Ryan's Birth Story

I have been meaning to write this for a while, but haven't. Here it is before I forget.

A few weeks before my due date my doctor and I were discussing the possibility of an induction. All of my labors have been very quick, and faster every time. I really didn't want to have a baby at home. Two weeks before my due date my doctor set an induction date of Monday, September 27, 2010. I was 39 weeks, 3 days then.

The day came. I was also induced with Katelyn and was called by the hospital to come in around 6am. So that is what I was expecting this time around. At about 8am I called the hospital. I was told that they already took 3 women in for inductions, but I was next on the list. I was supposed to wait for a phone call. Noon came. No call. I called them. (Can you tell I was an impatient pregnant lady at this point?) I am still next, but they have been really busy. A call should be coming very soon. Finally around 1:30 I got the call. They said I could come in around 2:00pm, but they needed to check with my doctor to make sure that was okay. (I guess some docs won't do inductions in the afternoon because they don't want to be delivering babies in the night.) I called my doctor's office to make sure that they would say yes. The hospital called me back and let me know that everything was a go. I called my sister Heather to come over and watch Katelyn so Jeff and I could leave. She would also be there when the older two came home from school.

We were off to the hospital. I find it odd to be at the hospital checking in to be tortured (I mean to have a baby) when I feel fine. But I knew it had to happen anyway. He wouldn't stay in there forever. Around 3 pm I was admitted and settled into my room. The nurse came in to get my IV placed and to start some pitocin. At this point I am not dilated at all. Jeff and I start a movie on his laptop and I get some ice chips with some cherry syrup on them from the nurse. About 5:30 I get checked. I have been having mild contractions, but I have not dilated at all. Dr. Holmes comes in to check on me. He insists on checking me himself even though that just happened by the nurse. He is not very nice at all and helps me get to a 2. OWWW! He wants to break my water. I tell him that he can, but only if I get an epidural first. I know how fast things go once my water breaks, and I am on pitocin. I did not want a repeat of Katelyn's delivery. I get my epidural (very good anesthesiologist- hardly any pain) and they come back to break my water. It is about 6 pm now. I am ready for dinner. Sad for me. No dinner.

The nurses come in and want to take guesses for delivery time. I guessed about 7:30. Jeff 7:45ish and the nurses about 9pm. I am having some pretty awesome contractions by now. They have to lower the pitocin a little. At about 8:25 I am feeling incredible pressure that won't go away and know that Ryan is practically falling out. The nurses confirm. Dr. Holmes is called to come back. He comes back, my bed gets broken down, everything is a go. One push and Ryan was born at 8:36pm. It was a relief to have him here healthy and crying. One of the first things I noticed about him was his right ear. His cartilage is formed in more of an "E" shape than a "C". I will always be able to tell that he's mine. I was able to cuddle him after he was born for a while.

We made a few phone calls to let family know Ryan was here. The kids were so excited and of course wanted to come to the hospital right away. Originally we thought that they would be coming after school to meet Ryan. They were disappointed to learn that they would have to wait until the morning to come and visit. We got to snuggle Ryan for about an hour. Then he was off to the nursery with Jeff to get all washed and weighed. I was moved to my mother/baby room about 11:30pm. I was starving, exhausted, and very happy. Jeff stayed with us until about 1 am and then went home to relieve Heather of her duties.

In the morning Jeff brought the kids to come and meet Ryan. They were all so cute and each took turns holding Ryan. I knew that there was no way that they could wait to see him until after school. Having a new brother has to be a good excuse to be late to school. They stayed until about 10:30. Jeff took Ethan and Erin to school, and Katelyn stayed with me. After school Heather brought the older kids back over for another visit. Our two days at the hospital were all too short, but it was finally time to go home. My mom flew in that day and was able to see us at the hospital before we came home. Heather was there with Abram and our kids to greet us. The kids had made cute signs and put them all over the door. It was good to be home.