The birth day!
On the night of September 5th I prepared my bag for the 4-day hospital stay that would proceed the c-section, did any last minute cleaning, and let my mind reel all night long! Not only was I about to undergo surgery, something I had never experienced before, but I was going to meet my two daughters... I absolutely could not comprehend the magnitude of the event about to happen.
After very little sleep Joe and I took the 5 minute walk to Alta Bates at 10:30 am, arriving two hours before the surgery. We immediately were put in the pre-op/ recovery room, met our nurse that would assist us throughout the day, Alaina, and began to anxiously wait for the biggest moment of our lives! I put on a gorgeous hospital gown, was poked and prodded, and given an intravenous catheter in my hand (that would stay in for about 24 hours). At about 12:30 pm I walked to the cold, sterile operating room and the swarms of doctors and assistants got to work (on me!). I remember thinking that it was so ironic that the very intimate interaction that Joe and I had engaged in to get to that moment had ultimately transformed into this extremely public, fully-exposing event that would leave me feeling far from concealed. But, I didn't care!
Dr. Carlisle, my anesthesiologist (thus, my best friend that day), administered the spinal just a few minutes after I entered the operating room. I, perhaps pathetically, thought it hurt quite a bit more than I had anticipated. The dull pinch down the left side of my back subsided quickly and the doctor and nurse assistant, who I believe was named Peggy (our conversation centered around her uncles that were identical twins), helped me lie down as quickly as possible before I was completely paralyzed from the chest down. Peggy and Alaina, not 5 seconds after me lying down, administered a catheter and Dr. Carlisle put a big blue sheet right over my chest. My head, arms and hands were the only parts of my body that I could feel. But, my arms were constricted as the anesthesiologist had placed a blood pressure cuff and sort of sleeve that emitted hot air onto my arms. And as if I didn't feel claustrophobic enough, an oxygen mask was then placed over my mouth for the duration of the surgery.
Joe came in just a minute later and I finally felt like I could take a deep breath and (somewhat) relax. I grabbed his hand and didn't let it go until I knew the girls were out, safe and sound. Dr. Ahsan, my obstetrician, finally began the surgery and walked me through the entire process. She was very reassuring and light-hearted during it. At one point I, somewhat dramatically, asked, "I'm feeling very tingly all over... is that normal?" to which she replied, "you mean you're tingly with anticipation to meet your twins?!" Needless to say, she calmed me down. After what felt like 30 minutes (but I'm told was only a few minutes), I heard Dr. Ahsan say, "here comes Baby A, dad do you want to take a look?" Joe stood up and looked over the divider. I didn't see Ruby come out but from the reaction I saw in his face and sweet sound in his voice, I knew it was an incredible sight. He was able to see Vera come out completely, as they were both born in the same minute: 1:04 pm. Joe walked over to them right away and came back to report just how perfect and beautiful they were.
The very first time I laid eyes on the new (added) loves of my life, they were bundled up and held up on either side of my head as I was strapped down to the hospital bed. Any pain or discomfort I had completely disappeared when I looked up at my daughters' adorable little faces. I could not believe that the ever-growing bump in my uterus actually incubated these two perfect beings. It was such an indescribable, overwhelming moment that I will never, ever forget.
The girls were taken to be further checked and Joe went with them. I had to stay in the operating room for about another 30 minutes for Dr. Ahsan to finish up the surgery. I was then lifted onto a hospital bed by 2 nurses, Dr. Ahsan and Dr. Carlisle (I mention this because I was scared shitless as I felt like they were essentially pushing me off the operating table and onto the floor... this obviously did not happen) and wheeled into the recovery room. Joe and I spent the next few hours in the recovery room nuzzling with our new little ones. The girls were so sleepy but right away the did a great job latching on and I was really hopeful we'd have success with breastfeeding! And, after 17 days, it has been, indeed, very successful (tiring, but successful).
We moved onto our large hospital room once I could lift myself up of the bed and move my legs... quite the challenge after all my body had been through that day! It was great to move to the new room and Joe and I were elated to know that our girls did not have to go to the nursery at all. So, we have not had to spend even one night without them by our side.
I don't think I can accurately describe the love that filled my heart and soul the moment that Ruby and Vera came into my life. All I know is the feeling of sheer joy mixed with immense responsibility is one that has only grown with each day that my daughters have been in my life. I am so incredibly fortunate and will strive to be the best mother I can be to them every day for the rest of my life.
