Here is my belly timeline and a couple of pictures of our little guy, Ryder Alden, born on 3/22/16 at 7:07pm. 6lbs and 18″ long.
Starting with the week before. I was experiencing some high blood pressure as well as some very slight signs of early preecplampsia. Nothing major, but they monitored me and the baby twice. Once the Friday before and once on Monday, the day they sent me in to be induced.
I don’t remember my exact numbers, but I would say I was Prehypertension, so between 130 and 140 over between 80 and 90. So nothing crazy but numbers to watch. So I was monitored Friday the 18th of March and also checked for dilation. I had been having a slight cramps, one real contraction a ton of pressure and lightning crotch and some headaches, seeing spots, but no other symptoms. I was checked with absolutely zero dilation and sent home with my 40 week appointment scheduled for that coming Monday.
Knowing they would be monitoring me and the baby that coming Monday I had a feeling since I was still having high blood pressure symptoms such as head aches, seeing spots and slightly swollen fingers and feet, that they would just induce me. Sure enough, I walked in, was weighed in at 150lbs (weight gain of 30lbs total), had my blood pressure checked (still a bit high), and had a slight headache that morning, the doctor came right in and let me know that nothing was to be worried about, but since I still had the slight symptoms of preeclampsia in the works that they’d induce me that evening.
My face turned HOT red and I could not stop smiling and laughing!
We left the office, headed home real quick to do some last minute pet and house things and then went off to the hospital to have our son!
When we arrived around 5pm, they were already waiting for us and had our room ready and had us all checked in. I changed into my gown while Ryan put away our hospital and diaper bag. The nurses came in through out the next couple of hours to hook up my IV, give us our bracelets, I ordered dinner and we relaxed until about 8pm. Then my doctor came in to check for dilation. I believe at that point I was at 2cm dilated. She then said they would start the induction process by (here comes the TMI!) inserting what looked like a ribbon with a gel like medicine that she rubbed all over the ribbon. And when I say insert, I mean insert, WAY up there. That was more painful then the actual labor. She informed me that they would leave the medicine in there for 12 hours unless it caused the contractions to happen too close together. About a half hour later I started having slight contractions. Nothing painful, more like minor period cramps. Keep in mind I have a very high tolerance for pain! The nurses came in over the next few hours to keep an eye on my fluids, contractions and blood pressure. By midnight they gave me some medication to help me get some sleep which I got about a half hour of throughout the night because the contractions came about every few minutes, again, nothing painful, but definitely noticeable.
The morning rolled around and I ordered breakfast which would be my last meal until after delivery. Ate around 8am as well as my husband and then the nurse came in to remove the medicine that was inserted WAY up there -_-
THAT was even more painful than having it inserted. I cried, and I don’t cry over pain often. After that was over with they started the induction meds through the IV. They monitored me and the baby for the next couple of hours then the doctor checked again for dilation. I believe this was now around 11am and I was 3 cm dilated. The Dr. decided to break my water and get the process moving along a little quicker. This and the medicine through my IV upped my contractions QUICKLY! They were more painful and about every 3 to 5 minutes or so. Nothing too intense and I could still talk through them. The nurse came in at one point and looked at the chart and was surprised I wasn’t asking for the epidural! I mentioned to her I have a high tolerance for pain and she said “I guess you do!”. I told her I’d wait to have the epidural as long as I can, but I’m definitely not ruling it out.
1pm: The contractions at this point were getting pretty intense and I was told I’d be able to meet my son by that evening! That kept me hopeful and gave me the strength to push (or pull haha) through the contractions for another hour or so. By the time 2pm rolled around I had the shakes and the most painful contractions. The breathing was the only thing that “helped” at that point. I was in so much pain, but calm and just kept breathing and telling myself that with each contraction comes a break. Well, my contractions were about a minute and a half apart so there wasn’t much of a break anymore. I told the nurse I was ready for the epidural whenever they could give it to me. So by 2:30 they had the nurse anesthetist come in and take care of me. She was great, the nurse that was holding me still was great with keeping me calm since I was having intense contractions throughout the process.
{What is it like getting an epidural?
