Avery's Birth Story

We had Avery's birthday scheduled for a few months.  We had a scheduled c-section planned for September 22, 2014 at 8:30 am.

I barely slept all night.  I woke up every hour and had a hard time getting back to sleep.  Finally around 4:30, I got up and got in the shower.  We left the house around 6.

We got to the hospital at 6:45 and were sent to a waiting room.  We waited there for what seemed like forever and finally around 7:30, they called us back.  We went to a c-section prep room.  I got my IV and we answered a bunch of questions.

Dr. Bruce came in around 8:15 and said we were ready to go.  I was taken back to the OR and Stephen went to the waiting room.  

I was incredibly nervous at this point.  I have never felt more anxious in my whole life.  This entire pregnancy I have been terrified about getting the epidural because of a spinal tap I had done last summer that was the worst pain of my life.  The anethsieologist came in and got started and I immediately started freaking out.  It was awful, but I really was doing my best.  I was terrified of experiencing the same pain I had last summer.   I've never had a panic attack or anxiety attack, but I am pretty sure I was having one at the moment.   I couldn't breath and the nurse later told me I was hyperventilating.  The nurse told me I had to calm down or they were going to put me to sleep and somehow I got through the next few minutes and they were done.  

They laid me back on the table and started prepping my belly.  Lots of people started coming in and before I knew it they were working on me.  They put up the sheet and Stephen came in.

I hate this picture of myself, but for memory purposes I am including it.

For some reason, I had a very hard time realizing that we were about to have a baby.  It really just had not sunk in for me.  After working on me for what seemed like forever, Dr. Bruce said, "Dad, do you have your camera ready?" and with that we heard the most wonderful cry.

Avery James Prather was born at 9:26 am on September 22, 2014.

They put the sheet down a little and showed us our perfect baby boy.  I immediately started crying.  Our baby was here and he was perfect.  I was completely overwhelmed.  Everyone in the room was saying how perfect and beautiful he was, which made me cry even more.  I was so happy that he was here and he was ok.  I don't think I have ever felt such relief.



















They took Avery over to the warmer to be cleaned and weighed and Stephen went with him.













Dr. Bruce thought Avery would weigh close to 9 pounds and since I felt bigger this time than when I was pregnant with Stephen, I thought she would be right.  Stephen weighed 8 pounds 5 ounces.  I was shocked when they said he weighed 7 pounds 9 ounces.  He was 21 inches long.

Things get a little fuzzy at this point.  I know Stephen brought Avery over to me and I kissed his face and cried some more.  He was so beautiful!!  

Then, I started feeling very weird.  My ears were ringing, my arms felt numb and I felt like I was going to pass out.  The anesthesiologist told me it was because I had been so overwhelmed and emotional from the epidural situation to seeing the baby.  He gave me something that made me very sleepy.  I could hardly stay awake and just remember nodding on and off as they continuing working on me.

Stephen took Avery out to the waiting room to show our family.

They took me into recovery and Stephen and Avery were there waiting for me.  I was so happy to see them!!

As soon as I got into the recovery room, the nurse asked me if I wanted to feed Avery so I nursed him and he immediately latched on.  After struggling with breastfeeding Stephen, I have prayed ever since then that I would be able to nurse my second baby so when he latched on and started eating, I was so happy!

I remember just feeling so happy in that moment.  I was actually feeling pretty good, which was a huge difference from when I had Stephen, and I was elated that the labor part was behind me and I could now just recover and hold my baby. 

We got into our room and our family started coming in.  Stephen went down to get Stephen and Shelley and Nancy helped me and changed Avery's diaper.  I am not sure what is happening in this picture, but it cracks me up!



Then it was time for the brothers to meet.









Stephen was being shy and was hesitant of coming close to me since I was in the hospital bed, but he finally came over and gave me a present that he had picked out with my parents.





We tried to get Stephen to sit in the bed with me, but he didn't want to, so my mom took Avery so Stephen could see him better.





Stephen loved seeing him and was so cute and would just laugh and smile at him.







I took these on my phone while laying in bed.  One of the bad things about having a c-section was that I took very few pictures in the hospital.





Stephen took my phone and took this one of Avery while Aunt Marci was holding him.





Stephen did so good with Avery and was so happy to meet him.   He wanted to take him home right then.









Stephen also took these pictures.








All of our family left and we had some time to just relax and enjoy our baby boy!















That night they came in and gave him a bath in our room.  One thing that was very different this time than when we had Stephen was that everything was done in our room.  We didn't get any good pictures of his bath because it was really dark in our room, but here is one just to document the moment.



This was such a wonderful day!  I just feel so happy and relived that our baby is here and I am holding him in my arms.  I was so happy that Stephen loved meeting his brother.  Other than the epidural, I could not have imagined a better day!

We love you so much, Avery James, and we are so happy you are here!!!