Ryllan’s Birth Story
October 16th, 2006 by Sharon
My cerclage was taken out on a Monday. Dr. M wanted me to stay around for an hour so she could check me then to see what I went to before sending me home. I went to go see Rebecca (jadensmom) and 2 day old Jaden who were on the same floor. I had a great visit. And was hoping to be holding my baby really soon. When I went back to be checked I was at 3 cm. Dr. M. said she could break my water if I wanted or I could go home. I decided to go home. I didn’t want to be induced. I went back to visit Rebecca for a while and to let her know that the baby wasn’t coming right now. I visited Rebecca pretty much everyday with Belle. Belle was so sweet trying to encourage Jaden to nurse. He was so sleepy he wouldn’t nurse much at all.
I ended back in the hospital on Friday night. I didn’t think I was in labor, but I had felt a little trickle. And since with Belle all I had was a little trickle when the water broke I wanted to make sure it wasn’t the water. It wasn’t the water. And I knew I wasn’t in labor but since I was then 4 cm and showing contractions on the monitor they wanted me to stay. I knew I wasn’t in labor, but I stayed. I didn’t have dh come in because I knew this wasn’t it. Later Dr. Hebert came and checked me I was nearly 5 so she thought I was in labor. Then I did contemplate how great this would be if I was in labor and I hadn’t even had one thing I would consider a contraction. But I still didn’t think this was it. And it wasn’t. In the morning I was still at 5 and Dr. Hebert offered to break my water or let me go home. I choose to go home. I went to see Rebecca and Jaden for a while. She was going to be released really soon. And we would have loved to be in the hosp together, but alas it didn’t happen. I was still early so it didn’t bother me that I wasn’t going into labor, but I did want my baby. Especially after getting to hold Jaden several times.
Well, Tuesday morning I decided this is the day. I was still in bed. Noah was getting ready for work and Belle was cuddled up with me. I got up to go pee and had a contraction. Not at all intense or uncomfortable, but I knew that today was going to be the day. I went pee and then got back in bed. I wanted to be rested. I got up when Belle did. No more contractions at all since that one. I got us dressed and debated going to playgroup, but decided not to. My mom was supposed to watch Belle for us while I delivering. And even though my laobr hadn’t started yet I started getting stuff ready to go. I packed up food for Belle and her soymilk (she had dairy allergies, so I was sending up her special food). And made sure the house was clean. Then I called my mom at about 11:45 and asked if we could come visit. She said yes of course. I didn’t mention anything about labor as I still wasn’t having contractions. On the way to my mom’s house I had a couple of contractions that were slightly uncomfortable. I was so excited. When I got to my mom’s I told her my labor started on my way to her house. I went potty and I was having some bloody show. Sitting down didn’t feel good, so I stood or walked. I called Noah to give him a heads up. Then I called my doc’s office and they told us to come right in. So I called Noah back and told him to come get me right away. We got to the doc’s office and I was at 6. I was admitted and brought right up to a l&d room at about 1. The nurse wanted me to lay down to get a strip of contractions on the monitor. I told her that when I was standing I wasn in no pain, if I laid down or sat down my back really hurt. She was kind of insistent that they needed the strip. So I told her she could strap it on me and I would stay there, but I wouldn’t lay down. She did. She took it off a few minutes later.
I ate lunch. It was delicious…it was nearly Thanksgiving, so I ordered a Thanksgiving meal. And my dad who works at the hospital came to see me. We talked and laughed and visited. I was in no pain at all. But I still wouldn’t sit.
I was really wondering what I was at so I asked the nurse to check me. It had been nearly 2 hours. I had only dilated 1 cm and was now at 7 cm. That was not the news I was hoping for. I know I couldn’t complain because I was at 7 and had yet to be uncomforable, but 1 cm in 2 hours! I went to the bathroom and sat down on the toilet (which didn’t feel good…sitting) and prayed. As I did I felt like I needed to push. I came out of the bathroomand started to pace and water and blood was trickling down my legs just a bit Noah noticed immediately something was different. He asked if he should get a nurse, but a different nurse came in just then to bring me some water. She could tell that I was about ready to push. She had Mary, a midwife, come check me and I was at almost 10 and to call my doc up here right away. This was within about 3 minutes of being checked and only being at a 7. She had been my midwife with Belle and was at the beginning of this prenancy too, but then because of my cerclage and such I needed to have a doc. I found out later I could have switched back to the midwives though. She waited with me and the doc wasn’t coming. I was pacing and saying that the doc better arrive right away. After I had waited for the doc for 40 minutes Mary said that she was going to go check on her patient really fast and if by the time I came back the dr wasn’t there she would deliver the baby if I wanted her too. I agreed. Well, she barely walked out and in walked the doc. All the docs from my practice weren’t going to be able to get there quick enough and I had already waited 40 minutes trying not to push. The only ob around was retired from delivering. He came out of retirement to deliver since I couldn’t wait for another doc to get there. I was still pacing. I leaned on the bed when he got there and looked down and saw Ry’s head was half out. I could feel him coming out even though I wasn’t pushing. The doc said I could push if I wanted to; the baby was coming out if I pushed or not. I decided to push because feeling him come out and not pushing hurt. It hurt when I pushed too, but I was comcentrating on the pushing. With the first push his heas was out, one more push and he came out the rest of the way. No stitches needed or anything. Although he came out so fast that part of his skull had actually slid forward and he had this ridge from ear to ear. It took over a month before that was completely gone. Besides that he was just perfect and so beautiful. The placenta was delivered and the cord cut and the doc left because he had to get back to his practice. The midwife came back and thought that I had delvered without a doc or anything because it happened so fast. I nursed Ry and we called our family to come see the baby. Ry didn’t nurse quite as easily as Belle had when she was born, but he still nursed really well. He was 6 pounds, 8.5 ounces…37 weeks. Belle was in love and still is with her brother. And he is completely smitten with her.