I’d have to say it’s not bad at all. I was a little nervous about the whole giant needle going into my back, but compared to the pain you feel while having contractions it’s a piece of cake and it’s pretty quick. The needle hurt when first going in, like a really, REALLY bad and quick bee sting. I tried my hardest to relax and stay still, but did end up flinching a bit, but the flinch didn’t interrupt the process. Once they inserted the needle they asked if I was feeling any tingling in my feet or legs and I was and within minutes my contractions were easing up (or so it felt that way) and my legs were going numb. Your whole lower half of your body will go numb. Or at least mine did, like COMPLETELY numb. I couldn’t move my toes, feet, legs or bum no matter how hard I tried. The nurses had to move my lower half around, it felt like it wasn’t part of my body, crazy. Wonderfully crazy!}
By the time the nurses left the room around 3pm I was so comfortable. The doctor came back in at that time and I was checked for dilation and was at 4 or 5cm. So about half way at this point after about 18 or 19 hours of labor. I was already exhausted from lack of sleep, nurses, doctors, visitors and keeping up with informing family and friends even though my husband did most of the texts and phone calls. I decided to knit for a little while and then take a nap.
Around 5pm I was checked by the next shifts doctor. I was surprisingly at 9cm! WOO! He told me to get some more rest and that he’d be back in an hour or so to check again. An hour went by SO fast and I was at 10cm and ready to start pushing. They got everything prepared and I pushed though 4 or 5 contractions, pushing 3 or 4 times per contraction. I should add I was feeling absolutely NO pain throughout pushing (in fact I could feel nothing whatsoever, which made pushing a little difficult, but I guess I did fine since they said I was a good pusher lol) and we were all laughing and making jokes the whole time my baby was being delivered haha. After pushing through a few contractions my doctor asked me if I wanted to reach down and feel his head! I, of course, said yes and reached down sure enough to feel a little head popping out. So crazy and so amazing. I gave one last big push and Ryder shot right out. He was grabbing onto his umbilical cord, crying but not too loud. They placed the little guy on my chest and I just had so many feelings and emotions that you just can’t even put into words. The only way you’ll know how it feels is if you have someone hand you your son or daughter for the first time. It’s indescribable.
My husband cut the cord, and they weighed and cleaned up my little guy. Meanwhile my doctor sewed me up, I had a second degree tear, unfortunately. He then pushed on my stomach to get out the fluids which I very vaguely remember since I was a bit distracted.
About 20 minutes later I was nursing my son for the first time and he latched right on. However, a few minutes into nursing I started to get the shakes really bad to the point where my whole body was shaking and I thought I’d drop Ryder. So I had to put him down and the nurse brought me a couple of sandwiches to see if some food would help. It did, slowly. The shakes went away probably 15 or so minutes later and I was able to hold Ryder again and spend some time with just him and my husband.
A little while later family visited and at that point I was finally starting to get some feeling back into my toes and feet so I could wiggle my toes.
By 10:30pm we were alone with Ryder again and ready for sleep. We slept for a couple of hours and then moved to a room with a more comfortable bed around 1am when I could start to walk on my own. We stayed for another full day and night which was filled with nurse visits every hour, doctor visits every few hours, we met the pediatrician, had visitors, photographer, by the time we left thursday morning we were so exhausted. We stopped on the way home to grab my pain meds prescription and settled in at home with takeout and tv in bed.
I am so thankful I had my two favorite doctors for the whole process and it couldn’t have gone any better. Other than being in labor for 22 hours the experience was amazing! I honestly can’t wait to do it again. Pregnancy, delivery, all of it. We plan to start trying for our next babe sometime in early spring of 2017.
3 comments
He is so precious!!!
[…] For more pictures of the little guy and delivery day head to my Labor and Delivery Story post. […]
I loved the detail, and im glad you had the epidural, as a nurse and helping many mother give birth, I never understood why so many mothers would go through so much pain, I had a baby when I was 23 by myself and I was in nursing school with a bunch of students and instructor that encouraged me not to do epidural, still 30 years later I can remember it, actually went and got a tubiligation afterwards because I never wanted to experience that pain again, even though it gave me my wonderful son..and I love to hear you are planning your next one, this time for sure girl:)