Thursday, May 5, 2011

Robin's Story of Rylan Lee's Birth-September 11th, 2009

Precious Rylan
When I first found out I was pregnant I thought "no way in hell am I shoving a baby out of me" Of course I was just panicked. I was young and careless and never thought life would be enjoyable after this. Boy was I wrong. Over the next 9 months I quickly began to realize that there was nothing more important in this world than the little life growing inside of me. In the first trimester I was a crazy hormonal mess. Mostly I went with the flow. I didn't research much and every once in awhile I would hear things from my sisters (also pregnant at the same time) and think..... “What the heck that is not happening to me or my body". Being pregnant was like one giant crash course in growing up, and pass or fail all came down to labor.

I'm sure that every mother can relate to the feeling when you first realize that yes those are "real" contractions!!!!!! It's an excitement that cannot be completely explained. I had been having Braxton’s for a few weeks and was just annoyed and frustrated with them. I was an angry pregnant woman by this point (even though I wasn't due for a few more days). Every day people would ask me how much longer 4 wks 3 days, 3 wks 2 days, 1 wk 4 days, etc. how annoying.(I almost went out and bought a pack of plain white t's and a sharpie to just start a countdown and wear the shirt so people would stop freaking asking me). So finally on Thursday I woke up with Derek and said this is it these are real. We timed them for awhile, playing Halo on the XBOX (haha) and I decided to call the Dr. When they were about every 8 mins just to check in. They asked me to come in to the office to check me. I decided that this was it, there was no way that I would let these stop and I was having this baby so I called work and started my maternity leave. When I got to the office I was hooked to the monitors and my contractions actually slowed, and then stopped. Talk about complete disappointment. The dr. sent me home with a sorry not today. I’m not sure if it was stress or complete desperation and will power but on the ride home, my contractions began to slowly come back. We got home and I sat on the couch (once again playing halo). After awhile we decided to go for a walk to try and make my contractions come stronger and closer together. I walked and walked and walked as fast as my pregnant belly would let me, Derek all the while trailing behind me out of breath. At this point I was contracting and I was determined to keep it up. I was having regular contractions about every 6 mins but they weren't very painful. Back in the house, waiting on my parents to come home from an out of town trip I kept my will power going walking laps around the Island in my mother’s kitchen. I walked and walked and walked and walked until finally I was contracting every 4 mins and they were an accomplished painful. Finally around 9:30 I was contracting about every 4 mins still but they were getting longer and strong, and living 45 mins from the hospital we decided it was time to go. That was the longest ride of my life. Feelings of doubt, and fear all the while excited. Getting to the hospital they put me into triage and I went to the bathroom to change. Slipping out of my pants to use the restroom I felt something pop out of me, panicking I called for my mom. She calmly explained that this was something called a mucus plug (one of those things I swore was not and would not happen to me or my body haha). I was admitted and excited because the midwife I liked best was on call. My plan was for natural birth, no meds, no ivs just me and my baby and the pain, so I was disappointed when the first thing they said to me was " let’s get the anesthesiologist in here and get your epidural because he's about to go home then we can break your water"..." WHAT???" (they basically said trust us you will come to want one in the end and the guy will not be happy about being called at 3 in the morning to come give you an epidural he could have done now. Who were these people and why did they show no faith when they didn't even know me). After what I’m sure was not a very calm talk with my mother in the hallway the midwife came back and said that we would try it my way and see what happens. As the night wore on my contractions became stronger and closer together. The bathtub was my savior. I do not think I would have been able maintain what little calm I had without that tub. Around6 in the morning getting out of the tub to be checked AGAIN I was feeling pressure and the urge to pee. I sat on the toilet... nothing..... I stood up and POP my water broke everywhere. This is the point where labor becomes a nightmare. It's just your pelvic bones and your baby’s head and contractions slamming them together... OUCH. I got back in the tub being told I was only at a 6. About an hour and a half later they took me out of the tub. The midwife and my mother hauling me out explaining that water births are not legal in that hospital so I HAD to get out of the tub. Back in bed on my back they checked me and I was 9 cm. Thank god not much longer. At this point all of my shyness was gone. I was naked as a bird on all fours butt in the air rocking, trying anything to make the pain go away. There is a point where the pain is so unbearable that you go into your own world. Things from here are a little foggy. Blurry around the edges and fading in and out. After over an hour at 9 cm in the bed I was stalled and they kept making me change positions to try and get the baby through and my cervix to dilate. Angry as hell that they kept making me move I begged for something. So they started an Iv and gave me something called nubain. I was stoned. I couldn't move my fingers even if I wanted too but the pain was still there. They checked and in less than 40 mins I was 10 and ready to push but by this point I had no will to push. They asked if I wanted to try and I not so politely said NO. After about 10 mins I sat up and said "I HAVE TO PUSH". 20 mins is all it took from there. Do not ask me where I found the energy or strength to push at that point. All I was focused on was ending this pain. I remember seeing Derek crying holding my leg as his son emerged into this world. I remember the midwife stopping me for a second to pull my hand between my legs and touch that little miracle of life that was happening as his head came out. There is a moment, when the rest of the baby's body comes out, shoulders, ribs, butt and legs where you can breathe again. (It's a feeling of relief that will later be replaced shortly with depression that you no longer have you baby in your tummy.) My son was born into this world on September 11th 2009. He came out eyes open, ten fingers ten toes and perfect in every way. He was healthy and I was more in love than ever before. He was a miracle that was sent to show me that there were important things in life to live for, things in life more important than myself. He is a reminder everyday that life still has miracles left to show us.


P.S. there are obviously still medical things that happen during labor aft er the baby comes out.... but none of that is really important, It's the Dr.'s job from there to do whatever they are doing and you won't even remember half of it because your too focused on the newest addition to the world.

1 comment:

  1. My sweet little nephew, Chicol McNicol :) He was such a doll baby when he was born! This birth was also the first birth I had seen from a person I actually knew. (even if it was through video) I cried when his head crowned.

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