Welcome Camille

March 06, 2012

Labor and Delivery

For all of you that have been asking how things went...

I had my other 3 babies at a different hospital, so Denis and I were headed into a new place to have our 4th. This only added to the anxiety I was already having. I cried on our 5 minute ride to the hospital because I was scared about how this little critter was going to get OUT! Of course I was excited too. I think it was such a mixture of emotions that I didn't know what to do. Denis was just a little worried, because that's very unlike me. I was also mad at him because I had this plan in my head where he would drop me off at the door and then I'd wait inside for him to come with my luggage. Instead he parked at the back of the lot and we walked in together. I was about to be injected with poison and forced to have a baby. He MADE me walk across the parking lot. N E R V Y if you ask me.

The rest...

Settled in and waiting for contractions to pick up so we could have a baby!

Once I got my IV, penicillin (for an infection), and pitocin (my doc laughed when I called it poison) I started editing pictures on my laptop. My doctor laughed, but what else was I supposed to do? They started my pitocin at a VERY low dose because my labor with my 3rd baby only lasted 2 hours from the start of the pitocin. The doctor wanted to have time to get in my antibiotics before I had the baby. This was excellent for several reasons. My other 3 babies ended up dropping their heart rate (I believe because the pitocin was too strong too fast). This never happened with Camille. It's because they gave me such a low dose and took things slower. This also gave me time to adjust to the stronger contractions.

While I was adjusting to stronger contractions and editing pictures Denis was playing on his phone. He was pretty aggravated that he couldn't get netflix to work over the hospital wifi.

The contractions have definitely picked up! No more editing pictures for me! About 5 minutes after Denis took this picture I was thinking I needed an epidural. However, I was really wanting to have this baby without one. It would be my first time with no epidural. The nurse checked and I was 7 cm. Then I received a text from my labor and delivery nurse friend from Baton Rouge asking if I was going to go without an epidural. I told her I wanted to, but wasn't sure I could. She said, "If I was there I'd talk you through it." I relayed this to Denis, and my nurse overheard. I think because of that comment my nurse took on the challenge. She didn't seem to think it'd take long to get to 10 from here, so she convinced and supported me, so I could hold out on the epidural. She sure was great!

It seemed like it took F O R E V E R to get to 10 cm from here. I was really regretting the no epidural decision about 30 minutes later. When I said I really wanted one they ALL said it was too late! Arrrrrrgh! When it was time to push I said, "wait a second, this is baby number 4, isn't it supposed to just fall out?" Of course the doctor laughed at that one, but I was SERIOUS! Push? Are you CRAZY?!! 5 minutes later we met our sweet baby Camille.

My first thought was, "what's wrong with her?" I know that sounds horrible, but she doesn't look like my other babies! My first thought should have been, "yay, I have one that favors my side of the family!" I just couldn't get past the fact that she was different. It never crossed my mind that she wouldn't look like the rest of the crew.

Denis' first thought was, "wow, she's big!" He thought she was the biggest baby we had. It turns out she definitely was not our biggest baby. I think it's her chubby little cheeks that make her look so big. I can't seem to take a photo that shows how small she is. She really is a newborn, I promise - she isn't 4 months old yet (my sister said she looks that big).

I am glad I made it with no epidural and no pain medicine! However, I'm sure glad that wasn't my first baby and I don't know if I'll do it again without. I think I'm still a little traumatized by the whole thing. It was definitely nice to NOT have to wait for an epidural to wear off. I was able to get up, change and get comfortable right away. Motrin is the only pain medicine I needed to get through and they took and hour and a half to bring me that.

Denis doing the wonderful daddy thing that he does. It only takes him about 3 seconds to calm down a newborn. He is AWESOME!

These 2 were so excited to meet our baby. Paul said, "Camille, when you get big I'm going to teach you to play geo trax and then a game."

While Paul was adoring his new baby he was also checking out my IV. He HAD to know what that was and if it hurt.

Charlie kept saying, "my baby, my baby, my baby" She couldn't stand it when the nurse came in to check Camille's vital signs.

Riley got checked out of school a little early by her Nanny Jaime so she could come meet Camille. Nanny had strict orders to go home and bathe Riley before they came to the hospital. When Nanny went to dry Riley's hair they discovered that the hair dryer was at the hospital with me. Oops, sorry Riley (especially since it was cold that day). Riley sure didn't care. She was in awe, and still is, of our sweet Camille.

Camille came out of the womb as my best eater yet! I think this blister on her hand is the reason. She did this to herself in utero!

Pops having trouble with his camera and getting pretty frustrated. Welcome to the family of cameras Camille!

Hospital

Thank you mom and dad for the beautiful flowers. All of the staff loved how wonderful my room smelled.

I was able to go home the day after having Charlie, but I said I wasn't going to do that this time. I ended up on my hands and knees cleaning my kitchen floor the day after I had Charlie. There were crumbs all over. No one else cleaned them up, so I did.

We were able to go home 26 hours after Camille was born. I felt better than when I was pregnant and Camille was healthy so the doctors didn't give us any trouble about it. However, Denis had to go to work for a couple of hours on Wednesday and wouldn't be able to pick me up before noon if they discharged me. I was just a little panicked that I might be discharged and not have a ride home. I know they would have let me stay in the room, but it was the idea of it that upset me so much. So, we came home after only one night in the hospital. I did not pick up crumbs that day, however I did spend the next morning alone with Paul, Charlie, and Camille. They were all wonderful and the only thing I had to do was fix sandwiches for lunch. I sure have some excellent kiddos!

This was Camille's spot by the window on day 3 of her life. She was looking a little yellow because my milk wasn't fully in. I REFUSED to end up back at the hospital with her.

Don't worry, I wasn't letting my baby cry while I took her picture. This is a yawn.

Nanny Jaime and Charlie Jane are being super helpers! This is not how I'd normally take this shot, but we'd already worn Camille out with a different blanket and pose. At this point she just wanted to be held so Nanny held her and Charlie held the blanket up for us.

Check out this crinkled ear! She sure was smushed in there. They are slowly starting to straighten out.

My attempt to show how small she really is. Did it work?

Finally! All 4 kids together! I was home alone with the kids on Sunday when we took this photo. I knew Riley was going back to school the next day and we would be limited on time to take pictures with her and Camille. I started out with just Riley and Camille but really wanted all 4 kids. Charlie and Paul did NOT want to take pictures. Once Charlie saw Riley in her dress she had to go put hers on too. I told her that if she wanted to wear it she had to take pictures. She was only cooperative for about 3 pictures. So then I bribed her with chocolate. When Paul heard this he said he wanted to change and be in some pictures so he could earn chocolate too. Miraculously, I ended up with all 4 kids in one spot. Charlie still wasn't very cooperative, but we managed to get this one with all 4. Aren't they adorable?

Wide awake (rarely)!

Does this show how tiny I am?

I saw this idea on pinterest. I am going to try to keep it up for her whole first year. We shall see.

newborn

Camille meeting her Mam-Maw Kitty; great grandmother; for the first time.

Mam-Maw Kitty

Mae Mae, Pa Pa, and Camille with spiked hair.

Camille meeting her MaMa Henrietta, great grandmother; for the first time. I am so glad Aunt Robin was able to bring MaMa to mom and dad's on Monday. Now MaMa is back in the hospital for the second time this week.