We welcomed our second son into the world on May 23, 2025. We had a 5 day labor with our first son that ended up with a c-section so we decided to just go ahead with a planned c-section this time unless I naturally into labor before my due date.

My mother came to DC to watch Robert and we left for the hospital around 9am. We were all ready and prepped for surgery but the maternity ward was so busy we had to wait for another two hours. My midwife wasn’t sure if she could even make it for my surgery due to being so busy that weekend. I has a student do my epidural and it was incredibly painful (unlike my last one which went perfectly). Right as they were about to start I felt my hand being squeezed and looked up to see my midwife smiling down at me. Such a blessing to have a caring team around me!

Daniel walked into the room and they had the baby out a few seconds later. The surgeon held him up and Daniel called out “it’s a boy!” Jesse Lee Burdge was born at 1:55pm, 8 pounds 8 ounces. I heard a small cry from him, after that the room went silent. I looked up to see Daniel and the midwife looking across the room with concern. Everything was so quiet. I told Daniel no matter what was happening I wanted to know.

The cord was very tight around him and he took on fluid at birth. The NICU team was there in minutes and were walking him out of the room but I asked if I could at least see him for a second. They were so kind and brought him over. We had just enough time to snap a photo and his cheek brushed mine. It was so soft and sweet. Then the team hurried him away. I’ve never been so grateful for a kind and caring team of medical staff as the moment they whisked my baby away. I knew he was in good hands.

They finished my care in the operation room and then the nurse wheeled me on my bed all the way to the NICU. I wanted to see my baby! I remember looking down at him not really knowing him at all. With my first I held him immediately and he breastfed within the first hour. I knew his cry, I knew how he smelled and wanted to be held….this time felt so differently. I remember struggling to even feel like I knew how to bond with him. (photo below of me on my hospital bed in the NICU. I have no idea how the nurse managed to wheel me around in such tight corners)

We got settled in our room and then I pumped right away. I really wanted him to get as much of my colostrum as possible. I would pump and Daniel would walk it down to the NICU nurses. It took me days after my first c-section to be able to walk but being separated from your baby (and not having a 5 day labor) is the best motivation to walk. Daniel would stay with me during the day and then go home to spend the night with Robert.

I was discharged on Monday -it was a federal holiday so everything took a very long time. It was so hard driving away from the hospital and leaving our baby behind. Thankfully he was discharged the following day. I have such compassion for parents when endure long NICU stays. It must be so exhausting. My recovering was so much better than my first birth. A planned c-section is very helpful if you need to go that route. So grateful we have a healthy and beautiful son!

*the photos below are taken by a NICU nurse moments before I left Jesse to head home. They will always be such a treasure to me.