The Fleeting Fourth Trimester Memories: The Adventure to the Hospital

So we had a lovely homebirth experience that ended up in the hospital.
After Joanna was born at home, I had fainted 10 minutes later. I regained consciousness afterward, but my blood pressure was still quite low and wasn't getting back to normal. The midwives called 911 and I was sent to the hospital.

I admit, I didn't really have a worry in my mind, after finding Joanna in Stephen's arms. I didn't have enough strength to get up by myself. I had no idea what I looked like. The concept of riding in an ambulance was actually exciting me. I must have been real loopy. I still remember feeling breathless, and saying over and over again to the paramedics "Am I going to be like this forever?". As a nurse I have sent some of my clients or residents to the hospital but I never got a chance to catch a ride on an ambulance myself. I also admire paramedics as well for the work they do.


There are more details I could share on this experience but here are a few bullet points...

• Hubby had to drive Joanna diaperless in the car seat to the hospital himself...
• Sis was riding in the ambulance with me. 
• I remember the terrible job that was done with my IV... I kept complaining it was hurting my arm and I was concerned about infiltration when they were putting fluids in me.
• The stitches for my tear were worse than labour. My OB didn't know what "OWWWoowowowWWWW" meant it seemed. Not enough freezing unfortunately. I can't even count how many stitches I had...
• I had pumped enough colostrum for Joanna prior to the delivery that Stephen could give her some while I was recovering. It was enough before the first feed I had with her and observe her hands and face for the first time.
• Hubby's parents came to visit us in the middle of the night and relieve hubby.
• I had a few units of blood transfusions 
• A lady from church who worked there visited us
• We roomed in a private room in the post-partum unit
• There were some good nurses, some not so helpful nurses
• It stopped raining once Joanna and I were loaded into the car after hubby prayed for the rain to stop
• The first few days of recovery in the hospital was the most grueling days I experienced in my life it seemed, with Joanna transitioning outside the womb, while I felt so helpless in my own body. 

The Lord is so gracious the merciful to us in so many ways! I am so glad for hospitals. However I was much more happier to leave the place afterward.

If you are reading this you might be wondering if I still would advocate for a homebirth. I still loved my homebirth experience, as crazy as it might seem to some. I didn't share much on the actual home birth experience itself on this blog... I probably won't because I prefer to share it in person and with all the graphic details :P. Joanna came out perfectly. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Me holding Joanna the night we transferred to the post-partum unit.

Hubby and Joanna! He was such a trooper helping me during the labour, driving Joanna to the hospital, staying up changing her diapers and feeding her when I wasn't able to, and making sure I got my food, meds, water, etc. I felt bad he still hadn't changed his clothes after the birth... he must have been really exhausted and wanting a shower by now. Thanks hubby <3

Chilling.