Labor & Delivery:
Friday January 27th was a great day. I had my dr appt at two and they scheduled me for a c section on February 2nd. Yes! The day was finalized and I was so excited to have a date to look forward to! That day, Taylor was also hired at San Antonio Marketing, Inc. He was so excited and we wanted to celebrate our new life to look forward to. My BFF Ashley was also accepted into PA school so we all went out to eat to celebrate great accomplishments at Perico's. Taylor and I stayed up late to watch movies and were planning on enjoying our last week as "non-parents" and were looking forward to sleeping in all day on Saturday. Little did we know, Landon had his own plan. I woke up around 4:30 am Saturday to pee and all of the sudden water started to run down my legs. At first I thought I had to pee so badly that I was peeing myself, but then I realized it was water, and lots of it! I also had really bad cramps. So I had to take my pants off and actually use the bathroom and at that point my mucus plug had also come out. I freaked out and Taylor woke up and started to pack his bag. We got ready and started heading to the hospital, but had to stop to turn in some redbox movies because Taylor didnt want late fees! haha! As we were driving, my contractions got worse and worse. We entered the hospital through the ER and Taylor went to park the car. Slowly we walked up to L&D and checked in and got a room where they checked my dilation and hooked me up to fetal monitoring machines. I was having contractions every 15 minutes when we arrived and was a centimeter dilated and 80% effaced. It was about 5am. We waited for Dr. Serrano who was to come in at 8am and for them to prep me for surgery. As time went on I began to have really really bad contractions. It literally felt like someone was ripping me apart by my legs. I couldnt have medicine because I had to wait to get the spinal. By the time I went into surgery my contractions were 4 minutes apart and hurt sooooo bad!!! My body couldn’t stop shaking because I hurt so badly. I squeezed Taylor’s hand and hugged onto him and tried to breathe. I told him to stop talking and that I wanted to bite him. I tried pinching his skin at one point. I just wanted the pain to stop. He would try to comfort me and tell me that it would be over soon and that Landon was going to be here soon... My response was that I didnt care and he didnt understand. Typical. I think I was a little mean but not too bad! So then after I get into the OR they have to give me a spinal, which is an anesthetic that numbs you from the ribs down to your toes. It was a really weird sensation to not be able to feel half of my body. Taylor was then allowed to come in and stay with me while they cut me open! I didn’t know at the time, but before he came into the OR with me he threw up in the bathroom! Nerves and lots of emotions I guess.. Anyway, all I could feel was tugging on my belly and after about 15 minutes of that Landon was born and we heard him cry for the first time!!! It was amazing… I coulnt believe he was here and alive and crying! Taylor and I both cried and he went to go meet our son for the first time. It was a bummer that I couldn’t move because I really really wanted to see him. After they cleaned him off Taylor brought him over to me and I got to touch him and kiss him and we got our first family photo!! They then began to sew me up and Taylor got to go to the nursery where my mom, Jenna and Jessica were all waiting. It sucked having to wait for them to finish because I really wanted to see him and hold him. Once I was in recovery, they finally brought him in and he was absolutely perfect! I was still really sore and messed up from the surgery and was on an IV and lots of pain medicine. I looked like I was a meth addict… But I didn’t care. I was able to breast feed him for the first time and it was really special. Then everyone came to visit—Taylors family, my family and some close friends.
Hospital Stay:
The first night was rough. I was still hooked up to IV and catheter and could move. I hadn’t moved from the bed in 24 hours. I had leg compressors on my calves to keep circulation going in my legs that was super annoying. My incision was hurting and I could not get comfortable enough to sleep. Around 5 am my nurse came to help me get up for the first time. It was so hard to sit up, stand up and walk to the bathroom. I have never moved so slow in my life. But it felt like a huge accomplishment to get to the bathroom and pee on my own. The nursery took Landon for a few tests that night and would bring him back so I could feed him. The next day we had some more visitors and I was more alert and able to talk to people. Landon had passed all of his tests and was doing really well. He sleeps really well and doesn’t cry. The next day I took my fist shower, which was a really big deal. My mom had to help bathe me and dress me because I couldn’t stand on my own. I also tried to walk a lap around the postpartum. Once you walk a lap then you can shower. I didn’t make it very far… only a few feet down the hall before I had to walk back. I was finally able to make my first lap Monday morning. It was a very slow lap but I was happy to be walking. I also had my first breast pumping experience on Monday. There is free lactation consultation at the hospital and we requested a breast pump. A lady came to show us how to use it and I pumped my first milk! It was still yellow. Real milk doesn’t come in til later, but I was super excited. This meant that I could have the nursery feed him while Taylor and I slept, and also give Taylor a chance to feed him. It was nice to get some rest but still very difficult to get in and out of bed and find a comfortable sleeping position. My incision hurt and using my abs hurts, even now still. We decided to stay in the hospital until Tuesday. Landon was circumcised on Monday morning and I felt like I just needed some more time to stay and make sure everything was ok. The hospital and nurses were all really nice. I got a complementary leg and foot massage, and we also got a “stork” meal, which is a nice meal given to you and your partner after you give birth. Everyone loved Landon and thought he was so cute, duh, because he is! Coming home was really exciting. Taylors parents were there to help load the car and get everything ready. My mom couldn’t make it because she was sick with the flu, perfect timing, huh? She was really bummed out to be missing things but she needed to get better before she could be around Landon and I. Landon was sooooo cute and little in his car seat. We strapped him in and got me a wheel chair and headed to the car. It was so nice to finally have Landon at home. We had been waiting for so long to bring him into his room and dress him in his clothes and use all of the stuff we have gotten for him. For months I had wondered what it would be like when he was here and I was rocking him in the rocking chair and holding him and looking at him. Gosh it was magical.
