The first picture shared:
If you're interested in how this guy came into the world, here it goes...
If you followed my pregnancy/birth with Viv, you know that I had a fairly smooth, textbook delivery EXCEPT the epidural 'didn't work'. While that may not sound very 'smooth' to you, I will say that it was and I was pretty grateful for it all (mostly). Technically, the epidural worked until I started pushing then it just stopped. I felt EVERYTHING and the nurses/doctors didn't believe me until I could point out the tiniest sensations that I should not have been able to. It turned out to be a pretty easy delivery, VERY easy recovery and left me feeling empowered and ready to have another baby immediately (crazy I know).
SO, this time around, we decided to take Bradley method classes so that I could feel like I had some control of the pain since I had no idea what I was doing the first time around. The classes were really helpful... mainly to get me through the 5 DAYS of contractions/'pre-labor' I had with Ford. Miserable. I was sure he was coming DAYSSSSS before he actually did. NOPE. He's a stubborn one.. not sure where he got that trait? I tried EVERYTHING to get labor started (multiple times).... spicy food, walking, curb hoping (I have video), the same thing that got us pregnant in the first place *wink wink*, pineapple, clary sage oil, red raspberry leaf tea, I'm sure I'm forgetting several things. I timed contractions multiple times and was minutes away from calling the doctor, but then he'd prove it was just a tease by completely stopping the contractions all together. My mom even drove up because we thought it was time!
9.14.16
9:30am
Finally, at our 40 week appointment, Adam and I entered the doctors office expecting to talk about how long she would let us go before intervening, hoping she'd let us give it another week. Little did we know God had other plans. Our doctor did her usual, checked me at 5cm, yay! and did an ultrasound commenting that my (amniotic) fluid was low. I knew what that meant immediately. Adam did not. The doctor told him "it's baby day"... Again, he was confused. He had visions of me being wheeled off to have a c-section immediately. She explained that wasn't the case and she would send me over to the hospital to get things started. I was a nervous wreck! NOT what I hoped for. I wanted what I had with Viv. To start labor at home where I was comfortable and not being encouraged to start interventions I wasn't ready for. I cried a little, but just reminded myself that we would get to meet our baby and no matter what happened it would be worth it!
10am
Adam took me to L&D then drove home to get our bags. He also called the school and arranged for Viv to be picked up by our (awesome) neighbors. And my mom was already on the highway driving to Tulsa! I had Group B Strep (common in pregnancy) so they started the standard IV antibiotics, which should be administered at least 4 hours before delivery (something I wasn't sure could happen if labor progressed too quickly naturally). So again, a blessing in disguise. I was also allowed to eat! Meanwhile, they just monitored my contractions. Yes, still having them even though I wasn't really in labor.
2:30pm
The hospitalist came in and broke my water to get labor started (more natural than meds, which I was all for). Contractions got a little more intense, but nothing unbearable. I was still at a 5 and not really progressing, baby was not even 'engaged'.
4:30pm
My doctor came in, checked me again (after LOTS of intense contractions), NO progress. AND she had to break my water again because after it was done the first time, the baby likely closed off the opening and it just re-accumulated. She said we may have to start pitocin (induction meds that I did NOT want). The nurse (her name was Crystal by the way and I LOVED her!) informed me that since my contractions were regular and 2 minutes apart, protocol wouldn't allow her to start pitocin. Thank you tiny baby Jesus (and Ford)! By that point contractions were INTENSE, I started having serious shakiness (common from the hormones/adrenaline) and I couldn't focus enough to practice any pain control. I was uncontrollably shaking like a leaf from head to toe, which I'd say was far worse than the contractions. I even had Adam LAY ON TOP of me to stop me from shaking...
5:30pm
I finally decided an epidural was necessary. Between the obvious need for pitocin, shaking, contractions and inability to focus there was no option in my mind. I just prayed it would work.
