New Baby Advice : Little Baby Garvin

Welcome Jessica Garvin of Little Baby Garvin! Jessica shares her family life in such a sweet and tender way and we’re big fans. Check out her Etsy shop filled with unbelievable chalkboard prints. Her penmanship is crazy good! Jessica is sharing her best new baby advice, funny memories and a moving birth story, welcome Jessica!

Let’s open with a funny memory…It was our first “outing” since Harper was born, we were going out to dinner for St. Patrick’s Day (and I was really looking forward to a sip of green beer!) so of course we were all wearing green. We had our little one month old on the changing pad on the kitchen island, I was standing next to her & my husband was changing her diaper. She happened to sneeze right as her diaper was off & of course poop shot straight out onto my husbands shirt, the very green shirt that I had just insisted that he wear to dinner.

1. What is one thing you would go back to tell your new-mom self?

To relax and enjoy the newborn stage. I think this might be impossible for a first time mom, since we worry so much. But looking back, I wish I had said yes to letting her sleep in my arms more instead of putting her down once she fell asleep so I could get things done. What I would give now for her to nap with me! 😉

2. Was there anything surprising or shocking that happened that no one warned you about?

I feel like I was totally unprepared for the crazy emotions that I felt after Harper was born. I went from happy to sad at the drop of a hat, crying over totally reasonable things like

worrying that our cat didn’t think we loved her anymore. I finally realized that the hormones mixed with zero sleep, and hardly making enough time to eat had left me running on empty. I eventually felt normal again after about two weeks, but it was really tough and I never saw it coming. I remember my husband telling me that I needed a time out after I started sobbing uncontrollably when he turned her lullaby music on the first night home from the hospital, I was a wreck! 😉

3. Do you have a bedtime routine? I used to hum “If all the raindrops were lemon drops & gum drops…” to her when she was a newborn, now we actually sing it at bedtime & she loves it! I’m a little embarrassed to say that I think it came from Barney?

And Jessica’s awesome birth story after the jump!

We had a scheduled C-section because she was breech. Although I initially had hoped I would go into labor on my own, our doctors recommended that we schedule it so that it would not result in an emergency C-section. I actually began having some contractions on February 14th, but nothing strong enough or often enough to call the doctor. That night, my husband and I went out to dinner to celebrate Valentine’s Day and the Eve of our baby’s birthday. I could hardly eat my dinner because I was so nervous and excited for what was to come.

Wednesday morning, we arrived at the hospital at 5:30 am. All I could think about was how hungry I was and how badly I wanted some jelly toast. I was trying to keep my mind occupied. We got into our prep room, where the nurse hooked me up to my IV, which I was told was going to be the worst part. It was absolutely painless. My husband and I waited in there for a while alone waiting for me to finish the bag of fluids. Here we prayed and talked about how we couldn’t believe the day was finally here.

The nursing staff was so sweet and kept telling me I was going to do great. I think I told everyone who walked in the door how incredibly nervous I was over and over again. I had to sit on the edge of the bed with my feet on a chair, hunched over a pillow for them to administer my epidural. At this point, I lost it. I started sobbing because I was terrified, just a huge rush of emotions. The poor Anesthesiologist definitely thought I was a lunatic – he hadn’t even finished putting the tape on my back! They told me that I would feel a little sting and then some pressure. That’s exactly what I felt. It didn’t hurt at all.. It was sort of a scary feeling just knowing what was happening but no pain. As I sat there for a few minutes, both of my legs got warm and heavy. They had me cross my arms over my chest and lay back down. At this point I started shaking uncontrollably. My husband looked terrified as I lay there convulsing on the table, but again I didn’t feel any pain, just couldn’t shop shaking. The doctor was running late, so we had about 20 minutes to hang in the room while my epidural kicked in. My husband held my hand while we talked with the anesthesiologist and nurse for a while. At one point I remember saying “I am surprised I haven’t said very many curse words today!” … Everyone burst out laughing as they informed me that I had definitely dropped a few. The mood in the room was very laid back, it helped me calm down and I was ready to go!

The doctor arrived and the nurses wheeled me into the OR. Such a surreal feeling. They asked Brandon to wait outside the room for just a few minutes while they prepped me. I hated that he couldn’t come in right away, I was so nervous! They moved me from one bed to another, where I was sure they were going to just drop me to the floor. They threw up the curtain right below my chest and laid my arms out on either side of me on some supporting contraptions. Finally Brandon came back into the room and rushed over to sit by me. I was so scared that I was going to have a panic attack, Brandon did an amazing job chatting my ear off to keep me calm. He was so sweet and calming during the entire process, I never would have made it through this without him.

Then, before I even realized that they had even started, I heard the doctor say “we have a butt! we have ten toes!” I then felt immense pressure in my ribs, I remember telling Brandon that I thought they were breaking my ribs at that point. I could feel them pulling her out, it was painful but somehow amazing knowing what was happening at the same time. And then we heard the faintest little cry. Harper Eve was born on at 8:22 am, weighing 7 lbs. 11 oz, with a full head of dark hair.

After what seemed like forever, but was probably only a minute or two, Brandon brought our beautiful baby girl over to me. It was the most amazing moment of my entire life. She wasn’t crying anymore, she was so calm just staring at us. I couldn’t believe this little, tiny baby just came out of my belly & I already loved her so incredibly much. I laid there holding her and rubbing her head, soaking up our first few moments as a family of three, while they stitched me up. I had never been happier in my entire life. Harper’s birth was the most incredible, wonderful experience that I ever could have imagined. I will never, ever forget those first precious moments of her life.