Our first 24 hours

We got into our room around 8:30. Shortly after that I continued to throw up and have horrible nauseousness. Justin was so incredibly good to me. He was torn in a million places. Checking on the boys, taking care of me. In the middle of all of this, there is a knock on the door and in rolls baby Eli. He only stayed a couple of hours for observation and was joining us in our room. I think we were both in a state of shock. I couldn't take care of myself and Justin was taking care of me and we have no idea how to take care of a newborn baby! He looked at the nurse and asked if this was a good idea since I was so sick and she said that the baby needed to be with me as soon as possible. Justin asked, "Can we take it out of the box". The nurse said, "It's your baby, do whatever you want. " I just started laughing at the situation. Justin helped me hold the baby since I was so shaky I was scared I would drop him but what a feeling to hold him in my arms for the first time. Our sweet nurse came in and showed Justin how to change the diaper and swaddle. He was awesome.

Between bringing me cold rags, throw up pans, getting the nurse, etc he also cared for Eli all night. Feeding him, changing him, loving on him. And also running down to the NICU to check on Beckett. I am truly blessed to have such an amazing husband and father to my children. He totally held our family together and was my rock.

Beckett had respiratory issues when he was born. It took oxygen to help him breathe. He was placed on a cannula in the NICU to assist him with his breathing. His x rays showed that the lungs were cloudy with fluid. They kept him on oxygen the first night. The next day morning Justin went down to assist with a feeding. We learned that he couldn't breathe and eat properly. So he was kept on the oxygen. He was eventually diagnosed with TTN - transient tachypnea of the newborn . About 1% of newborns develop this. Occurs most frequently in preemies and C-section babies. "wet lungs". The hardest part was that I had yet to really see him, hold him, anything. All the family had been in and out of the NICU all day coming to tell me about him. They wouldn't let me go down at first because of my issues. I was absolutely determined that I was going to see him. He had to know that his momma missed him and was thinking of him all day while stuck in the bed. I got the catheter taken out and it took 3 people to get me to the bathroom each time I was dizzy and sick from the mag. The first 2 attempts to get in a wheelchair and go down failed. My blood pressure was too high and they made me get back in the bed. Finally at 6:00pm the nurse came in and took the mag away. Immediately I began to feel better in regards to the dizzy and vomiting. I was going to the NICU finally. Justin and the nurse took me down because I had to go down with the IV. I held my baby boy Beckett for the first time 27 hours after he was born. What a scary feeling to go in and see your baby hooked up to oxygen and feeding tubes and monitors. He was so tiny and fragile. I held him for about 20 minutes before they made me go back to my room. I prayed with him and cried and cried on his little head. The NICU doctor explained that it was just a matter of time for the lungs to clear up and him to get stronger each day. She told us that there is no standard time, each baby grows and develops at his own pace and we would just keep him on oxygen and support until the lungs could do the job on there own.

I headed back to my room with a piece of my heart missing :-(. I was glad to start feeling more like myself and had my baby Eli to take care of! Eli had a lots of loving and visitors on Friday. Here are some pics from the family visiting us in our room.

My Dad (Poppy) and Gracie (Aunt GG)

My Ma

Justin's dad (Big Poppa) and Mom (Gamma)

Dave

We had a little celebration on Saturday night. I wasn't able to drink it because of my blood pressure. I took one sip and felt like I was on fire! But it was still fun to toast Mr. Eli and also said a toast for Beckett down in the NICU. With all the stress of the delivery, it was good to celebrate the joyous occasion with family that came by.