The Birth Tale

Hazel Rae's birth was a scheduled cesarean.  How exciting is that?!  After a LONG labor with Tatum, I ended my pregnancy with a c-section.  If you want the scoop, you can visit Tatum's birth.  So although my fantastic OB offered me the VBAC option, I opted no.  After wanting everything natural with Tatum, and surrendering to the wonders of modern surgery, I learned then that motherhood was about eating your own words and having complete control of nothing.  When we learned the exciting news of Hazel's conception, I knew then that I wanted to hold on to the last piece of control I had with this babe and have a scheduled cesarean.

After a easy nine months of pregnancy, Andrew and I greatly anticipated the big birthday of January 20th.  Why January 20th you may ask?  Although my OB pushed for January 18th because of her call schedule, I chose the date based on the moon (I haven't lost the hippie in me!) and it too was the date Tatum was born (also a full moon).   One week prior to the date I received a note in the mail confirming my appointment to deliver by cesarean at White Memorial Hospital at 9am.  It did feel a bit strange, but quite wondrous as well.

Because we had a scheduled date, I was able to coordinate with my mom her travel dates so that she could be Super LaLa and hang with Tatum before, during, and after our hospital stay.  She flew out three days before the birth and was able to learn our LA life: preschool schedule, driving routes, grocery store.  We kept Tatum in preschool for the day of the birth knowing it wasn't THAT exciting for a two year old to be out of school for the whole day to meet her new sister.

The day before the birth we had a pre-operation check-up with the doctor.  During the examination we found out that I was 0% effaced.  With Tatum this was too the case at 39 weeks; yet then I immediately went on a warpath to do everything and anything to "ripen the cervix" - acupuncture, reflexology, balsamic vinegar, and tons of sex.  And that little booger was 12 days late.  So, with Hazel, 0% effacement at 39 weeks meant 0% worry because I had my "appointment" and that babe was coming.  Ready or not Hazel, here we come!

We bought a box of donuts to provide the morning labor and delivery nurses as a thank you.  Plus, nurses love donuts and it gets you on their sweet side!  In California, donuts come in this fantastic pink box.  No matter what donut shop you patron, it's the same pink box.  Pink box = Donuts!  So, when I was called back to be admitted and gowned the nurse said "You know you can't eat donuts this morning!" (You have to fast 12 hours prior to surgery).  "I know," I responded, "but you can!"  "Really, Thank you!"  replied the nurse.  So I guess I may have been the first patient to bring donuts in a long time.  Needless to say, it worked.  Later that morning when I was in recovery another nurse popped her head in the curtain and thanked us for the treat.

So, there is no glory to a cesarean - IV, catheter, spinal block - but there is great glory in giving birth.  The operation was smooth, and at 9:08am little Hazel Rae came screaming into this world.  My doctor pronounced upon her arrival, "And here we have the rare white baby born at White Memorial Hospital!" (Note: White Memorial is located in East LA, a predominately low-income Latino neighborhood.  To give you a taste of the 'hood - there was tagging on the curtain in the recovery room.  And yes, not too many white folks deliver here; but I think it is LA's best kept prepartum secret).

The other glory in a scheduled cesarean is the lack of labor and therefore faster recovery.  We were back home by Saturday at 7pm.  I was treated with a sushi/sashimi dinner and a tall pint of IPA.  YUM!   And even more yummy is my perfectly round headed Hazel Rae!

Born 9:08am Thursday January 20th, 2011 - 19 1/4 inches long - 7 lbs. 3 oz.