We're Home! :)

Saturday around noon we were finally discharged from the hospital. I must say, we had a fantastic experience with Metro Health Hospital - I would highly recommend that place to anyone! :)

Friday was a pretty uneventful day around the hospital. More picture taking, more sitting around. T and my dad came back in the morning. My mom had done a lot of the getting up with Lila in the night, so she was pretty beat. I know she didn't really want to, but she and my dad left in mid-afternoon. Since we were getting discharged sometime the next morning, they weren't coming back. It was great to send so much stuff back to our house with them - making our trip home a lot less cumbersome. We're pretty low-maintenance, as far as medical staff attention goes, so we had very few interruptions that night. We did manage to watch a movie - Get Smart - silly and hysterical. I had to hold my belly during a lot of it since it felt like I was going to burst open whenever I'd laugh.

Saturday was discharge day! :) It was also big snowstorm day. She and I both checked out just fine. In fact the word "perfect" was used to describe our beautiful girl by just about everyone who would check her over. My staples were removed, we received some parting information, and it was time to head home. We had to have the nurse check the car seat, just to make sure we put her in there correctly. I got a wheelchair ride to the entrance and it was away we go!

Wouldn't you know, that the first song that's playing on the radio is some country song about taking your daughter home from the hospital and then how she grows up so fast and that she's only like this for a short time. Here came the waterworks. Hell, I'm bawling now as I type this. So here I am, hyperventilating in the backseat watching my 3 day old sleep peacefully. T went nice and slow all the way home (we saw several slide-offs and one truck rolled over in the ditch). We made it home safe and sound.

The dogs and my parents were all there to greet us and welcome Lila home. The dogs were VERY interested in her. Every time she would make a noise or cry, they'd all come running to see what was the matter. I think they realize that they have a new pack leader! :) She certainly is the one in charge around here!

We have been having some issues breast-feeding. Because of the c-section, my body went into healing mode, instead of mommy mode. Therefore, I was getting in little to no milk. We met with both the lactation consultants while we were in the hospital and both assured me that my milk would eventually come in - it would just take a few days. Therefore, we had to supplement with formula. We used a few methods - straight bottle feeding and using a shield with formula running through a syringe and tube to make her think that what was really formula, was me. Some of those feedings went quite well. Others went horribly wrong. I can definitely see why so many women give up breast-feeding due to the work involved and frustration. When you pump and pump and nothing - not one drop - comes out, it is one of the most defeating things. Also heart-wrenching is watching your newborn scream in hunger and you not be able to provide what she needs when you're supposed to provide it. I did have some milk the day she was born - but that was it. On the day we came home, I had some to give her, but we still were having to supplement with formula. Sunday morning, I pumped to get things going and hello milk! It wasn't a ton, but it came quicker than ever and had more volume than ever. Small victories! :) Only on one feeding did we have to do some formula supplementing - but only a little. The rest was all me - and there was very little crying, screaming, frustration on Lila's part and on my part!! Sunday has been an outstanding day. :)

Saturday night was interesting. We have a small portable crib in our room for her to stay in while she's little and she did not seem to like that very much. Basically, we were up every one to two hours with her. She was either hungry, needed to be changed, or just freaked out at her new surroundings. We decided that tonight we're going to have her sleep in her boppy chair - we think that she needs to be a bit more confined and "tucked in". She was well-swaddled last night, which she usually likes, but it totally made her miserable. We'll see how tonight goes. She loves to sleep in it during the day (we've been trying hard not to always hold her when she sleeps - although what in the world is nicer than a peaceful, sleeping baby in your arms or propped up on your shoulder?). Luckily, my parents were still here, so they were able to watch her in the morning so we could catch a few more zzz's. Until the phone rang, that is. Oh well, hard lesson learned that nap time is turn off phone ringer time.

Today Lila got her first sponge bath. She is now squeaky-clean and smells great! She didn't seem to mind it very much.

My parents have now gone - they were fantastic helping us adjust and get things accomplished around the house so we didn't have to. I know that they can hardly stay away, so they'll be back tomorrow after school to get their "Lila fix" for the day.

Tomorrow we get to call and make Lila's first doctor's appointment. I don't have to go back for 2 weeks to get my incision checked. I'm still pretty sore, but pain meds are fantastic. :)

It's still difficult to comprehend that this child actually belongs to me. I am responsible for her, I created her. How is that possible?!? She's absolutely fantastic and is certainly my new purpose. She's incredible and amazes me every day with all that she can do and all the new things she's already learning. Truly an amazing miracle.

I am going to post 2 pics today. One is Lila's hospital picture. The other is a picture of me at 5 weeks old. You try to tell which is which. This has prompted me to realize that I have given birth to my twin. It's pretty amazing! Although she looks so much like me, she totally has her daddy's feet. When they did her footprints when she was born, they barely fit on the card! I think we've got a tall one here. :)

Oops, it looks like I don't have the files I need to upload the pics. Soon, I promise! :)