The Harwick Hubabaloo

Life With Brody

As of today, Brody is ONE week old, and while our lives have changes significantly, I can also say they have stayed the same.  We still have to dress, feed, play with and love the girls, but now we also have to make time for a baby!

I had forgotten how tiring it is to have a newborn and how much time it takes to care for one. Brody is for the most part a very happy, content baby however, he still requires night time feedings and diaper changes.. and even if he does/did sleep in between them, I had forgotten about the fears of things that "happen in the night" that wakes you up to watch the rise and fall of that precious chest. So, at this point, sleep is at a premium at this house.

My Mom came to town the day after Brody was born and has been a huge help.  She has cooked, cleaned, held Brody while I take a shower, dressed and bathed the girls, shopped, etc, etc, etc. Thanks Mom! -

Now, to deal with the impending move! -- So much to do, so little time to do it! I am packing my scrap stuff myself and selfishly making Aaron drag most of it across the country in his truck... I don't trust the movers! So, off to make some progress!

It All Happened at the Hospital

Four days of rest and recovery at the hospital for me...... not really.

I had been looking forward to my stay in the hospital following the delivery of Brody.. no screaming girls, no cleaning, no cooking, no fighting, just quiet time with my new son, some rest, good drugs and helpful nurses,; at least this was my experience with the last three in VA.

Unfortunately, here in the land of fruits and nuts, things are different!

First of all, they really want you to keep the baby in the room with you at all times. The nursery in the hospital was really small and if it was "full" your baby went on a "waiting list" to go in. This ment, no uninterrupted rest periods for me, as even if he went to sleep I was constantly checking on him.

Secondly, not all nurses are created equal.... the nurses on some shifts harrassed me nonstop with vital sign checks, incision checks, medication and company, while others ignored me. I had one nurse who gave me a disapproving glance when she offered me pain meds, daring me to accept and then insisted on inspecting my nipples and watching the baby latch on to help me with my breatfeeding; despite my telling her this was my fourth baby and I think I had it down pat. 

On the third day we found out Brody had some jaudince and it was their suggestion we do some phototherapy to ensure we could take him home the next day.  So they suited him up with some cheap sunglasses and into the tanning bed he went.......... This was pretty upsetting, as we wanted to continue to cuddle and hold our little guy, but more upsetting was that they wanted me to pump and to finger feed or bottle feed him so he could stay under the lights. The first trial was a huge failure, so despite the Nazi nurse's opinion, I took him out to feed him anyway. Much happier!

However, he kept pulling the sunglasses down over his face, covering his nose, which ment even less rest and more checking. Fun, fun! The good news was that the therapy worked and the next day the bilirubin count went down and he was safe to come home with us! - 

Here he is, ready to go!!!! -

Welcome Brody!

Even the best laid plans are ment to be broken. After much deliberation with my OBGYN, Dr Mitchell,  regarding possible dates; we scheduled the delivery of Harwick baby #4 for August 16th, 2006.

Unfortunately, baby Harwick had other plans! - It all began late on August 11. I had not been feeling well all day and felt progressively worse as the day went on. Around 3:30am I felt the first and least painful of the contractions, a slow painful cramp in the lower part of my abdomen. I called the Dr. who suggested I could "hang out" and labor until I felt like going to the hospital... what? Labor? I didn't want to labor! - I had planned a C-section, and that is what I wanted!

Around 4:00am I decided it was time to go. We enlisted the help of some friends (thanks Paul and Autumn!) to watch the girls and left for the hospital. We checked in around 4:30am where we were escorted to a labor room. The contractions were getting worse and I was increasingly more uncomfortable. At around 5:30am they informed us that they did not have the consent paperwork for the tubal ligation, did we have a copy with us? - Ummm... no.... I turned it in at the Dr's office over a month ago... I was really thinking this was some kind of cruel joke. Aaron and I deliberated our options and decided that rather than wait for someone to retrieve the paperwork, he would make the dreaded appointment for a vasectomy.

Timing was ticking away and the contractions were getting worse, which I failed to think was funny because this was exactly what I was trying to avoid! - At 6:30 the nurse came in and said we were ready to go and the Dr agreed to perform the tubal with some additional paperwork. Time was ticking... we waited and waited and waited..... I was growing more impatient and uncomfortable as the time passed. Finally, they came and rolled me down the hallway to the OR.

Aaron, suited up in his hospital issued Biohazard suit, booties and hair net waited outside while they prepared the room, and get this, completed a staff change!!! - Wow, these people were in NO hurry to relieve me of my pain and suffering! - Finally ready to go, Aaron came in and the big show began!

Dr Mitchell went to work. He made a few incisions, tugged a little and then out came a beautiful baby boy! - Aaron was able to go to the isolette, cut the cord and help clean him up! Then they brought him over and showed him to me! - Beautiful, perfect boy!

From there we were escorted to the recovery room. I was exhausted and I think I fell asleep!