Welcome Nolan

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Nolan LeGrand’s Birth Story

We have been so happy and tired having our sweet Nolan around the past few days. I've decided I should write his birth story before I forget the details.

Being my 3rd csection we knew exactly when he was coming. He was scheduled to arrive at 730am on August 18th. We had wondered a few times if he'd come early since I had been having tons of contractions over the last few weeks. But as we figured, I never dilated so we were set to go. We were going to deliver in

Jackson and since we had to be at the hospital at 530 we decided we should spend the night at my parents so we could go straight to the hospital. I had been really nervous and super anxious leading up to this day. But Brent gave me a blessing that offered both comfort and peace and I instantly knew I'd be okay. We arrived at the hospital and after being admitted we went to our "room" and waited. This is where all the nurses ask hundreds of questions and you get blood drawn and IV's inserted. They finally said it was time and they had me walk into the OR.

They had Brent sit on a stool outside the room. It's a little intimidating to walk in and crawl on the table. The CRNA came in and the best nurse ever (she reminded me so much of Carrie Knox that I was instantly calm) came and held me while they placed the spinal. Then they had me lay down and started poking me to see if I was numb enough yet. They put the oxygen mask on me and I instantly started gagging. I was so nauseous! So they finally took it off and placed the oxygen tubes in by nostrils. They let Brent in and tears starting flowing, I couldn’t do this without him. And I’m always so grateful to have him by my side. I start feeling my muscles twitch, they do this when they are cut through, and I feel a lot of tugging and pulling. I know at this moment they are about to pull my Nolan out. They tell Brent to get the camera ready and he stands to take a picture. Then at 7:55 we here the most beautiful stressful noise ever, our baby crying. They allow Brent to follow the baby and I always appreciate how he doesn’t want to leave my side and I have to tell him it’s okay to go. And I just lay there listening to the scrub techs count the instruments, hearing the CRNA say Jesus is good, we are blessed, hearing Dr. Williams commenting how big of a baby, anxious to hold my baby. They finally let Brent carry him over to me. I still can’t hold him, but I get to see him and I instantly fall in love. I carried this life within me for 9 long months. They have Brent carry him to our recovery room and I stay in the OR to get put back together. After they take me over to the recovery room and I get to hold my boy. And I’ll be honest; at this point he wouldn’t stop crying. I was having a hard time breastfeeding because they wouldn’t raise my bed any. I was feeling a little out of it and I wanted them to take him to the nursery to clean him so I could have him when I got back to our room.  Brent texted our families that he had arrived and we told mom and dad to bring Elijah and Maddie up to meet their brother at 11.

When we finally got to our room I felt so exhausted. They gave me a Dilantin pump for pain. It did help with the pain but it also made me very loopy/tired and super nauseous. So I also had to get Zofran through my IV.  They brought us Nolan back and mom, dad, Elijah, and Maddie showed up.  It was so fun to see the “big” kids see the baby. We introduced them to baby brother Nolan and Elijah corrected us to baby Tate. They both wanted to hold him and love him. The sweetest thing was how concerned Elijah was with me. He kept saying the Dr. would make me all better. And he was so concerned.  I love that boy so much. They didn’t stay too long, I’m pretty sure I was barely awake for most of it. The rest of the day is all kind of fuzzy. This makes me sad! We had a few visitors come by. I barely remember it. I know that mom brought Elijah back up and at this point he wouldn’t love on me at all. It really hurt my feelings but he just kept telling me to lay down so the Dr. could fix me. At the very end of our day, before Brent left to go stay with our other 2 at my parents we were able to skype with his parents. I’m always grateful for technology that allows this. They were able to see their 3^rd grandchild! I was a little out of it.

I had Nolan stay in the nursery but they brought him back every 2.5 hours. I could barely stay awake during the day but felt like I woke up every 10 minutes to push my pump. The next morning I asked early to get my IV and catheter removed so I could get up and get moving. The nurse did it. And I soon got up to walk. I wanted to be a little more mobile when the kids came to visit again. Brent stopped by on his way to work to say hello. We had several visitors this day. Dad, Papaw, Amy, Kristen Price, Rachel Raab, Stacey McAdams, Dorothy Miles, Carrie Knox, Rebekah, Charity, and Jenn Fearnley and maybe more that I can’t remember.

At one point during this day I started crying. I was feeling a little overwhelmed. The nurse walked in and asked me a question. I answered, then she asked if was about to cry, which led to me ugly crying and her telling me she was going to take the baby to the nursery and put a sign on my door saying no one was allowed in without talking to her first. I tease that this is how I became the crazy lady in room 327. She even suggested I stay at the hospital another night.  I took a 40-minute nap then called for them to bring my baby back. I was a little embarrassed over my bread down but also had to laugh.  They also called my Dr. and asked him to prescribe me something to help me sleep that night. I declined it; I wanted to be able to wake up to feed my little guy.

I was anxious to get checked out the next morning. Mom picked me up with the kids and we were off to Paris, TN. I still wake up every morning, and several times at night, in awe that I have 3 kids. I AM A MOM! I still hope I don’t fail miserably. That I can provide these kids with all the tools they need in the world. I’m still learning and I’m guessing I will be forever after.