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| Outside the hospital just a couple short hours before our girls were born! |
After very little sleep Joe and I took the 5 minute walk to Alta Bates at 10:30 am, arriving two hours before the surgery. We immediately were put in the pre-op/ recovery room, met our nurse that would assist us throughout the day, Alaina, and began to anxiously wait for the biggest moment of our lives! I put on a gorgeous hospital gown, was poked and prodded, and given an intravenous catheter in my hand (that would stay in for about 24 hours). At about 12:30 pm I walked to the cold, sterile operating room and the swarms of doctors and assistants got to work (on me!). I remember thinking that it was so ironic that the very intimate interaction that Joe and I had engaged in to get to that moment had ultimately transformed into this extremely public, fully-exposing event that would leave me feeling far from concealed. But, I didn't care!
Dr. Carlisle, my anesthesiologist (thus, my best friend that day), administered the spinal just a few minutes after I entered the operating room. I, perhaps pathetically, thought it hurt quite a bit more than I had anticipated. The dull pinch down the left side of my back subsided quickly and the doctor and nurse assistant, who I believe was named Peggy (our conversation centered around her uncles that were identical twins), helped me lie down as quickly as possible before I was completely paralyzed from the chest down. Peggy and Alaina, not 5 seconds after me lying down, administered a catheter and Dr. Carlisle put a big blue sheet right over my chest. My head, arms and hands were the only parts of my body that I could feel. But, my arms were constricted as the anesthesiologist had placed a blood pressure cuff and sort of sleeve that emitted hot air onto my arms. And as if I didn't feel claustrophobic enough, an oxygen mask was then placed over my mouth for the duration of the surgery.
Joe came in just a minute later and I finally felt like I could take a deep breath and (somewhat) relax. I grabbed his hand and didn't let it go until I knew the girls were out, safe and sound. Dr. Ahsan, my obstetrician, finally began the surgery and walked me through the entire process. She was very reassuring and light-hearted during it. At one point I, somewhat dramatically, asked, "I'm feeling very tingly all over... is that normal?" to which she replied, "you mean you're tingly with anticipation to meet your twins?!" Needless to say, she calmed me down. After what felt like 30 minutes (but I'm told was only a few minutes), I heard Dr. Ahsan say, "here comes Baby A, dad do you want to take a look?" Joe stood up and looked over the divider. I didn't see Ruby come out but from the reaction I saw in his face and sweet sound in his voice, I knew it was an incredible sight. He was able to see Vera come out completely, as they were both born in the same minute: 1:04 pm. Joe walked over to them right away and came back to report just how perfect and beautiful they were.
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| Ruby Joan Schmidt & Vera Kathleen Schmidt Born September 6, 2013 at 1:04 pm |
The very first time I laid eyes on the new (added) loves of my life, they were bundled up and held up on either side of my head as I was strapped down to the hospital bed. Any pain or discomfort I had completely disappeared when I looked up at my daughters' adorable little faces. I could not believe that the ever-growing bump in my uterus actually incubated these two perfect beings. It was such an indescribable, overwhelming moment that I will never, ever forget.
The girls were taken to be further checked and Joe went with them. I had to stay in the operating room for about another 30 minutes for Dr. Ahsan to finish up the surgery. I was then lifted onto a hospital bed by 2 nurses, Dr. Ahsan and Dr. Carlisle (I mention this because I was scared shitless as I felt like they were essentially pushing me off the operating table and onto the floor... this obviously did not happen) and wheeled into the recovery room. Joe and I spent the next few hours in the recovery room nuzzling with our new little ones. The girls were so sleepy but right away the did a great job latching on and I was really hopeful we'd have success with breastfeeding! And, after 17 days, it has been, indeed, very successful (tiring, but successful).
We moved onto our large hospital room once I could lift myself up of the bed and move my legs... quite the challenge after all my body had been through that day! It was great to move to the new room and Joe and I were elated to know that our girls did not have to go to the nursery at all. So, we have not had to spend even one night without them by our side.
I don't think I can accurately describe the love that filled my heart and soul the moment that Ruby and Vera came into my life. All I know is the feeling of sheer joy mixed with immense responsibility is one that has only grown with each day that my daughters have been in my life. I am so incredibly fortunate and will strive to be the best mother I can be to them every day for the rest of my life.
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| Ruby Joan September 12, 2013 |
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| Vera Kathleen September 12, 2013 |
