Great (Un)Expectations :: Unexpected Surprises

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Baby T is here and she’s a girl!!! Born on July 28th, just 15 days late . . . If you read my post about what I planned for Baby T’s birth, then you’ll fully understand the irony of our labor and delivery story. (Feel free to take a look so you can have the best possible laugh). Long story short, we planned a birth with almost no medical intervention. After a failed induction and passing the 42 week mark, we ended up needing nearly every intervention available. Evelyn Mae Torres was finally delivered via emergency c-section three and half days after I was admitted to the hospital. It was unexpected to say the least and the first of many unexpected trials and joys as first time parents.

Great (Un)Expectations from Albuquerque Moms BlogThe Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The good news is great; miraculous really. Evelyn was born and after only a few minutes, breathing on her own and healthy. I didn’t die (pretty great, right?!) and have fully recovered from the ordeal. The staff at UNM hospital was incredible from the moment we checked in on Tuesday night to the moment we left the following Monday afternoon. 

The bad news was short-lived. We didn’t have the birth we wanted. I had to have a c-section and ended up hemorrhaging quite badly so there was no immediate skin-to-skin contact or bonding for me and baby. (But my husband was ever-present and held our baby to his chest the first possible moment).

The ugly . . . well, the whole thing was ugly. Birth is sort of gross until it’s over and you get to take a shower.

Unexpected Surprises

Great (Un)Expectations from Albuquerque Moms Blog

Not everything unexpected was bad. I never would have expected to recover so quickly from a c-section. I never expected to get as much sleep as I do. (Baby T is now 11 weeks old and sleeps 10-12 hours most nights!!!!!) I never expected to be so consumed by love just watching my baby. I never expected to have a baby that looks exactly like me, blue eyes and all. And I never expected that after such a huge rift in our plan, I would feel almost no disappointment.

It didn’t go as planned or imagined. Instead of being early, I was late. Instead of being gentle and easy, it proved impossible and had to be done for me by a team of incredible surgeons. And instead of being quick, we were there for a week. But the objective was met. Evelyn is healthy and perfect, and I’m no worse for the wear.

Great (Un)Expectations from Albuquerque Moms BlogEven though the un-expectations were great, the outcome is even greater, and it’s another in what will be a long list of unexpected greatness as a mom. Nothing we wanted for our daughter’s birth happened but it made us realize that all those expectations meant nothing. What we really wanted for her birth was her and that’s what we got. All the unexpected twists and turns, trials, and challenges put the outcome into perspective. A healthy baby and a happy family are the most important things. C-section, natural delivery, and medical interventions aside, sometimes the greatest disappointments turn into the best surprises.