Wednesday morning Caroline brought my kids and my parents to the hospital to meet Ruby. She also brought her camera so she could take some pictures. It was a bit cramped and chaotic in my room but they were all focused on Ruby so mostly I just watched the chaos unfold. The kids were in heaven and all desperate for their turn to hold her. That has pretty much defined our life now- all the kids clamoring for their chance to hold her and arguing over who had her last. I am glad they love her so.
After they left it was back to hospital life. Ruby kept having to get her heel pricked to check blood sugar levels. I guess my anxiety meds can give the side effect of low blood sugar. Poor thing had to have 3 good tests in a row but kept failing that third test so ended up with like 8 tests. It basically took all day before they deemed her blood sugar ok. There was one point I genuinely thought she might end up in the nursery because of it but thankfully everything worked out.
Also that day was spent figuring out nursing- it's been awhile. Ruby tends to just want to nurse one side and then she's done and in those first couple days she did a couple stretches of 4 hours in between which I think was part of the problem with her blood sugar. She also doesn't nurse super long. When I got home I pumped to get a better idea of what she was getting and it seems she can just nurse one side because in just 5 mins I got 2 oz per side (total of 4oz) and apparently they only need 2 oz per nursing session. It is a relief to be making more than enough colostrum/milk this time around. Steven was really the last kid that I had a good milk supply with.
Wednesday night Mariah came for a visit and brought her camera as well (and dinner for Tyler). She was so excited to meet Ruby and just gushed about her cuteness. Mariah is much more full of emotions than me. I hope she is not offended by my lack of them- especially when she has her baby. Her kiddos totally let the cat out of the bag and told us that Mariah is pregnant last week. She is 3 months along so Ruby will have a friend soon. I'm really hoping it is a girl. Mariah has been so helpful despite her own pregnancy. She made freezer meals which have really helped my mom out for dinner this past week.
The rest of our hospital visit was full of discomfort (my back has just been so achy no matter how or where I sit) and a longing for my own (non-noisy) bed. Thursday morning I finally took a shower and that was so rejuvenating. I changed out of the hospital gown and into a dress meant for nursing and I felt like a real person and so much more comfortable. All the stupid snaps on the hospital gown were getting annoying. The gown was really not that conducive to nursing.
We really wanted to leave Thursday morning but no joy. We had to get the ok from my dr and Ruby's dr and Ruby's dr did not come until after lunch. Then our nurse was a bit neglectful and did not come in with the discharge papers for a couple hours after that. I had to call down and ask when we might be able to leave for her to finally come in with them. I think I will remember that hospital as a place of endless waiting.
I was ecstatic when we finally got to leave around 4pm and I even walked from the entrance to the car instead of waiting for Tyler to come get me- I just wanted to go home! Ruby was not a fan of the car seat at first but she settled down fairly quickly. She has been pretty good as far as babies go.
Some things about being home and some TMI things... The kids love to hover around me when I have Ruby and honestly I just want space. I don't know if it is my worries about them bumping my incision or if it is the hormones or maybe both but I just want to be left alone. Often I find myself just giving one of them the baby so they will just go away. My back still aches so much and there just seems to be no relief, our slouchy couches are defintely not much help. I really wanted to see a chiropractor but according to Google they won't see me for a month after the c-section. My bowels are slowly returning to normal. I had some massive diarhea in the hospital and then nothing for almost 3 days. But at long last I had a bowel movement today (Sunday). Bleeding has been strange. I bled on and off in the hospital but have had no bleeding since Thursday. Usually I bleed for weeks so I don't know if I should be relieved or concerned. And my milk came in Friday night, swollen and uncomfortable but seems to be regulating now. My feet were super swollen but those are looking better as well. My belly still looks pregnant which my girls love to point out ("it's weird that you still look pregnant" "it looks like you're going to have another baby" "I wish you at least had someone moving in your belly still").
Since we have been home we had a doctor's visit where the whole office staff just seemed to love Miss Ruby. So far I am happy with my choice to have a family dr instead a of a pediatric dr. The office is so close and they genuinely are excited by babies. The dr was impressed with Ruby's weight. She only went down to 7lb 12oz which isn't bad at all. The only "issues" Ruby has are normal baby issues- mostly just red and white bumps on her skin as it adjusts to the real world. She also broke some blood vessels in both eyes so she has had "devil" eyes as my kids call them- poor thing.
On Friday Melissa's family came to meet Ruby and they brought pizza for lunch. Melissa just gushed over Ruby and so did her boys but Alissa wanted nothing to do with her- she is a little weary of babies apparently. I feel a bit exhausted and hormonal to properly socialize with people but I am happy to let them adore my baby. Melissa has been such a good help between cleaning my home and giving my kids rides to places, and bringing the pizza.
Saturday we were blessed to have all our kids out for most of the day.I am grateful for friends who had them over because it was a nice and relaxing day. This really has been my easiest adjustment to having a baby. I have truly had the time to recover and just enjoy her. She's up quite a bit at night but I have been able to stay in bed late in the mornings and take a nap in the afternoons so that I don't feel unbearably sleep deprived.
Saturday evening Ashlee brought over flowers which was so nice of her. I now have 2 beautiful bouquets since my parents gave me one as well.
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