Bella Grace Bernat

On the morning of Wednesday, April 7th, we made our way to St. Lukes Episcopal Hospital in the Medical Center. Miss. Bella had decided she liked where she was and she wasn't coming out unless we forced her. So that is what we did!
We arrived at the hospital to check-in and take care of pre-op at 7:30am. I got to get all dressed up in the hospital clothes, "party hat", and get my IV. Here I was... a little anxious about what was to come...

I went in to the operating room at 9:27am. The anesthesiologist was right there to get my spinal going. That, I think, was what I was most nervous about. I didn't want the epidural to begin with when I had Kaleb, but I ended up getting it when my induction was going nowhere, and then it didn't work for the c-section. I slept through his birth and I didn't want that to happen again. The anesthesiologist this time was great! It was not bad at all. A little shot in my back that stung a little, then the whole thing was all over within seconds it seemed. (The IV was worse!) My toes felt heavy right away. They helped me to lie down on the table and took care of all their prepping. The numbness slowly moved up my body as I laid there. It was a weird feeling. Not long after, Kevin came in to join me all dressed up in his scrubs. And they began. It took longer than I expected for them to get to her, but when they did, it was incredible. One of the nurses lowered the drape in front of us low enough for us to see her come out. She began crying immediately and didn't stop, which was a beautiful noise. She was taken to the warmer to be suctioned because of all the fluid in her lungs. (which is normal for a c-section baby) Here is one of her first pictures...she's still screaming!

They weighed her...8 pounds 1 ounce...and measured her...19 3/4" long!

Then tagged her...

Minutes later (seemed like an eternity) they brought her right to me to hold right on the operating table. It was amazing to finally see the little girl that had been living inside me for 9 months.

She stopped crying when they finally gave her to Mama!

I'm in love!

Right after surgery, they took us back to the recovery room for some family bonding. I couldn't take my eyes off of her.

Kaleb was her first visitor! Doesn't he look proud! He surely is! He came in and we asked him "Who is that?" His response..."That's Bella! Hers come out your tummy Mama?" Yes hers did!

The family took turns getting a peek and quick visit in recovery before we were taken to our postpartum room. She had a quick checkup in our room and had to lay under the warmer for a little while, but took that time to relax! After warming up, she got her first little bath. Again, right in our room. That was what was so wonderful with the hospital. She was never taken out of the room away from us. Anything and everything they had to do for her was done right at my bedside.

Here's big brother holding Bella for the first time on her birthday!

He really is so proud of her! Still learning to be gentle, but very proud to show her off!

Beautiful Bella resting at 1 day old...

We had anticipated on going home Friday afternoon and had the go ahead from my doctor, but the pediatrician wanted to keep her another day due to some jaundice and weight loss issues. By Saturday, she was released with orders to see the doctor first thing Monday. They just told us to make her eat, eat, eat as much as we could! Here we are ready to go home!

One last picture in our home for the first three days of her life...

She's a tiny little thing!

So sweet...

Here we are in front of our house as we arrived...

and again just inside...

It has been an amazing journey! Still hard to believe she's real sometimes! She's been a very easy baby to take care of. She eats and sleeps! Sleeps through anything too which is a good thing since she's got a crazy big brother! We took her to the doctor Monday and everything looked good. She weighed 7 pounds 7 ounces which is 2 more ounces than when discharged from the hospital. She was 20 1/4" long...1/2" more than birth. The doctor said she still sees a little jaundice in her face and upper abdomen, but nothing to be concerned with. She didn't see the need for a blood test yet. We'll take her back at two weeks old and hopefully she'll be better by then. Until then, she's just supposed to eat, eat, eat!

More to come soon...