The doctor came by at around 9AM, took a look at me, and let me know I could go home today! We didn't expect me to be going home until tomorrow. My fever had broken, and the infection was clearing up. I'd need to continue taking antibiotics orally for a few days, and he gave me a prescription for Motrin as well, since it seemed to be relieving my pain.
Rebekah was cleared to go home with me too. I called Joe and Holli immediately to let them know. It was very good news.
I nursed Rebekah while sitting in a chair this morning. Joe arrived around noon and began collecting all the things that had accumulated in our hospital room. I think he made about 5 trips to and from the car. We visited for awhile with Ashley and Mike, a couple from our Bradley class who just had their baby yesterday. So far, all the couples in our class have had girls...only 2 more births (out of 6 total) to go. Of course, we're the only couple who ended up with a Cesarian, but we're confident that it was truly the only option for us this time around.
The nurse went over all the paperwork with us, then carefully read off the numbers on
Rebekah's ankle bands while I compared them to the numbers on my wrist band. They matched.
Rebekah and I got changed, and I nursed her once more. While Joe took the last load of
things out to the car and pulled it around to the patient pickup area, the nurse helped me
into a wheelchair, placed Rebekah in my arms, and ceremoniously wheeled us down the
hallway. I kept looking down at Rebekah and up at the smiling faces we passed along the
way. A couple minutes later, Rebekah faced the light of day for the first time. We got her
strapped into her carseat and waved goodbye to the hospital. We were finally on our way
home.
This time, every bump jarred my incision. I grabbed my stuffed bunny from the back seat
and held it tight against my belly as Joe drove. Before I knew it we were home, and there
was a big banner in the window: "Welcome home Jennifer and Rebekah" complete
with a picture of a stork and a baby. When I saw the sign, I cried. We were finally home!
Rebekah was quiet and alert as we brought her inside. Our neighbors, who moved in last
Saturday when I was in labor, shouted their congratulations, and so did some people we
didn't even know who were picking up their mail just across the parking lot at that
moment.
Later on, after a late lunch, I began to have problems nursing Rebekah. The problem
continued, and we attributed it to the change of scenery. It was so disconcerting to have
a hungry baby screaming for nourishment, trying to get it, then crying out all the more
after trying to latch on. The night passed by with little sleep for our little family.
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