First week home:
The first two nights Taylors mom stayed the night with us to help out. Taylor ended up going to work on Wednesday and we just stayed home and watched Landon. His parents had gotten groceries so we had food and had put some stuff together for us while we were in the hospital. So sweet. The first night was rough. Just getting used to everything was a challenge. Finding his schedule, feeding and changing him, and trying to get him to sleep in his crib. Taylors mom cooked dinner for us that night and ended up staying again to help with the night shift. On Thursday we had our first doctor appointment for Landon. I breastfed in public for the first time at the office too! It was kinda fun. Anyway, everything went well. He had lost an ounce but was fine. Dr said his poops were good and his jaundice levels were good. So we will see them again on the 13th of February. Thursday my mom was going to start taking over. She was finally better and came to stay that night with us to help. She also stayed Friday night. Saturday was our first night alone. We stayed up kind of late and I stayed on the couch to get up easier at night. My incision was hurting a lot and its hard to get in and out of bed still. The last feeding was the roughest. I had used a bottle because my boobs were sore and he just wasn’t falling back asleep. I was trying to stay awake but it was hard. I finally gave him some more milk and he slept well. I love it when he sleeps with me on my chest. It’s the best feeling in the world. He also makes really cute little noises when he sleeps and when he eats. He is a great baby. Only cries when hes hungry, being changed, or being bathed. Other than that he loves to sleep! Just like his daddy! Sunday was also a good day. We watched church and some friends stopped by. Tara came over to watch the superbowl and I had made Landon a cute onsie that said “Go Giants”… and the Giants won! I had my mom stay again last night so I could get some sleep and I did. It was nice. Only bummer is that my incision has been hurting really badly and is swollen so I am now about to go to the dr to make sure everything is okay. I hope it is…
Life as a mom:
So far, I have been peed on, pooped on, and spit up on! We have had a lot of firsts and its sooooo exciting! Landon is a perfect child and a very easy baby to take care of. I am just now getting used to his schedule. We have had some tummy time, first baths, first time in his crib and just today his belly button fell off! It is so fun to watch him and just cherish how little he is and this time I get to spend with him. I never knew how much I would love him. He just fills up my heart with so much love and joy. I was pretty emotional the first few days. Just overwhelmed with where life has taken me and overjoyed with these two special and perfect guys in my life. Taylor and I just couldn’t be more smitten with our son. And of coarse, Taylor is soooo proud that Landon looks like him! Definitely an Albritton! I have also been super happy with how Taylor has taken charge as the man of the house and has taken care of me. I feel so lame not being able to get up and move around easily. It has been really frustrating to be so slow and in pain. I just want to be healed already. My incision really hurts and I have never had surgery before so I had no clue what to expect. I expected the worst and its been the worst. On top of that, breast feeding is difficult too. Trying to get my nipples used to feeding is painful in itself. So I have really been hurting in both places now. I am trying to do the best I can, and it is worth it because Landon is perfect. Its just the process of healing that is tough. I get really excited though when he latches on and has a good feeding and eats well. It is already rewarding to see him using his neck muscles to pick up his head. And its even more of a joy when he looks into your eyes. He is my baby and I cant imagine life without him. Its funny because now that he is out of my womb, he still stays in the same positions he was in while inside of me. He sleeps with his arms up beside his head and its sooo adorable. The pediatrician said we don’t have to put him in his crib yet because it might be too big. We had trouble with him sleeping so we have been using his bouncy swing chair for a bed. I guess we should have gotten a bassinet, but we just didn’t know. Hes very cozy in his swing but I want to start trying his bed so he gets used to it. Sometimes I will just let him sleep with me. I love it when he lays on my chest, I know I already said that but it is really one of the best feelings in the world!
I know I have a ton of more stuff to say but I will leave it at that for now. I have to get ready to feed Landon before I go to the dr. I will close with saying that I have never been more happy in my life. I am so ready to marry Taylor and spend the rest of my life with him and Landon. God has blessed me so much… its unbelievable! I am going to write more frequently because I know there are probably lots of things I wanted to say on here but forgot.
Until next time,
Alyssa, Taylor and baby Landon!
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