A Girl, A Guy, Four Pets, and Three Babies: Fisher Townes

Once again, this is very late. (Sorry, Fish.) I had another sonogram scheduled for April 25th, and went in expecting them to tell me that Fisher was still breech, and that everything was a go for an April 29th c-section. Since they told me Fisher was a big baby, I knew that I hadn't felt any flipping going on, so I was very confident. But... I was wrong. Fisher had flipped into the proper head down position without me knowing. This blew my mind and got me all confused about what to do all over again. I had come to terms with the c-section, and quite frankly, was looking forward to it. After the sonogram I went into the exam room and spoke with my doctor about what we should do. She said that since Fisher flipped, I could wait and go in labor naturally. I didn't like this idea, since all of our family friends had planned on being at the hospital on April 29th. I asked her if we could induce that day instead, and she said that the down side to that was that since my c-section wasn't scheduled until 2:30, I'd be induced at 2:30 and probably wouldn't have the baby until the next day, and she wouldn't be able to deliver because she works in Granbury on Tuesdays. Soooo, I said, "Well can I still have the c-section? I mean, the head is still big." She said that she wouldn't tell me no, and that we could come in at 11 for another sonogram on April 29th, and see if Fisher had flipped again, and we could proceed with the c-section at 2:30 if that's what we wanted.

37 weeks with Finley on the left, 37 weeks with Fisher on the right

38 weeks with Finley on the left, 38 weeks with Fisher on the right

As the weekend went on, I got scared that when I showed up Monday, she'd tell me that she just couldn't justify a c-section, and send me home. Hooper and I woke up Monday morning at 6:15 so that I could eat a good breakfast before I had to fast (cut off time was 6:30). Finley woke up soon after and joined us and it was nice to enjoy a little time together as just the three of us for the last time. Before I knew it, it was time for us to go to the hospital. We dropped Fin off with my mom and Anna got in the car with us. We all went to my sonogram together, and of course, Fisher had not flipped again, and was still head down. I went in to see the doctor, very nervously mind you. I told her we still wanted the c-section, and she said okay, that she'd see us in a little bit. . *Sigh. What a relief that was. So Anna and I left and went to the mall, and Hooper went to eat with his dad, who had already made it to the hospital.

12:30 was the time we needed to be checked in, and that came pretty quickly. We arrived back at the hospital and I got some lab work done, got hooked up to a monitor, and played the waiting game. I had some contractions while I was in the hospital bed, and we had a good time watching the monitor as they happened. My good friend, Kristyn, had her c-section at 12:30, so I was excited to hear her news as I waited. My doctor finally popped in and told me that Kristyn was fine and her baby was perfect, and that she had to go see some appointments, and then it'd be my turn. I was getting anxious and excited. She ended up getting tied up with her appointments, and things ran a little late. Finally they told me they were ready, and they wheeled me into the OR. I didn't like having to be wheeled in without Hooper, but I knew he'd be joining me soon. I felt a little weird being so naked with a room full of strangers. I mean, I had on a hospital gown, but a really sweet guy who was around my age did my spinal with my gown completely open in the back. Then they put the sheet up so that I couldn't see anything down below. That's when I REALLY felt weird. They lifted my gown up and put in my catheter with everyone in there. And I was TOTALLY exposed. Soon after, Hooper came in and I felt a little bit more at ease. The surgery started and the only thing I felt was some jostling around, and a little pressure here and there. The doctor said that she could see an ear, and I thought that was so bizarre. I wondered what it looked like down there, but even more so, I wondered if that ear was attached to a baby boy or a baby girl. Then she said, "Larry, do you wanna stand up and see what you guys have?" And he said, "It's a BOY!" I immediately started crying. It seemed like it took forever for them to put him in my sight. I was crying happy tears with an ugly cry face, and was unable to wipe the tears or cover my face because my arms were strapped down. Then the doctor told me that the cord was around his neck. In that moment, I realized that THIS is why all of this happened. THIS is why I had a c-section. Had I been induced or gone in labor naturally, I very well could have had to have an emergency c-section. And there are also worse things that can happen with having the cord wrapped around his neck, so I was extremely thankful that he was born via c-section and born healthy. Fisher Townes Hooper was born at 3:25pm and weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces and was 21 3/4 inches long. He wasn't as big as we thought he would be, and his head wasn't as big either. It was bigger than most, but not HUGE by any means. (His middle name is after Townes Van Zandt. We aren't even sure what we would have used had he been a girl, but we had Townes set for a boy the whole time.)

They stitched me up and then wheeled my bed to a recovery room. Hooper went to tell all of our friends and family the good news. He walked out with a blue bandana and a pink bandana and pulled them both out of his pocket. Then he dropped the pink, and tied the blue one around his head. Everyone was ecstatic. Soon after, everyone came back to visit us. I was very emotional when Finley came in to meet Fisher for the first time. She was so happy, and understood that she couldn't touch my stomach because it was hurt. As I got moved into my real room, I still felt pretty good. Getting the spinal was the only pain I had felt up to that point. (And that was pretty intense pain, I might add.) Kristyn and her husband and their new baby, Lexi were right down the hall from us. That was really neat to get to experience the recovery with her. When I had to stand up for the first time, the pain was pretty bad. If I was laying down and not moving, my pain was at a 0. But if I tried to stand up, the pain moved up to a 6 or 7. Kristyn and I went on "walks" together around the halls, and she seemed to be in better shape than I was. Walking was the worst part.

By the time that 2 nights had passed, we decided that we could handle going home. My pain was still bad when I got up and walked, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it had been. We came home to a wonderful welcome committee. Elliott and Beckett had made signs, and Finley and Bennett had blue balloons. Even Spanky had a balloon tied to him.

My recovery at home went pretty smooth. For about 4 days at home it hurt to get up and walk, but if I was still all was great. After those 4 days, I felt like my normal self pretty much. A lot of people ask me what was better, vaginal delivery or c-section? And I think that most people expect me to say vaginal delivery. But the honest truth is, my c-section was WAY better. And I'll opt for another c-section with my next one. (Yes, we plan to have another.) My recovery this round was smoother, too.

Today Fisher is one month old. It's crazy how fast the month went by. He's a very good baby. He sleeps a lot and eats a lot. Most of the time he sleeps while he eats. He has brightened all of our lives so much, and we are so, so happy that God blessed our family with him.