Christian Paul Johnson was born at St. Paul's hospital on November 22, 2012 at 1:36 pm.
 |
| I am super happy that the stars are shining at St. Paul's - I still have a thing for stars. |
We walked to St. Paul's and arrived at 11am. Our c-section appointment had been bumped from the afternoon appointment to on-call. Which means I could go anytime during the afternoon or night, most likely somewhere around 3am. We complained about what a drag the wait was going to be.
 |
| Jonny looks super enthusiastic. |
 |
| Easy to say - hard to do: Sign inside St. Paul's notoriously slow and old elevator . |
 |
| The maternity ward lounge. |
 |
| Maternity ward hallway. |
 |
| Room 19 - our room. |
 |
| Testing out the bed. |
 |
| View from the window. |
 |
| We can see the park we walk through when we walk down to The Grove for breakfast. |
 |
| Playing games - me in the window. |
 |
| Closer |
 |
| Even closer |
 |
| Here I am! |
 |
| Jonny went outside to take pictures. |
 |
| Our room # |
 |
| Jonny was trying to order cable in the room - the only channel we had was the breast feeding channel. |
 |
| What? GO NOW?!! But, I just got here. |
Time to quit playing around taking pictures out the window. Jonny - get back in here they are going to take me right now! Jonny made it back up just in time. I was taken past the nurses station. My nurse didn't even know I was going. She made me drink a terrible drink that was supposed to keep my stomach from feeling nauseas and then I was wheeled out of there. I didn't have an IV in yet, so that was my next destination.
I told the male nurse about my last experience with an IV - when I got my ankle done. I hadn't told them that day that they had it in and it was hurting. I just put up with it. When they took it out it was a huge bruise. This time, I planned to have it put in better by speaking up. I must have scared the old guy cause he used a local anaesthetic so he could jab around at my hand veins without me feeling it. Granted my veins are skinny and my hands were a bit swollen making it a difficult task for him. He finally got it going on the third attempt when his buddy came over and tripped over the IV line almost pulling it out of my hand. Geez guys!
 |
| Jonny is all suited up and feeling nervous. |
Jonny was taken away from me to go get changed into scrubs.
 |
| But still confident and cute! |
When they escorted Jonathon into the OR he came and sat super close to my face and he didn't stop talking. He was such a good distraction from what was happening down below. He couldn't have done a better job. He is the perfect husband and daddy.
The hardest part was when the Dr. Spehar was pushing down on my belly to the point where it was making it hard to breathe. This lasted a few minutes and from what I understand was how they got Christian out. At 1:36 I heard Christian's first cries.
 |
| 1:36 - Christian Paul Johnson is born. |
 |
| Christian's first photo. Notice the nurse in the background? There is more of story about her below. |
 |
| Bracelet for Christian |
They gave Christian to me right away. I was able to stare at him and forget that on the other side of the blue cloth I was being sewed up. When I first heard him cry I cried and laughed. What, I am crying now just thinking of that moment. I could never imagined the amount of feelings you have at that very moment had I never been in the moment. I knew I would have feelings - they were just so much more than I had ever experienced before. This is the best thing that Jonny and I have ever done.
 |
| Christian covered in slime, towels, and a little purple toque. |
 |
| Jonny captured some of my feelings in this shot. Look at Christian - he is having some major feelings too. |
 |
| Christian and I looking at each other. |
Soon after I was pushed into room 2 - the recovery room. (Room 2 comes up again in our stories) I was not feeling good in this room. Everything was a bit foggy, tired, and pukey. I know I had Christian in my arms a lot of the time. The nurse was trying to make him breast feed by grabbing my nipple and jabbing it in his mouth. Two times I had to have Jonny take Christian and grab me something to puke in. What an awful feeling it was having all of those chemicals in my body. They were trying to escape any way they could.
 |
| A healthy boy at 4008 grams which is 8.83 pounds. |
 |
| Jonny goes outside to meet my parents. |
Here are some pictures of Christian:
Now some shots with family and friends:
 |
| Our happy little family |
 |
| Grandma Arlene. Look at Christian's ear popping out of his toque like an elf. |
 |
| Grandma ilo |
 |
| Grandpa |
 |
| Daddy |
 |
| Auntie Pam |
 |
| Auntie Pam and Uncle Pat |
 |
| Uncle Sam |
 |
| Cousins Belle and Laya |
 |
| Nurse's notes |
 |
| Chill time with Daddy - sleepy Daddy. |
 |
| Auntie Mel |
 |
| Auntie Em |
 |
| Auntie Carrie |
 |
| I finally got Christian to BF. |
I had been trying and trying with little success to get Christian to breast feed. I had no idea what I was doing. I should have read more about it before I went in. I should have watched that stupid breast feeding channel on the TV. I needed more help from the nurses but I didn't know to ask. Finally, I got him latched on and he fed for 45 minutes. Jonny had gone to get food. When he came back Christian was so hungry he was still feeding and I was so exhausted I was sleeping. Jonathon didn't know what to do - take the baby off so I could sleep or wake me up so I could finish nursing safely.
