Little Ryder's birth story....well mine too
As I type this, I'm currently still sitting on the post partum unit. Today is discharge day for me. However, and I'll get to it later on, Ryder will be making an overnight and day trip to the NICU.
Let me take you back to Friday, March 3rd 2017. Around 1pm, dear husband and I made our way through the OBGYN office for yet another NST (Non-stress test) BPP (Biophysical Profile). My due date was March 7th and if you've been following along on our journey, little boy has been monitored since week 32 in utero for a low heart rate and low amniotic fluids. So, as expected, his heart rate remained unchanged, though we were informed that my fluid levels had dropped yet again and this time I would be sent over to the hospital to be induced. We were told to go home and grab our hospital bag, shower, secure Chunky P with a sitter, eat then head on over to the hospital. Dear husband and I arrived around 6pm in labor and delivery. I should have known that this was going to be such an adventure when the nurse at the desk said, "I don't have you scheduled for an induction." In fact, this was the second time today this had happened to us. The OBGYN office didn't have me scheduled for my regular appointment earlier that day but squeezed me in anyway. The nurse made some calls and well, I was given a room. The nursing staff at our hospital are really fantastic. My first nurse made sure I was comfortable and asked her list of questions before starting my blood draw and IV. Either she was new or the cards still weren't in my favor because it took Two IV sticks to get one placed. It has never taken someone more than once to place an IV in my arm before so I was quite taken aback when she asked if people always had a difficult time getting my blood.
Around 9pm, I was given my first med to dilate my already 2 centimeters cervix. The med lasted 4 hours and then around 1am I received another dose and check. This time I was at 3 cm and was starting to feel crampy. A new nurse had been assigned to me due to shift change and I should have taken her advice for some sort of sleep aide but, I felt that I could sleep though till the next dose............dear lord was I wrong. Around 2am, the contractions started to get longer and stronger and pretty soon I was not sleeping. I could see on the monitor how strong they were and because of the giant clock in my room, I could tell you they were always 2-3 minutes apart. I went like that till 4:30 am just painfully breathing my way though till my nurse came in to check on me. I did ask her for some IV pain meds which were offered, but when Ryder's heart rate didn't accelerate like they had hoped it would, I was told I could either remain as I was, or get an epidural placed. I was exhausted, so I decided an epidural it was.
The adventure continues. The nurse checked my cervix and prepared me for the epidural. I was now 4 cm. The nurse asked Scott to wait outside the room or go get a coffee while I was given the what should have been amazing drugs. The anesthesiologist was super sweet and fun, though, the first epidural was placed wrong. Not only was this the first painfully injected epidural I have received, I also had a list of "no no" symptoms. Symptoms were: a metallic taste in my mouth, along with the shock pain down my right leg and then my heart rate dropped and I became dizzy accompanied by a heavy chest feeling. The anesthesiologist apologized repeatedly and told me he'd place a second one for me. So, out the catheter from the first injected epidural was pulled and a second but much less painful one was placed in a new spot. This one took away my contractions, or so I thought, but I could still very much move my toes, legs and feel every touch. It didn't matter to me at that point because I was able to sleep for one GLORIOUS hour. That hour was AMAZING!!! Until life returned and I was checked at 6:30 am. At 6:30 my OB said I was 5 cm and she then attempted to break my water although she had previously told me we were trying to figure out what day my water had broken at home. Confused, yep, I was too. Turned out, my water broke sometime between Tuesday and Friday and I had no idea. But to be safe, she wanted to make sure it truly was broken. Turned out it already was. From the time she left contractions were coming on stronger and I was beginning to feel them. WAY more than I knew I should. I also knew that I should not have felt my catheter (the foley) being placed with an epidural.
45 minutes was all it took for me to dilate from 5 to 10 cm. I also did it all without Pitocin. My body was physically taking over control and I was unable to stop myself from pushing. My newly assigned nurse was so excited and ran to get the doctor. In came both the doctor, my nurse and a nursing student. By this time, I was clawing at Scott to make the pain stop and get him out. This was not how my last labor went and I was DONE! I was in tears and would say no over and over again when a new contraction started. Some how, some way, my nurse and doctor got me through it. 3-4 pushes after I profusely apologized for not being able to control the urge to push, little Ryder was born and that pain was gone. Ring of fire they call it. I actually don't think that was the worst part. I also didn't tear. Ryder was perfect. He cried for about a minute or less and has been amazingly quiet ever since.
The doctor concluded that I had an epidural that was placed too high. Also, there was barely any blood or fluid and she called that a dry birth. So in conclusion, I had a natural birth totally unprepared and lived through it. Believe me when I say NEVER AGAIN! And yes, women who choose to do that, deserve a cookie or a metal or a freaking beer! That's an insane amount of pain when you have drugs as an option. Damn it I still haven't had my beer!!!
Back to Ryder, since this is his story. He's beautiful. 6 pounds 10 oz blue eyes and so alert. He completes our family and I'm so happy he's here. Chunky P came to visit him along with his Oma and everyone is in love with him. I can't get enough of him and I don't think dear husband can either. Chunky P loves to pet him and say, "oh, he's so little or cute." then she kisses him and tells me when he's crying.
As for Ryder spending time in the NICU, this has been a fear of mine. Earlier in our pregnancy journey, we notified the pediatrician and OB that my heart condition is genetic and with each baby we plan to have, he or she stands a 50% chance of inheriting it. Ryder was given an echocardiogram and an EKG yesterday morning looking for signs of my condition. His cord blood was also drawn and sent off for genetic testing for confirmation. Well, the EKG showed a longer heart QT interval. Instead of being discharged with me today, he is spending time up in the NICU and receiving a much lower dose of my heart medication as a precaution till confirmation of the diagnosis. If the blood test comes back negative, then he can stop the meds. However, we will have to wait 2 weeks for the results. So, the NICU is monitoring him as they start him on the meds to make sure he is stable when he comes home with us and the meds, which is hopefully tomorrow.
I had prepared myself for this. And since his heart rate had been so low and unchanged and different than Chunky P's I think I've always known. Though, it didn't sink in till I had to send him to NICU and call my husband and relate the news. That's all that I can type on the subject for now. I'll update more as we go along.
Wish him well and enjoy his cute pics.
