Colt's Birth Story

Looking back on three weeks ago, I never would have imagined this new addition -- healthy, living and breathing in his little chair next to me.  I never could comprehend how much love and emotion could go into such a small thing – but he has truly captured my heart.  

Whenever there is a momentous occasion in my life, I have always tried to write about that memory.  I find that at tough times or reflective moments, it feels so good to look back on it and re-imagine those days again.

Colt’s “on-time” arrival was so fast and such a blur, but despite the pain and un-knowing of what actually goes into a C-section (it was actually better that I didn’t know, to be honest), I would do it all again for him.

Here’s the story of my little man - Colt B. Adler.

PRE-DUE DATE:

5 days before his due date, we found out that he had somehow flipped into the breech position with his head resting on my left lung.  At this point, we still didn’t know he was a boy and no one had slipped on the secret thus far.

He had been extremely active my whole pregnancy- I was being kicked and punched all day and night.  Seeing his gestures now, and how he has literally kicked himself out of a tight Velcro swaddle on Day 6 (?), it all makes sense.

I tried all the different exercises I was told to do, but was pretty much resigned, and honestly fine with the fact that I was most likely going to have to have a C-Section delivery.  At this point, my whole mentality revolved around just getting him out safely.  I knew that we had made it thus far, and I was a little fearful from stories I had heard of others getting to the hospital and not coming home with their baby.  So morbid, but from all that we had gone through, it was hard not to go there. 

Then, two days before my due date, my OBGYN called and said he had gotten into an accident in the snow.  I know many women would have been sidetracked by this news, but my eye was on the prize.  We were told to get in contact with his back up doctor, who was then able make an appointment for us on his due date – two days later – to check to see if he had somehow magically flipped again.

 DUE-DATE: FEBRUARY 10th, 2021:

The morning of Colt’s arrival, I felt a serenity that I hadn’t felt in a while.  The entire night before I couldn’t sleep and was up watching The Crown at 4:30 AM.  I showered and took some photos to commemorate making it to 40 weeks.

While we didn’t actually know that he would be making an entrance; for some reason, I had a premonition that I was going to have the baby that day, and regardless, was happy to get on the road into the city and put everything into motion.  Our car was finally packed and we made the last trip in as a family of two.

When we got to the doctor’s office, he confirmed that he was definitely still flipped upside down and he didn’t like how his head was positioned on my lungs, confirming my discomfort and issues breathing.  He basically told me, “I’d like to get the baby out today.”  Technically, it was his due-date, but my water hadn’t broken and I was barely dilated.   

This is when it really hit us.  Ryan was shocked – in his mind, he thought we would at least be waiting a few days or schedule something for the weekend.

The next thing we knew we were on the way to the hospital and trying to figure out parking.  The transition was wild – I immediately called my parents and Ryan’s mom and it was such a mix of emotions – from excitement to nerves.

THE BIRTH:

A few hours later, we were checked in at NYU, with the only holdup being my COVID results- go figure.  As soon as those were procured, we suited up and made our way down to the OR.  Ry’s suit didn’t fit and we were both dying laughing.  I will never forget watching him house a Sweet Green salad and his iced coffee-- starving, but just so eager to meet the baby and know if he/she was a boy/girl.

When we got there, they made Ryan wait outside and prepped me with an epidural and spinal tap.  I had prepared for these moments with my doula, Mary Esther, and made it clear that I still wanted to be present as much as possible, and not completely out of it.  I had always envisioned giving birth vaginally, so while this was all a lot to take in, and honestly brought me back to being in the operating room the first time with our first baby, I tried to focus on knowing that this was the positive experience I had been yearning for, and very much still a birth.

Ryan said waiting outside felt like an eternity.  He was counting the minutes.

When he was back inside, we were ready to go.  The feelings of being separated by a curtain as my body was being opened and still awake, was definitely jarring.  I tried to be tough and not cry, but could also feel movement – just so different and odd.  I am so thankful that my husband was there, by my side, holding my hand and kissing my face throughout it all.  He is my rock and definitely would not have been able to go through it without him.

Within 10 minutes – they said, “Are you guys ready?!”  The next thing we know, my doctor was lifting Colt straight up into the air, as he came out butt first, exclaiming, “It’s DEFINITELY a boy!” 

Tears flushed my face and I was just so overwhelmed with joy and gratitude.  While I wanted him to come right on my chest – they brought him over to be examined, and we just looked at each other, so stunned.  I had been feeling girl all the way through and Ry had also gotten those feelings.  As hard as it was to be kept in the dark for almost 10 months, finding out together at that time, was one of the most sacred moments of our entire relationship. 

From there, all I remember, is being putting back together (literally pulled and tugged- was so odd), feeling slightly nauseous and wanting to be with the baby.  Ry was the first to actually hold him while they transported me to recovery.  It was there that we got a chance to be together and just enjoy him.

Holding him in my arms and knowing that he was finally here, just made it all enough.  Worth the wait, the pain, the sacrifice, the surgery, all of it.  He was perfection and I couldn’t believe this wild creature was a part of me, growing into a little human inside of me for that many months.

The next few days were definitely painful and it wasn’t until a week later that I felt more like myself again.

What many people didn’t talk to me about, was that a C-section truly is a surgery and the recovery is HARD.  I have a very high tolerance for pain and not being able to get up by myself, let alone open a suitcase for all the things I thought I would have used (my girls all make fun of me for that post), was extremely humbling.  The only thing I used was my face wash!

Three weeks later, I am not fully recovered but am feeling more and more like myself again.  It’s crazy to look back on, and I’m so grateful to the team at NYU Langone – all of our nurses there were AMAZING – Dr. Robert Berg and my doula, Mary Esther-Malloy, who being with us every step of the way.

Colt B. is here and already makes waves.