Baby Dylan is here!!
The Birth Story
Last Sunday, April 17th, I had been up and down the stairs a lot through the day just doing laundry and cleaning, etc. so when I was feeling extra pressure “down there” and some random contractions (which I assumed where just braxton hicks) I figured it was just because I was on my feet a lot. Around 8:45 the contractions started to become a little more regular but at that point I was still not thinking it was the real thing (I remember with one of my other kids I had a couples hours of contractions that ended up being nothing) and I didn't want to start getting my hopes up. I went to lay down in bed and read around 9:30-10 figuring they would just go away.
I ended up falling asleep only to be woken up a short time later (a little after 11pm)with stronger contractions, then I began to feel a slow leak, I managed to slowly make my way up to the bathroom before the big gush. I just stood there shocked for a moment, my water had never broken at home before, but I had been hoping it would! I grabbed a big pad and went to wake up Brian to tell him it was time to go to the hospital, I didn't bother calling the doctor on call first because my water wasn't clear (it had meconium in it) and with my contractions beginning to get strong I knew we should just get over there.
When we got there I was 5cm dilated. With the last several kids I hadn't had an epidural but with this one I was not as set on not getting one as I was with the others, the delivery of my 6th child was very rough and I just didn't want to go through that again. So when the nurse asked me about it I told her I was still deciding. The more I progressed the more I felt like I just didn't want to do it natural this time, so when she checked me again and I was 6 1/2-7 cm I told her I was ready for the epidural. I am glad I did it. About an hour and a half later I was 10 cm but he wasn’t moving down well because is head was turned to the side so the nurse had me lay on my side to try to get him to turn it…after a little while she decide I should just try pushing and see if that moves him.
I was worried that the pushing would take a long time since I couldn't feel what I was doing (with all the ones I went natural with I pushed so “well” that it only took a couple pushes because the pain was so intense I just needed it to be over!). I pushed through 2 contractions with the nurse before she got her phone out and said jokingly “I’m calling the doctor, I don't get paid to deliver the babies” ha! I was happy that my pushes where that effective when I couldn't feel them! The Dr. came in and I delivered my baby in the first push with the doctor….relief doesn't begin to explain what I felt as he came out and they put him on top of me. It was such an amazing feeling. He was born at 5:29am and was 6lbs 9oz. I would have wanted to hold him longer but with my water having the meconium in it they needed to check him out right away, he was wonderful though!
I got him back in my arms very soon though and snuggled him skin to skin calming him down (he came out crying and hadn't stopped yet!) He calmed enough to try to nurse for the first time and then fell asleep, they wanted to give him his bath after that but I asked for them to wait awhile since he was so peaceful at the time…and I just wanted to keep staring at him!
Two hours after delivery is when they move you into postpartum, I hadn't gone to the bathroom yet and they were threatening to put in a catheter, which I did not want! Luckily the nurse gave me a little longer and I was able to go on my own. As the epidural wore off I began to feel how sore I was, I tore and had stitches…I asked the Dr. when he was doing the stitches how bad it was and he said it was a 2nd degree tear. I didn't know at the time that it meant that tissue and muscle tore instead of just tissue….it has been so so painful this week!! Today is the first day I have been able to even walk across the room without being in pain.
Since my water broke so late at night I didn't call or text anyone that I was in labor so it was fun to be able to surprise family by sending a picture of Dylan first thing in the morning. They had no idea!
It’s hard to put into words how blessed and thankful I am to have baby Dylan here in my arms (he is currently napping on my chest:) and I praise God everyday for him! It has been a long and heartbreaking journey at times, that really started two years ago when we had our first loss. Holding this sweet little boy makes it all worth it, the storms were harder than I ever thought it could be but it has turned into something beautiful, he truly is my rainbow baby.