6pm
The anesthesiologist came in and administered my epidural. He explained that what likely happened the first time was that once Viv started to descend down the birth canal, she put pressure on the nerves and blood vessels that delivered the pain control basically blocking it from giving me relief... thanks a lot Viv! SO, he put the epidural a little lower and promised I wouldn't have the same issue. He encouraged me to "push the button" often to deliver extra medication. That led to a little argument between him and the nurse because it's not encouraged to be completely numb and unable to feel when I'd need to push (I sided with the nurse). Well. he was right! I was numb! I was not happy about that until they started pitocin and I saw how intense the contractions were on the monitor. So grateful I didn't have to endure that pain! I had to frequently change position to ensure labor continued to progress and the meds were evenly disbursed.
8pm
The (night) nurse, Lindsey checked me and said I was at an 8 (finally, some progress!) then called my doctor at 8:15. I thought she was crazy for calling her since I was sure it would take forever before I could even start pushing.
9pm(ish)
My doctor arrived, checked me and announced "Oh! the head is right there! Time to push!" 2 pushes later and "IT'S A BOY!!!" at 9:16pm!!
You can hardly see, but he's flicking us all off. That delivery was intense!
It was a whirlwind!!! He came so fast that he swallowed fluid that he was unable to expel so he was gagging/not breathing or crying when he came out. I panicked and didn't even have a second to process the joy. They immediately put him on me while encouraging him to breathe. They used my oxygen mask (still attached to my neck) to give him some air. It only took seconds to get him to take a deep breath and pink up, but it felt like an eternity! He was SO sweet and snuggly and absolutely adorable!! We had a good hour of skin to skin bonding time. He was ready to nurse, but was pretty snoozy.
I also have to share that even though this did not all happen as we planned, He was born on the anniversary of the day I miscarried our first child (3 years prior). SO, this little guy was an extra special gift from God!
10:20pm
They weighed him, 8lbs 7oz 21in long!! HOW did that happen?! He completely skipped newborn diapers and went straight to 1s.
10:45pm
They wheeled us all to our postpartum room. I let Adam go home and get some rest.... DUMB idea! He did it after Viv was born, but she came at 11:16am so I had his help ALL day, PLUS I was not numb since the epidural didn't work, PLUS Viv wasn't 8+lbs!! Did I say DUMB idea?? Oh well, the nurses/techs were great, Ford and I had some great bonding time, and Adam was back early the next morning.
During our bonding time over night, I was starting to think about what we'd name him. We really hadn't decided on a name, although we had several floating around. We knew we loved the name Ford, but couldn't decide on a middle name. We also considered making it the middle name and still call him by that name... decisions, decisions. Overnight, 'Ryan' just came to me and I loved the ring of 'Ford Ryan'. I introduced it to Adam and he loved it too! We decided we'd let it sink in before we made our final decision. THEN everyone (insurance, birth certificate, records, cord blood banking, friends, family) wanted, no NEEDED, to have the name. Pressure was on, but we weren't ready so we unplugged the phone and let it sink in some more. Several hours later, Adam pulled the trigger and made 'Ford Ryan' official. Perfection! THEN, my mom came to visit and she said the name out loud (in an odd tone) and we immediately questioned our decision. Luckily we said it ourselves in a not so odd tone and we realized we hadn't just made an awful decision. Names are hard, guys!!!
Big sister Viv also came to the hospital to visit her new baby brother and it was the SWEETEST thing!
We had a few hiccups... because of all the fluid Ford swallowed during delivery, he was not eating as much at first and was gagging/spitting up a lot. I knew something wasn't right so I asked the nurse to check him. They ended up suctioning a TON of fluid out of his belly and he immediately started eating better! He was also circumcised and he tok it like a champ! 36 hours later (protocol due to that damn Group B strep) we were able to go home. We were SO ready!!
More newborn photos taken before discharge:
Professional newborn/family photos courtesy of Buona Sarah Photography
No comments:
Post a Comment