josh) to hear a good, strong cry from my baby. From the beginning, his cry was different from George's. He has always been a very particular baby and wants things to be done his way. And while he is generally very happy, he'll definitely let you know if things aren't going his way.

As with George, it was very helpful to me to have Josh holding Liam beside me as they finished putting me back together. It gave me something else to focus on, as I spoke gently to my baby and stroked his head. Josh and I had discussed names a little more about a week or so before he was born, and I told him that I still wasn't sure on a first name. By then, I had decided that I wanted "Werner" as his middle name, but I wasn't sure whether I wanted Erik or Liam. I needed to see him first. I think we were in the recovery room before Josh said to me, "It's Liam, isn't it?" (For background, Werner is my maternal grandfather. He really loves knowing that Liam is named for him! And I didn't want to use the name "William," because I don't care much for "Will" and even less for "Bill." But my maternal grandmother's line has many William's, including her grandfather, as well as her uncle Billy, who is the one who loaned her the money to come to the U.S. Using "Liam" was to honor her, as well.) Yes, he is definitely Liam.

As they transferred me to the bed to wheel me to the recovery room, I could see Liam rooting already as Josh was holding him. Once I was settled, I was able to hold him, as they wheeled me into recovery. Once there, the nurse suggested just doing skin to skin, since babies will often latch on to nurse naturally.  A moment later she turned around and commented, "Whoa!" He was born knowing what to do and was a great nurser. Our only trouble, really, was when my milk came in and his mouth was just too small.

I made it clear this time that I didn't want any oral narcotics at all--only the ibuprofen and Tylenol, alternated. And to be honest, I feel like my recovery was significantly easier this time around. I actually was not very consistent with pain meds after coming home; after George was born, we could keep things within my reach. After Liam was born, that wasn't an option, because that would have meant George could reach them, too. But I did fine. I don't think I took Tylenol at all after leaving the hospital, and ibuprofen only when I remembered I hadn't had it in a while.

It was particularly special to be able to introduce George to his baby brother. He was more interested in all the machines in the hospital room, though. I'm very grateful to my mom and Christine for being here and staying with George during this time, and bringing him back and forth--and helping afterward. I once again spent only 3 days in the hospital. I feel like the nurses tried to make a bigger point of allowing me to rest/sleep this time, but it's still so much easier to sleep at home! I'm also super grateful to Josh for all he did and has continued to do. It's been a fun but rather eventful year. But I did feel the need to get down his birth story, finally. :)