Cooper - Our Days in the Hospital (Part 2)

This may be a little more jumbled and out of order, and for that, I apologize.  However, I am a weeeeee bit sleep deprived.  ;)  

Well...Our precious (and large) Cooper had arrived, Eric and I were in heaven, and now came the "fun" part - and of course, recovery, which wasn't what I expected.  I'm not sure what I expected exactly - but what I went though wasn't it.  

Anyway, I got to hold Cooper for a while...so did Eric...and our families came in after the doc and all the nurses got the room cleaned up.  Everyone was smitten.  How could you not be - he was such a handsome baby.  Some babies look like wrinkly old men, but Cooper was just...(sorry Cooper) so pretty.  They brought me food, explained how I take care of myself (crazy), what I could and could not do for myself for the next 6 weeks, and told me to try to feed that night - but the lactation consultant had just gone home for the evening.  I honestly don't remember much from the first day.  I was tired, and just so focused on my little man.  I do recall that our friends Ryan and Kaeli stopped by and met him - it was darling.  Our families hung out, helped, took care of our pugs at home, got the house ready for us, and enjoyed spending time with their new grandson. 

It was raining very hard on Cooper's birthday/night.  There were only about 4 women in labor when I was admitted, but by the time midnight had rolled around, there was about 14!!!  Apparently the barometric pressure does something crazy to pregnant women - and on top of that, a few days before, there was a full moon.  So, around midnight, the nurse came to tell Eric and me that we had to move rooms.  (The room I labored and delivered in was a suite that you're supposed to be able to recover in too...if they're not full.)  So, we moved to a smaller recovery room, which was fine.  They brought Cooper to me every few hours to try and feed, and so I could love on him....and I so loved on him.  Anyway, turns out, Cooper didn't fully latch, so I had scabbed nipples (tmi???  sorry...).  The lactation consultant came in the next morning, and gave me tips, but also a nipple shield...LIFE SAVER!!!  Cooper did REALLY well, and I wanted to take the lactation consultant home with me.  I told her I probably couldn't match her salary, but I would pay her in cupcakes.  :)  

We had MANY visitors - including Eric's new bosses (of one day) who brought us Starbucks food and coffee for Eric, our sweet friend Jen, our friends Jen and John who brought Cooper some goodies, a darling girl from my office who's sister had her baby in the room next to ours and she brought a balloon and flowers...etc.  And of course our parents (the best grandparents) were around.  It was lovely to feel so loved, and to know how excited people were to meet our little one.  He is really special. 

Miss Jen and Baby Boy...
Starbucks bag full of goodies  behind her.
Thanks Raven Tools!

Cooper had his first photo shoot at the hospital the day after he was born by Bella Baby Photography.  Here are some of my favorites:

Holdin' onto his Mama and Daddy. 

Lil' tootsies.

Smiles from our boy.
Sleepy - it's tough being 1 day old.

Daddy's Boy.

Family of 3... 

Our darling boy got a fairly large scab on the back of his head - we don't know if it was something that happened during his traumatic birth process, or if it happened in the nursery over night.  Either way, little guy didn't mind, and we got some bactroban to help heal it.  

I could go into lovely details about my recovery, but I won't.  (But if you have questions, or whatever - shoot me a message, I am not shy about what I went through!  Seriously - modesty goes out the window real quickly when you have a baby.)  What I will say is, it was more intense and involved than I thought. The hospital gives you special underwear, ice packs, pads, a squirt bottle for cleaning...etc...Crazy.  I didn't have any complications though, which I am super grateful for.  All was well.  And Eric, my amazing husband, helped me with ANYTHING that I needed.  He helped me stand.  Helped me back into bed.  Filled my squirt bottle.  Got the nurses for me when I needed more pain meds (hello percoset and naproxen, I love you).  He got me food (because hospital food is nasty).  He loved me and our son.  It was really special.  As unsexy as I felt, and man...I felt UNSEXY as hell...he told me that I didn't need to worry - I was beautiful and still very sexy to him.  I needed to hear that.  Good man, right there.  

Day two, our little (a-hem large) man got his circumcision.  The pediatrician apparently makes it like a spa experience...or at least as much of a spa experience as she can in that circumstance. ;)  She plays music, dims lights, give baby tylenol, etc.  Apparently Coop was a rockstar and slept through it.  

The first 48 hours in the hospital, Eric and I were discussing Cooper's name.  The lady from records came back to our room about 15 times to see if we'd decided.  She eventually gave me a deadline, lol.  Five minutes before our deadline was up, our parents left the room so Eric and I could chat.  We had originally picked out COOPER ANDERSON KAMBESTAD, which I still love...but after much, much, much discussion...we decided to name him...

COOPER NASH KAMBESTAD.

Cooper, family name.  Nash, born in Nashville. 

With a name like that, he'll surely be a star.

On our hospital whiteboard...

Making it official.

The hospital was great.  I loved Williamson Medical Center because it was a pretty new hospital, it was small so we got wonderful attention, and more.  Our nurses were fabulous, especially the first ones.  I wish I could remember their names because I would send them cookies or something.  We DID provide our nurses with a THANK YOU goodie basket when we arrived though.  I think they really appreciated it.  

Thank you to the amazing staff at
Williamson Medical Center!

Cooper and I got medically cleared and discharged around 4:00 PM - almost 48 hours after his birth.  Not before the nurse gave me 2 more percocets.  :)  I'm glad she did because sitting in a car on the drive home...Ouch.  Anyway, I will say that I wish I had a photo of us headed home as a new family.  Ladies, I was SO worried about looking hideous (which I did) that I didn't get many photos of myself at the hospital.  TAKE PHOTOS - YOU DON'T GET THAT EXPERIENCE OR THOSE FIRST MOMENTS BACK!!!  

His going home outfit...so handsome...

As we got settled in the car and drove away, I said to my husband something like, "I know that I kinda wanted a girl and it would have been fun for me, but I am so happy that we got him and really couldn't imagine having anyone else.  I'm in love with him."  Eric smiled with pride and joy and said he was so happy to hear that...And we drove into the sunset (literally)...family of three...(kinda 5, our pugs are family too)...we began our wonderful new journey.

Month One post coming soon... 

Sneak Preview... 

It's amazing.  

It's tiring.  It's exhausting.  Yes I know that's the same thing, I just had to say it twice.

He's incredible.  Everyone is in love with him. 

I'm already back into my pre-preggo jeans...and at the weight I was when I was 6 weeks pregnant.

He has a milk protein intolerance so my diet has had to change dramatically, and he's been extra fussy because he's in pain.  We're working on it.  If it doesn't work, I'll have to switch to a hypo-allergenic formula ($$$).  Prayers welcome.

We talk about poop a lot...which is weird because I didn't like even saying poop or fart before.  Now his toots make me giggle.  

We have the best friends and family in the entire world.

Cooper's smiling and cooing.  He's ridiculously strong and awesome, has already rolled over, and does a military-like crawl...at less than 4 weeks old.

Umm...

And sooo much more...Ahh, life as a new mom...