 |
| First bath - we are being taught by our favourite UBC Nurse. |
Nurses come and go as the shifts change at St. Paul's. So, we had different nurses all the time. There was one nurse that had been with us through it all and she was from UBC and doing her practicum. She was there when I came in the day before to give blood and do fetal monitoring. We got to know each other then. When we returned the next day she was the first one we saw and we said we would see her in there. Ours was the first healthy c section that she got to watch. Whereas the other nurses and doctors have seen it all before it was a first for her and a first for us. It is an experience none of us will forget. Because of this she developed a special relationship with Christian and came back to visit and say good-bye to us on her last day. Thanks for helping us with Christian and teaching us how to bathe him.
 |
| UBC Nurse doing her practicum (Jessica?) |
 |
| Christian saying hi to his favourite nurse. |
 |
| Leaving St. Paul's |
 |
| Car seat time! Let's get out of here!! |
 |
| Drive home - five blocks. Thanks mom and dad. |
 |
| Dad peeping through the rear view. |
 |
| Karate Kick! |
 |
| Auntie Heidi |
 |
| We finally got dad to hold the baby! Grandpa!! |
 |
| I still haven't had a beer since March. It looks good my boys. |
 |
| Home with mommy.. but Christian is unusually sleepy... |
On Sunday we got a call from the community nurse. She talked to both Jonny and I and tried to help us over the phone with our breast feeding issue. She called again Monday and arranged for a visit. She should have come Sunday - we should have stayed in the hospital one more day.
We got home on Saturday, tired and exhausted, and not knowing the routine we know now. Four hours later my breasts became huge and sore. I of course cried in confusion and pain. What is going on? How come no one told me about this? What do we do? We hit the internet and pulled out the breast pump. I didn't think I would need this thing until I started bottle feeding. We got some milk out and since we weren't supposed to be using bottles yet, we dumped that milk down the sink! Even though our instincts were telling us to feed it to our child. The breast feeding natzis discouraged bottle feeding until healthy breast feeding has been established. Same goes for soothers.
When the community nurse arrived on Monday and saw my breasts and Christian she sent us straight to Children's hospital. Christian wasn't able to get any milk out of my rock hard jugs and was turning yellow.
When we got to Children's they gave him a bottle of formula right away. I started pumping golden breast milk and alternately using hot compresses (face cloths soaked in hot water) to massage the rock hardness out of my breasts. I pumped for about two hours and was still rock hard. We gave Christian a bottle of breast milk. He got pricked on his heal multiple times. His blood sugar was low so they gave him a soother with sugar on it. YES, that is right- within the first hour of being at the hospital Christian used a bottle, a soother, and FORMULA. Jonathon and I were both angry that we hadn't listened to our own instincts and embarrassed that we had been led astray by the breast feeding Natzis thinking that other people knew better about baby things. In reality, it is our baby and there are many ways you can do things and you have to do what is right for you and your family. What is right for us is making sure Christian is getting food!!
We were sent from Children's hospital back to St. Paul's room 2 - my recovery room. This is where we spent the night. (We should have just stayed Saturday night!! Because this time - neither Jonny or I got fed!) Jonny left to get us some nourishment and the nurse that had been with me during fetal monitoring on November 6th was the nurse helping us. She tried to get me breast feeding again. I learned the cobra bite, and like a sandwich tricks. I continued to pump here. The nurse, Christine, made a plan for us to practice feeding every three hours. The second feeding we tried breast feeding and then Jonathon used the bottle. That was the last time we breast fed. We decided we wanted to use the bottle exclusively. We want to know how many millilitres Christian is consuming. There is no way to tell if he is getting enough with a boob. Christian would eat just a little and then fall back to sleep. We had to use a cold cloth to wake him up so he would keep eating.
Christian had a lot more heal pricking and tests and by the 10:30 am he had gained enough weight and had the all clear to go home. This time we went home with a plan and more confidence. We were angry that we were neglected the first time we were at St. Paul's and that we were allowed to go home so early. They should have checked that Christian was breast feeding properly. I should have known more about breast feeding. I guess I only thought up until the delivery. I thought I would be taught how to breast feed in the hospital. Anywho, we have our plan and it is working well for us. We know that Christian is getting enough food and Jonathon gets a chance to feed and bond with him as well. Pumping every three hours is a drag - but as long as it is working and our boy is healthy and happy.
 |
| The recovery room - then the fix the jaundice room. |
 |
| These are the doors I came through when Christian was first born, |
 |
| One more night at St. Paul's. Jonny - there is your charger in the wall - don't forget it!! |
 |
| Our new feeding and medicine plan - and baby weight coming in and leaving. |
 |
| Christian sleeping - He had the best bed. |
 |
| This time we walked home. On the way to St. Paul's we walked under this construction area and we were almost hit by a lamp post being knocked by a truck. The lamp post is no longer there. We decided to take the other side of the road this time. |
 |
| Christmas tree is all set up at home. |
 |
| Christian's new cradle - home sweet home! |
 |
| Jonny's feet... and Christian. |
