William Everest Nelson! One Week Old Today.

The name: William Everest Nelson. 

I love the name William. I think it is a good strong boy's name that matches his brothers Gregory and George. My great-grandma was named Wilma after her father William. I'm sure as I learn more family history, there will be lots of great people named William in our family tree. I loved my great-grandma, she was a very kind, good women, and it makes me happy that there is a family member that I remember with a connection to William's names. Both Gregory and George have very close family connections, so that was important to me. I love the name Everest as well. Everest is his middle name. Stan was the one who thought of this name. Mt. Everest is obviously where this name comes from. The mountain was named after a Colonel Sir George Everest who apparently didn't want the mountain named after him because "Everest could not be written in Hindi nor pronounced by 'the native of India.' " 

Photo of William taken within the first hours of birth.

The Hospital: Cork University Maternity Hospital.

Overall, the hospital care was excellent. I went to the hospital a few times before my delivery to clinic appointments. Here I spent hours waiting to be seen my midwives, ultrasound techs, and doctors. I'd arrive and pick up a number. When my number was called I'd go in with a midwife and she would take my blood pressure, urine sample, take blood if needed. Then I'd go back into the giant waiting room and wait and wait until someone else called my number, until finally I was called to see the doctor. After seeing the doctor, I would make my next appointment and then go home.

Holding William Everest for the first time just moments after birth.

Stan holding William for the first time.

The week of my surgery I went to the clinic and waited again for a similar process. My blood was taken and I had to sign a bunch of paperwork and was instructed what to do. That was on Tuesday, then on Thursday the big day arrived. I woke up at 5 AM, I couldn't sleep so I decided to just get up and start getting ready. It was good because it took me a long time to get all ready to go. Stan and I left the house a little before 7 and headed to the hospital. After arriving we were sent up to the third floor and put into a private room and I got dressed for surgery. They even had me wear long stocking to help prevent blog clots. After about two hours in that room, we were called downstairs to where the surgery would be preformed. This is where my anxiety began. I think we waited for 90 minutes, but it felt like days. Finally it was my turn. Stan could not come in until my spinal block was given.  So here I was alone in a "theatre" or operation room with a bunch of doctors with awesome Irish accents. The Irish speak fast. I hardly understand them as it is, and I honestly had to ask everyone to repeat themselves over and over again, but the anesthesiologist I could understand. That was nice.

Still in the operation room after he has been cleaned up a bit.

I especially loved the anesthesiologist. He was an experienced doctor that really calmed me down. I admit that I was very scared. I always get scared as I'm getting ready for c-sections. He started by giving me my IV. He injected something that did sting a bit so that the large IV that he needed to put in wouldn't hurt. I appreciated this. I hate IVs and honestly, this one went in very well with little pain. He talked me through each step and other than shaking a little through the whole process it didn't hurt too much at all. I was so relieved that my spinal block was in and that baby William would be here soon. At this point Stan was let in, and the operation started. Unlike the past two, I had a sense of feeling with this one. There was no pain, but I could feel not only pressure but movement and I felt more apart of the birth process. My hand was on my tummy and when they pulled William out my hand was on his body and I felt him leave and then just moments after they handed me my baby boy! It was a beautiful moment. I was able to hold him and kiss him for a few seconds before he was clean and dry. It was a tender moment for me.

Beautiful Baby William

SO tiny compared to this big hospital bed.

My three boys together at the hospital.

Lots of love and kisses!!!

My Irish boy wearing an American outfit for the day we leave the hospital.

This is the view from my room the day we left.

The CUMH is located in Wilton, the same area as our Church building.

The Recovery:

Recovering from c-sections are hard for me. About 30 minutes after he was born I began to vomit. I had been fasting so there was hardly anything to come up, but whatever was there did come up and it was terrible. I threw up all day just like the last sections. They didn't let me eat or drink anything for obvious reasons, and the next day all I had was water and a piece of toast. So I didn't get food for two days and two nights. I was so so so hungry!

After that my IV was taken out and I got out of bed, took a shower, began walking around... but things got worse. I just got sicker and sicker. They moved me into a private room or as they called it an "isolation room" so I would not get others sick. It was nice to have my own space, but it wasn't fun being so sick. I had the chills and fever so badly that they had to get me back on an IV, my temp was up to 103, and after taking a bunch of blood samples found out that I had an infection most likely from my surgery. I felt rotten for a few days there, but after they started pumping in antibiotics I felt so much better. I'm still taking oral antibiotics and will for another week.

Home with William. I gave Gregory and George a hair cut. First time ever doing it, I think they turned out okay.

William Everest Nelson:

He is literally the perfect baby. I could not dream for a better little boy. He is so sweet and small and quiet. He was 8 lbs 4 ounces and 20 inches long. He was my smallest baby so far, which makes sense why I didn't gain as much weight with this pregnancy.

This photo reminds me of my Dad. I think he looks just like hiim.

William is a great sleeper. He sleeps all night and day. He cries if he's hungry or needs a change, so when he fusses, I make sure to quickly take care of what it is he needs. For the most part he is a sweet, calm, quiet, perfect baby just from heaven. He has brought me so much joy and love. I am so happy that he has chosen to join our family. I cannot believe that I am a mother of three! I always wanted my third baby by age 30 and I made it... three and I am 29! William I love you so much. I am so happy to be your mother!!!